READING FOR MAY 4, 2026: 2 KINGS 20, 2 CORINTHIANS 6, PSALM 38:1-14
2 KINGS 20 King Hezekiah of Judah received news at age 39 from the prophet Isaiah that God had decided Hezekiah would die soon and that he should make appropriate preparations for the end of his life. How would we feel if we received such news? It is usually not possible to know what we would do in a hypothetical situation. Peter found this out to his shame: “Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You! (Matt. 26:35). Instead of just saying, “God knows best,” likely this writer would have done what Hezekiah did and pray to continue living. Hezekiah’s request, understandable as it was, did not turn out well for him or his reputation.
Does the Bible give us any direction on how to approach impeding death? Jesus’s plea in the garden to have the cup taken from him likely isn’t a helpful example. His death included bearing the sins of the entire world and separation from the Father. All examples of suicide in the Bible correlate with a disgraceful life ending: Judas (Matt. 27:5), Zimri (1 Kings 16:20), Abimelek (Jud. 9:54), and Saul (1 Sam 21:4). One approach we might do well emulate is Paul’s: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith” (Phil. 1:21-25). God, how- ever, heard Hezekiah’s prayer and granted him 15 more years. Plus, God promised to save him and Jerusalem form the Assyrians for God’s and David’s sake. Instead of gratefully accepting this news, Hezekiah asked for a sign to prove this would happen. This very patient God also granted this request by making a shadow go back ten steps.
Given this new lease on life, Hezekiah received a visiting delegation from Babylon, which was an up-and-coming world power. Hezekiah, in an apparent gesture of extreme pride, showed this delegation all the riches he had acquired. When the prophet Isaiah heard news of this, he immediately pronounced this judgment upon Hezekiah from God: “Behold, the days are coming when everything that is in your house, and what your fathers have stored up to this day, will be carried to Babylon; nothing will be left” (vs. 17). Amazingly, Hezekiah wasn’t bothered at all by this prospect because it would not happen to him but to his sons, after his lifetime. Doesn’t that sound a bit selfish?
Consider how this compares to King David’s farewell comments to His son Solomon: “Do your duty to the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn” (1 Kings 2:3). Do we care what will happen to our children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren after we are gone? Think strategically and prayerfully about how we can point them to Jesus so that they can succeed in this life and the next.
2 CORINTHIANS 6 Paul says that the Corinthians, and by extension we at Yorktown Methodist Church, could receive the grace of God (5:20-21) in vain. How? The rest of the chapter gives the
READING FOR MAY 4, 2026 CONTINUED: 2 CORINTHIANS 6, PSALM 38:1-14 dual answer of not supporting what God is doing in the world and not separating from non-believers. As mentioned throughout the Bible, Paul says now is the time to be totally responsive to God’s grace. What are we waiting for?
Paul provides a model for doing ministry: endure hardships and opposition; act in purity, knowledge, kindness, and love; be empowered by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word; expect to be considered deceivers; and don’t seek material gain. The ministries in which at Yorktown Methodist engages and supports financially should meet these same criteria. Sounds daunting, but keep in mind, this is a small price compared with the grace of God given to us as believers. It’s really a high privilege. Paul tells the Corinthians that although he and his coworkers have been open toward the Corinthians, their response thus far has been restrained. There is still time, though, for them and for us to be fully responsive to what God has done for us. Now is the time.
The last four verses emphasize the need to be separate from unbelievers. Obeying this command requires wisdom. There are some groups, such as the Amish, who interpret this as not living at all according to modern standards. They signify their distinctiveness by adopting a separate, nineteenth-century lifestyle. By contrast, other groups have focused upon being culturally relevant by accepting any belief and practice in the name of inclusivity. In looking at Jesus’s and Paul’s ministries, they interacted with the full range of society for the purpose of communicating the Gospel and supporting civic welfare. When it came to establishing boundaries for participation, belief, behavior, and service within the community of faith, they drew clear boundaries based upon God’s word. Can we apply this balance in Yorktown?
PSALM 38:1-14 Here we see David believed such a thing as God’s wrath exists. The following comments by Timothy George demonstrate how David’s belief is controversial: “Recently, the wrath of God became a point of controversy in the decision of the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song to exclude from its new hymnal the much-loved song ‘in Christ Alone’ by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. The Committee wanted to include this song because it is being sung in many churches, Presbyterian and otherwise, but they could not abide this line from the third stanza: ‘Till on that cross as Jesus died/the wrath of God was satisfied.’ For this they wanted to substitute: ‘as Jesus died/the love of God was magnified.’ The authors of the hymn insisted on the original wording, and the Committee voted nine to six that ‘In Christ Alone” would not be among the eight hundred or so items in their new hymnal.’ Getty and Townend lived out Paul’s command from 2 Cor. 6 to be separate in a way that cost them financially. A definition of God’s wrath by Tim Keller is helpful: “God’s settled opposition to evil.” Don’t we desire God to oppose evil? Jesus experienced God’s wrath in our place because He possessed the ultimate love. If we reject Jesus, God’s wrath must be directed upon us due to our unrepented and unpaid for sins (John 3:36).
