“This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die”
2 Kings 20:1 NIV
Hezekiah was a great king for Israel. He re-established worship in the Lord’s temple, brought a “reform” and a new covenant with the nation of Israel. The doors of the temple were destroyed, the temple was closed, the ministries of the Levites and priests destroyed, but Hezekiah ended the nation’s idolatry, rescued the temple and worship of the Lord.
Hezekiah was an example of a man of faith, an excellent leader, who experienced miracles from God but neglected his family. We see from the scriptures that the king only cared about himself and his reign but neglected something important: to put his family in order, to establish worship in his house. As a result, his neglect his son Manasseh did not follow the ways of the Lord and led Israel into idolatry. (2 Kings 21.2)
I believe that God is calling our attention to some principles, such as setting up worship in our house, praise and worship, discipleship in our family.
God wants to fix up some areas of our family life, redeem values, establish principles of government and authority which God himself has given us.
If we want to learn something, we need to look at what Jesus told us: “Learn from me. I am gentle and humble in spirit. Matthew 11:29
Where did Jesus begin his ministry? How did your ministry begin?
In the desert, with fasting, prayer, the temptation was the preparation for his ministry. And that’s what made all the difference in Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus began his ministry at a wedding, where he revealed his glory, his first miracle was at a wedding.
Why at a wedding? Why among family?
All we see are ruined families, destroyed marriages, divorces for any reason, broken alliances, needy and insecure children, lack of family love.
We need to rescue the values and principles and make this a priority.
We must learn what God’s promise is through the scriptures for the last days.
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.””
Malachi 4:5-6 NKJV
It’s no use wanting to teach, if your house doesn’t work according to the standards of the word of God.
“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
I Timothy 5:8 NKJV
The church begins at home, with the family. Ministries begin in the home, the fruits of the Spirit are first shown in the home and then spread through the church, and infiltrate all of society and government.
Worship begins at home, in the family, in adoration, praise, prayer, intercession, with the word.
Melvin Huber said. “I don’t want to be like David, who gained the world and lost his family, and I don’t want to be like Noah, who saved his family but lost the world.”
Balance and order of priorities are needed, which are:
1st God. 2nd family. 3rd Church.
What happens is, if we have strong families, we have strong churches, otherwise we will fail.
Paul writes to Timothy chapter 3:1-13 and he presents a list of rules for the ministry, and one of them must be first exercised at home, these values must be put into practice first at home.
“one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);”
I Timothy 3:4-5 NKJV
We all have a role in the body of Christ which is the church, we serve in different ministries, but this government needs to be exercised at home first, and our behavior will be a reflection of what we do in our home in the Church.
If you want to be engaged in the church, you must first start your ministry at home.
Let’s look at biblical principles for the family.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Colossians 3:18-21 NKJV
The family is the oldest institution in the world, its essence is of divine origin, because it was God who formed it! The family is God’s heritage.
It was God who created her and formed the family.
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make someone to help you and complete you.” Genesis 2:18 NLT
Therefore, the existence of the family has a special reason for being, for existing which is to complete each other, to have a place of refuge, a place to replenish energies, practice love (sharing and receiving), etc.
The successful family is one that adopts God’s standard, his government, and his word as the rule of faith and conduct.
1°– THE BIBLICAL STANDARD FOR THE FAMILY.
-Being the family an idea of God and not of man. Its perfect functioning depends on guidelines drawn up by its Creator.
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” Psalms 127:1
-What will determine the quality of family life is whether or not we obey the Bible as our rule of faith and practice.
Jesus said that if our house (a broad concept of family) is on the rock, “which is Jesus”, it will never be destroyed.
“As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” Luke 6:47-48 NIV
That is, if we adapt to God’s rules, concepts and commandments, we will be able to withstand the storms of life.
Let’s look at the priorities and rules of faith and practice from the Scriptures.
1st. The husband as the wife’s “head”
“But I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV
The man is the leader who supplies his home financially and spiritually, who provides security and emotional balance.
He must exercise his authority with love and sensitivity, and also educate his children.
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 NIV
2nd: wife.
“Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Ephesians 5:24 NIV
“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.”
Colossians 3:21 NKJV
3rd: The Children
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”” Ephesians 6:1-3 NKJV
It is also possible to say that children will reproduce in adulthood the model they received from their parents (Proverbs 22.6).
2°– THE DANGER OF INVERSION OF VALUES.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12:2 NKJV
Conformity with the model of the world and the inversion of values – lead man to reproduce wrong attitudes, to obtain destructive results in the short term.
A family without a “foundation”, without rules of faith and practice is vulnerable and fragile, as it lives at the mercy of the influences of behaviour and customs of this world.
This is why we observe the large number of marriage fails (even among Christians who profess their faith).
“Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife.”
1 Corinthians 7:10-11 NKJV
Most family problems occur as a result of disobedience to the Word of God, for example: verbal violence, arguments, offences, shouting, impatience, etc.
All these barriers of enmity are overcome if we have the fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
The lack of long-suffering, tolerance, patience, love, humility, forgiveness and reconciliation within many homes is the reason for so much destruction; these qualities are indispensable for a good family life.
Values are inverted when the family environments are impregnated with worldliness, contrary to the creator’s order of priorities.
The excess of TV, movies, series, worldly music and profane videos instead of praising God, has destroyed families.
When the woman plays the role of the man, the man plays the role of the woman, men become “housewives”, women masters of themselves. Young people despise purity and respect in dating, all this will bring destruction to spiritual life and family.
Our first ministry is at home, in the family; it is necessary to rescue prayer and the biblical reading of the word in our homes.
“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 14:17 NKJV
CONCLUSION:
The rescuing of the family can only happen when:
1- First we serve God at home then we serve at church.
2- There needs to be balance and correct order: God, Family and Church
3- Inside the house we respect and submit the orders of authority: husband head of the wife, wives submissive to the husband and children honouring their parents. And Christ the head of the home. We must take care of each other, we supply each other. Many of our wants must be supplied by the love we receive at home.
4- We do not conform to the values of the world and do not invert values. Manifest the fruits of the Spirit in our homes. Renew our minds by the word of God.
Prayer and reflection.
We need to repent of this sin of family neglect, and caring only for ourselves, like King Hezekiah who was not interested in the family.
When the Lord said to Hezekiah, put your house in order because you are going to die, Hezekiah repented, wept and sought the favour of the Lord and God heard him.
But later he became proud, he did not remember the benefits that the Lord had done in his favor.
God said that one day he would lose everything in his Palace, his children would be castrated, they would serve as eunuchs and slaves in Babylon.
The moment he was supposed to be regret, he was a coward, betraying his family, thinking only of himself, no matter what happened next.
The king’s response when he learned that his sons would be taken was:
“Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “This message you have given me from the Lord is good.” For the king was thinking, “At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.””
2 Kings 20:19 NLT
Society is made up of thousands of families, the church is made up of families, if the family is healthy, then the church, the neighbourhood and the city will be healthy.
Rescuing families is not in the role of the government, or any NGO in particular, but in each of us fulfilling our role.