王国分裂为以色列和犹大之后（王上12），大卫的子孙统治了犹大。希西家就是其中的一个，他对神很忠心，将百姓从敌人的手中救出来。
希西家25岁登基之后，就着手重修圣殿，呼召百姓忠心跟从耶和华。他毁坏柱像，废去丘坛。在29年执政期间，他都紧紧地抓住神，信靠神，跟随神。
希西家在逆境中也很坚韧。西拿基利统治下的亚述大军来势凶猛，希西家却相信神会带来惊人的拯救。他诚实地祷告，恳切祈求神的帮助，当天晚上，神就彻底击败了傲慢、残暴的亚述人（王下19）。
马太福音揭示了希西家在耶稣家谱中的地位。慢慢地，我们在一个又一个像希西家这样的人身上，看到的不仅仅是人类信心的榜样，还有更深的内容。最终，我们看见神做成了祂救赎的计划，这个计划在耶稣出生时就真相大白了。
我们要因希西家的生命受到激励，更要惊奇于神藉耶稣成就的恩典救赎计划；我们今天庆祝祂的降生，并盼望祂的再来。
父啊，正如很久以前祢救赎了犹大国，祢也将我们从罪和死中拯救了出来。求祢现在帮助我们忠心顺服地生活。奉基督的名祷告，阿们。
列王纪下 18:1-8
1 以色列王以拉的儿子何细亚第三年，犹大王亚哈斯的儿子希西家登基。
2 他登基的时候年二十五岁，在耶路撒冷做王二十九年。他母亲名叫亚比，是撒迦利雅的女儿。
3 希西家行耶和华眼中看为正的事，效法他祖大卫一切所行的。
4 他废去丘坛，毁坏柱像，砍下木偶，打碎摩西所造的铜蛇，因为到那时以色列人仍向铜蛇烧香；希西家叫铜蛇为铜块。
5 希西家倚靠耶和华以色列的神，在他前后的犹大列王中没有一个及他的。
6 因为他专靠耶和华，总不离开，谨守耶和华所吩咐摩西的诫命。
7 耶和华与他同在，他无论往何处去尽都亨通。他背叛，不肯侍奉亚述王。
8 希西家攻击非利士人，直到加沙并加沙的四境，从了望楼到坚固城。
"Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah...." — 2 Kings 18:5
After the division of the kingdom into Israel and Judah (1 Kings 12), the descendants of David ruled over Judah. Hezekiah was one of them, and he was faithful to God and delivered the people from their enemies.
After becoming king at the age of 25, Hezekiah set about reforming the temple and calling the people to faithfully follow the Lord. He destroyed the idols and the altars of false gods. He held fast to God, trusted him, and followed him throughout his 29-year reign.
Hezekiah was tough in adversity too. Threatened by the overwhelming Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Hezekiah trusted in God for astonishing deliverance. Hezekiah prayed honestly and earnestly for God’s help, and that night God’s victory over the arrogant, brutal Assyrians was complete (2 Kings 19).
The book of Matthew reveals Hezekiah’s place in the genealogy of our Savior. Step by step, person by person, we see in figures like Hezekiah not merely examples of human faith, but much more. Ultimately we see God working out his plan of salvation, a plan that springs forward at the birth of Jesus.
Be inspired by the life of Hezekiah, but be amazed by God’s gracious plan of salvation through Jesus, whose birth we celebrate and whose return we long for today.
Father, as you delivered Judah long ago, so you have delivered us from sin and death. Help us now to live in faith and obedience to you. In Christ, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
