2 Chronicles 29:6-9 (NKJV) For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and turned their backs on Him. They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. Therefore the wrath of the Lord fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.
Hezekiah displayed a profound sense of priority in his life, a quality that set him apart as a godly leader. When he addressed the people and explained the dire state of their nation, he minced no words, pinpointing the root of their problems.
The spiritual decline of the kingdom of Judah was the starting point of their troubles and served as the root cause of the nation’s myriad of problems. Because we reap what we sow, the moral and ethical compromises that followed their departure from God had far-reaching consequences.
The deterioration in the lives of individuals, families, cities, and entire nations can often be traced back to their departure from the Lord. As free moral agents, humans are endowed with the freedom to choose, and those choices significantly impact the course of their lives. Therefore, in a world with increasingly liberal worldviews, it is paramount to be a positive voice of influence in the lives of our children.
It’s worth noting that at the time of Hezekiah, the people of Israel were operating under two concurrent covenants—the Abrahamic covenant and the Mosaic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant was unconditional, promising the birth of the Messiah regardless of Israel’s behaviour. However, the Mosaic covenant was conditional, offering God’s blessings, provision, and protection in exchange for obedience to God’s laws and statutes, lest curses would befall them.
Hezekiah’s father, King Ahaz, was a wicked king who worshipped other gods. Consequently, God’s protection, provision, and blessings were lifted. Intermarriage with the land’s inhabitants and the worship of foreign gods further contributed to this shift. Hezekiah understood that the consequences of their fathers’ actions—neglecting God in worship, failing to practise the prescribed burnt offerings, and neglecting the upkeep of God’s house—led to their downfall and the captivity of their children, and he recognised that spiritual deterioration served as the root cause of their nation’s woes.
Even though we live in a different dispensation and covenant as compared to Hezekiah’s time, the unchanging truth is that as a leader or as an individual, our walk with God and our decisions will determine our destiny and the destinies of those we lead.
Sermon Series: Wise Leadership
从决定到命定
历代志下 29：6-9 我们列祖犯了罪，行耶和华–我们 神眼中看为恶的事，离弃他，转脸背向他的居所。封锁廊门，吹灭灯火，不在圣所中向以色列 神烧香，或献燔祭。 因此，耶和华的忿怒临到犹大和耶路撒冷，将其中的人抛来抛去，令人惊骇，嗤笑，正如你们亲眼所见的。所以我们的祖宗倒在刀下，我们的妻子儿女也被掳掠。
希西家在他的生命中表现出一种深刻的优先意识，这种品质使他凸显为一个虔诚的领袖。当他向人民发表讲话，解释他们国家的可怕状况时，他毫不避讳，精准指出他们问题的根源。
犹大国属灵上的衰落是他们所有麻烦的起点，也是这个国家无数问题的根源。因为我们种什么就收什么，随着他们远离神而来的道德和伦理上的妥协对这个国家产生了深远的影响。
个人、家庭、城市和整个国家的生命恶化往往可以追溯到他们对神的离弃。作为自由的道德行为者，人类被赋予了选择的自由，而这些选择极大的影响了他们的生命历程。因此，在一个世界观日益自由的世界里，作孩子生命中一把积极向上的声音至关重要。
值得注意的是，在希西家时期，以色列人民同时在两个圣约下运作——亚伯拉罕之约和摩西之约。亚伯拉罕之约是无条件的，不管以色列人的行为如何，都应许了弥赛亚的出生。然而，摩西之约是有条件的，提供上帝的祝福、供应和保护，以换取他们服从上帝的律法和规条，免得他们受到诅咒。
希西家的父亲，亚哈斯王，是一个恶王，他敬拜别神。结果就是神的保护、供给和祝福都被解除了。与当地居民的通婚和对别神的敬拜进一步促成了这种转变。希西家明白他们的父辈的行为–忽略对神的敬拜，未能按规定献燔祭，疏忽维护神的殿所带来的后果——导致他们的垮台和儿女们被掳掠，他认识到属灵景况的恶化是造成他们国家的困境的根源.
尽管与希西家的时代相比，我们生活在一个不同的制度和盟约中，但不变的真理是，作为一个领袖或作为一个个体，我们与神的同行和我们的决定将左右我们的命运和我们所带领之人的命运。
讲章系列： 智慧的领导力
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