March 20, 2016 | Tom Dunham
Passage: 2 Kings 18:5-7
I Live by Faith!
He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any who were before him. For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses. The LORD was with him; he prospered wherever he went. II Kings 18:5-7a
God relates the vital vignettes of King Hezekiah’s life in three books of the Bible: II Kings … II Chronicles … & Isaiah. We do well to pay attention to the lessons of his life.
The bedrock key to Hezekiah’s life is that he trusted God. This means he lived a life of faith/obedience.
- As it says in Habakkuk 2:4 – “… the just shall live by his faith.”
- Repeated in the New Testament 3 times:
Þ … “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17
Þ … “The just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11
Þ “ … the just shall live by faith …” Hebrews 10:38
The life of a Christian is a life lived by faith. And, faith/belief is active, even synonymous with obedience to God’s commands …
- Compare Hebrews 3:18,19 – belief = obedience …
And, we grow in our faith as we read & hear the Word of God & obey it:
- So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
Romans 10:17…
- It all starts with believing the gospel – really, ‘obeying’ it …
Þ See Romans 10:16 … II Thess. 1:8 … I Peter 4:17 …
- Then the next step … the next … and the next after that …
Personal history … … … with some steps and missteps along the way …
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord. And God’s wish for His people throughout all time is that we live by faith: The just shall live by faith.
… “But on this one I will look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word. Isaiah 66:2
“Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God … that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.” … Jeremiah 42:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, … Hebrews 11:6
The Just Shall Live by Faith!