The Riches Many People Miss

God's strength and wisdom are the riches of obedience.

Do you ever feel like you're defined by your family's failures? Or perhaps you feel overwhelmed by circumstances that seem completely beyond your control, a legacy you didn't ask for. It’s a common struggle, but it's not a new one. Over 2,700 years ago, a king named Hezekiah ascended to the throne of Judah and faced a kingdom in spiritual and political ruin, a direct inheritance from his evil father, King Ahaz (2 Kings 18-19).

Instead of succumbing to this toxic legacy, Hezekiah chose a different path. One of the most lasting symbols of his leadership is a marvel of ancient engineering you can still walk through today—Hezekiah's Tunnel just south of Jerusalem's Temple Mount. Faced with a siege from the mighty Assyrian empire, Hezekiah knew his capital, Jerusalem, had a fatal weakness: its water source lay outside the city walls. In an act of incredible foresight, he commanded two teams of workers to start cutting underground through solid rock from opposite ends, using only picks and chisels. They carved a 1,748-foot tunnel with a mere 11.8-inch drop in elevation, an astonishing feat of precision that diverted the Gihon Spring's water safely inside the city. This feat didn't just fortify Jerusalem; it cemented a legacy in solid rock for a leader who refused to be defined by his past.

"God's strength and wisdom are the riches of obedience."

Hezekiah’s story isn’t just about a tunnel; it’s about a spiritual and personal transformation. His journey offers timeless, powerful lessons for anyone looking to navigate life's biggest challenges and break free from the cycles that hold them back.

1. Your past does not have to be your prison.

Hezekiah inherited a kingdom in full decline. His father, Ahaz, had not only defiled the nation with idol worship but had made Judah a vassal to the pagan Assyrian empire, forcing it to adopt Assyria’s worldview, economy, and religion. Yet, Hezekiah made a conscious, intentional choice to "do what was right in the sight of the LORD." He deliberately broke the toxic cycle of inherited failure.

His story reminds you that you are not a victim of your circumstances, your upbringing, or your family history. Many people use their background as an excuse for their own spiritual failures, but Hezekiah proves that you can be as godly as you choose to be. Obedience begins where excuses end. You are not a victim of your past; you are a conqueror.

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Consider the life of Billy Sunday. Born into poverty in 1862, his father died in the Civil War just five weeks after his birth. Unable to support her children, his mother sent Billy to an orphanage at age 10. Despite these immense hardships, he grew up to become a successful professional baseball player for the Chicago White Stockings. After his conversion to Christ, he gave up a lucrative career, drinking, cursing, and immorality, and dedicated his life to serving God, becoming the most influential American preacher of the early 20th century. Like Hezekiah, Billy Sunday refused to let his past define his future. What is holding you back from God using you like Billy Sunday?

2. Worshipping God Must Take Priority.

Faced with a failing economy and an imminent military threat, what was Hezekiah’s first act as king? It wasn't to raise an army or reform the tax code. Within the first month of his reign, he cleansed the Temple that his own father had defiled with an altar built to Baal. He understood a profound principle: a nation's external strength comes from its internal spiritual foundation.

This is an enduring lesson for both churches and families. Genuine, lasting transformation begins internally rather than by addressing external issues. "The fear (reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). When our priorities align with God's, we obtain the clarity and wisdom necessary to tackle the challenges we face. Hezekiah restored Judah’s spiritual foundation before dealing with other matters.

Think of it like a GPS. To guide you, your phone needs a constant, uninterrupted signal. Have you ever been driving when it suddenly loses signal? The screen glitches, the map freezes, and before you know it, you’ve missed your turn. In the same way, God’s Word must be our central, guiding signal. To navigate challenges with wisdom, we have to be in constant communication and fellowship with God.

3. Only God can Turn Trouble into Triumph.

Hezekiah’s obedience didn't lead to an easy life. After he rebelled against Assyrian control to honor God, the powerful Assyrian king, Sennacherib, threatened Jerusalem with total annihilation. This was no empty threat; Sennacherib had just wiped out the entire northern kingdom of Israel. He sent a letter detailing exactly how he would destroy the city and its people.

Instead of panicking, Hezekiah did something remarkable. He walked straight to the Temple, unrolled the threatening letter, and spread it out before God in prayer. He chose prayer over panic, turning his nation’s greatest crisis directly over to God. Once the Assyrian army arrived, the result was miraculous. Hezekiah woke up one morning to find his enemy defeated—without the army of Judah lifting a single sword. God alone received the glory.

"When you obey and trust God, He fights battles you could never win on your own."

This act of faith is beautifully echoed in the life of Joseph Scriven. In 1843, his fiancée tragically drowned the day before their wedding. Years later, he got engaged a second time, only for his new fiancée to die suddenly from an illness. Drowning in grief, Scriven penned a simple poem to comfort his mother, words that would become the famous hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." "Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer! Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge—take it to the Lord in prayer!" Like Hezekiah, he learned that the only true response to overwhelming trouble is to take it to the Lord in prayer.

Conclusion: The Real Riches

Hezekiah’s life teaches us that obedience is not a loss—it is an immeasurable gain. He gained strength instead of fear, wisdom instead of confusion, and a miraculous victory instead of certain defeat. Like him, you can choose faith over your family history. You can prioritize your inner spiritual life to gain the strength to fix your external world. And you can face your greatest crises not with panic, but with prayer, finding a peace and victory you could never achieve on your own. The riches of wisdom and strength brought by obedience are incomparable to self-sufficiency.

George Müller, a man who cared for over 10,000 orphans through prayer alone, was once a habitual liar, thief, drunkard, and gambler before his life was radically transformed by accepting Christ as Savior. He wrote:

"The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."

Are you anxious about obeying God? Why? The only thing you have to lose is the grief and consequences that sin brings. Your past does not have to be your prison. Choose obedience today, and discover that what you surrender to God is far less than what you gain from Him. God's strength and wisdom are the riches of obedience.

What battle in your life do you need to stop fighting on your own?