Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 2 Kings 18:5
I can hear the shouts of discovery and celebration as this artifact, stored for years after excavation, is finally translated. Maybe there were moments of silence as the importance of the find sinks in. This trinket is from the Hezekiah - the King of Judah that we read of in the Bible.
It is always satisfying, even fun, when a Biblical artifact is uncovered that confirms the events and people of the Bible. I hope the national retailer that placed the Bible in their “fiction” section is taking notice. But for those of us who don’t need convincing, it’s still cool! My heart skips a beat when I’m near items that connect me to the faithful of long ago.
Let’s connect some timely dots. This is from King Hezekiah who was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. The Bible records them interacting on several occasions. The seal dates to somewhere around 700 BC. That’s 700 years before Jesus. And this is the same Isaiah whose words we read every year at Christmas announcing the birth of the Messiah.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders…
Think how mysterious Isaiah’s words would have been, foretelling the Messiah. Think of the people who heard Isaiah’s words - the bearers of this seal, the hearers of its contents or runners that handled it, the cooks that fed Hezekiah or cleaned his palace.
Bless those who believed, never understanding what the fulfillment would look like. May we live in the same faith for things yet to come. Believing, without fully understanding. Trusting in the Author, when the message is still difficult to understand.
…And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
