Surely your wrath against men brings you praise,

and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.

Make vows to the Lord your G.o.d and fulfill them;

let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared.

He breaks the spirit of rulers;

he is feared by the kings of the earth.

Acrid smoke from the funeral pyres drifted up to Hezekiah, carried by the wind. The scent of idolatry reminded him once again of Yahweh's promise, spoken by Isaiah years ago: "When you pa.s.s through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pa.s.s through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your G.o.d, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

Yahweh had brought him through the flood to prove His strength and faithfulness. He had taken Hezekiah through the fire to finally purge all the idolatry from his heart. As Isaiah had prophesied, a remnant from the house of Judah would "take root below and bear fruit above." Hezekiah could start anew, his sins and his foolish pride forgiven. Hezekiah knew that someday, from his own seed, Yahweh would send the Messiah, and this great day of salvation from a.s.syria would be only a shadow of the eternal salvation the Messiah would bring.

With a heart too full to speak, Hezekiah lifted his hands toward heaven in praise to his holy G.o.d.

Epilogue.

"MAY I SEE HEPHZIBAH NOW?" Hezekiah asked the midwife.

"Yes, and congratulations, Your Majesty," she said, bowing to him.

Hezekiah still couldn't comprehend the amazing news. He had a son. Yahweh had given him an heir.

Hephzibah looked weary and flushed after her long ordeal. She lay propped against her pillow holding a tiny mound of blankets in her arms. Hezekiah sat down on the bed beside her and kissed her.

"How are you?"

"Tired. But I never dreamed I could be so happy. Look at him." Hephzibah shifted the bundle in her arms, and Hezekiah stared at his son's pinched, ruddy face in alarm.

"Is he all right?"

"Yes," she laughed. "He's strong and healthy. And he shouts like a king when he's hungry."

"But he looks so ..." Hezekiah didn't want to say it, but the baby looked too scrawny to survive the night.

"Hezekiah, haven't you ever seen a newborn baby before?"

"No, I guess I haven't."

"He's a strong, healthy boy who will grow to be as tall and handsome as his father one day."

"Have you thought of a name?"

"I would like to call him Mana.s.seh, because Yahweh has helped me forget all my sorrow."

"Then that's his name-Mana.s.seh." Outside the window, shofars began to sound from the Temple wall. "Do you hear that?" he asked. "The priests are announcing to the nation that an heir has been born at last. The throne of David will continue through all the generations, just as Yahweh promised."

"Would you like to hold him?"

"Hold him? Is it all right?" He was so tiny, Hezekiah was afraid he would crush him.

"You'll do fine," she smiled. "He won't break." She lifted Mana.s.seh into Hezekiah's arms before he could reply. The bundle felt soft and warm. This sweet-smelling, vulnerable little child was his son! Hezekiah's heart filled with love for him, but it amazed him to think that what he felt was only a shadow of the overwhelming love Yahweh felt toward His children.

Mana.s.seh opened his eyes and looked up at his father, blinking in the light. "Listen carefully, son," Hezekiah said. "I'm going to teach you your very first lesson. And you must never forget it, because it's also the most important lesson you'll ever learn: 'Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our G.o.d-Yahweh alone!' And you must love Yahweh your G.o.d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of a.s.syria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the Lord and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah. From then on he was highly regarded by all the nations.

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2 CHRONICLES 3 2 : 2 2 2 3.

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord,the G.o.d of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah,either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.

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2 KINGS 1 8 : 5 7.

Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the hill where the tombs of David's descendants are. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem honored him when he died. And Mana.s.seh his son succeeded him as king.

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2 CHRONICLES 3 2 : 3 3.

CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS-Book 4.

My Father 's G.o.d.

From their earliest years, King Mana.s.seh (son of King Hezekiah) and his friend Joshua (son of Hezekiah's palace administrator, Eliakim) are raised together and nurtured in the faith of their G.o.dly fathers. But in My Father's G.o.d anger toward G.o.d begins to smolder in Mana.s.seh's heart after his father's unexpected death, and the young king begins to fear that he will never live up to Hezekiah's powerful legacy. Mana.s.seh's insecurity makes him easy prey for the false prophet, Zerah, who promises that sorcery and divination can chart the course of Mana.s.seh's future.

As Mana.s.seh and Joshua take sides, the battle lines are drawn. Joshua narrowly escapes Mana.s.seh's soldiers, leaving behind his life of privilege. He helps his family flee from Jerusalem but not before Mana.s.seh kidnaps his sister who is forced to become the king's concubine. Unable to understand why his boyhood friend has turned against him, why G.o.d allowed his father to be murdered, and why he must stand alone in the face of such opposition, Joshua comes perilously close to losing his faith.

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Books by Lynn Austin.

FROM BETHANY HOUSE PUBLISHERS.

________________________________.

All She Ever Wanted.

Eve's Daughters Hidden Places.

A Proper Pursuit Though Waters Roar Until We Reach Home.

Wings of Refuge A Woman's Place.

REFINER'S FIRE.

Candle in the Darkness.

Fire by Night A Light to My Path.

CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS.

G.o.ds and Kings.

Song of Redemption.

The Strength of His Hand.

Faith of My Fathers.

Among the G.o.ds.