Day 19: Hezekiah

Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. — Isaiah 37:31

In the days of King Hezekiah, the nation of Judah was under severe threat. The powerful Assyrian empire had surrounded Jerusalem, shouted threats and boasted of their victories. All the people in the country were very afraid, as if it were the end.

Cambodia and Thailand are currently having a border conflict with heavy weapons. Houses, schools, families and soldiers have been lost to gunfire. The noise of the guns, bombs and air force mixes with the cry of people not knowing if they can return home. Thai forces were armed with advanced weapons while Cambodian soldiers in the battlefield and civilians behind could only hope for wisdom from our leader.

King Hezekiah didn’t panic. He didn’t rush into political alliances or military action. He went into the temple, laid the enemy’s threats before God and prayed. The only hope was to rely on God’s protection and deliverance. The Lord responded with a message of hope that they would be protected and restored. Like the scripture says, crops would grow again. Families would rebuild. A faithful remnant would take root and bear fruit (Isaiah 37:31). Only the God of the universe, who has great compassion, would make this happen.

That moment in history and the current situation of Cambodia tell us something about the character of God. When His people are weak, when they are afraid, when they are surrounded by forces that are very strong for them, God is not absent. He is their protector. God is still at work and stands forever to restore their hopes.

With the same passion, the Lord Jesus has come to the world. Isaiah’s prophecy of the remnant taking root and bearing fruit is ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Our celebration of the coming of Jesus reminds us how God stepped into human history through a child in Bethlehem. Jesus came not as a military leader but as the Prince of Peace, the Saviour who rescues us not just from human enemies but from sin, fear and death itself.

The story of Hezekiah feels deeply relevant for Cambodia. We understand what it feels like to be surrounded by fear, by uncertainty, by the threat of the conflict. Our recent tensions with a neighbouring country have stirred anxiety in many hearts of our people. Once again, people were wondering, “Who will lead us? Who will protect us? Will we be safe?”

We long for a leader who is wise and just, someone who will defend the people and bring us peace. And while we pray for good governance and peace among the nations, we must think of the Redeemer who can bring us the deepest hope: Jesus the Christ. He is the one who does not lie, does not fail and does not use power for Himself. His rule brings healing; His leadership brings life.

The promise of the Lord in Isaiah 37 is still true to us these days. God allows His people to take root below and bear fruit above. It happens not because of our own strength but because of the passion of God’s love for the world – and Cambodia. Thus, like Hezekiah, each time we pray to the Lord, we must remember that the hope has already entered the world. Jesus has come. He is with us, and He is the only King who can bring us true peace.

May we learn from Hezekiah, who turned to God in prayer, trusted in His promises and rested in His power. The true leader, the Lord God, who saved a nation with no army, still rescues today, for His heart is for us. To Him be the glory!