Introduction
The Bible which is very much respected as a way of life and a way in which many people base their behavior, thought patterns and thinking has a lot to offer in these topics (Stallard, 2018) . It also has a lot to say on leadership and there are examples of types of leaders that are found in the Bible; their downfalls and how they overcame challenges. Because of this, the Bible is used as a reference point on how to safeguard their leadership (Piper, 1995) and be of great service to those that serve under them. The books of first and second kings offer a great variety of stories on kings and leaders that had been appointed to rule over the people of God. Hezekiah is one such leader and has plenty to offer on what biblical leadership means and how best to go about being a great leader and what not to do.
Prayerful servant leadership
Hezekiah was a very prayerful man and that is the style of leadership that he chose. When overcome by one challenge or other, he always first used prayer as his first defense (Piper, 1995) . This is a very important aspect to have. Because Hezekiah consulted and prayed to God, he was considered a faithful servant (Stallard, 2018) and his prayers were promptly answered.
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One great challenge that he faced when he was in leadership was the attack that had been laid upon them by the Assyrians who were the greatest world power at that time. Through the prophet Isaiah, Hezekiah got word that he would not have to fight the Assyrians because the Lord would not let them enter Jerusalem. Sure enough, at night the Assyrians were murdered in the numbers of 185,000 by an angel of the Lord (2 Kings 19:35). That is an indication of a man whose humility and relationship with God allows for his prayers to be powerful.
Honoring God
In all that he was worth, Hezekiah made sure that he respected God entirely and honored his every command. He is described as a faithful servant of God and it was clear that he had a great relationship with God because his prayers were always answered and he listened to God’s prophet (Stallard, 2018) . In fact, he is described as more zealous a king for God than any of his predecessors in 2 Kings 8:5.
When he first sat at the throne, he did all that was necessary to destroy the idolatry and the wickedness that his father Ahaz had allowed to happen in the kingdom. He was adamant in destroying all the idols that did not exalt his God. This must be why he was successful in everything that he undertook (2 Kings 18:6-7). The Bible even states that when he was about to die the Lord added 15 more years to his life. However, Hezekiah in his folly showed the Babylonians his gold and treasures and everything in his arsenal and a curse was laid upon him which ensured the downfall of his kingdom to the Babylonians after his death.
Conclusion
A great leader borrowing from a Biblical perspective can derive the importance of trusting God in everything that they do and consulting God (Piper, 1995) in prayer before taking on an endeavor. Hezekiah also manages through his life and the mistakes that he made towards the end, to teach about the folly of pride. Had he not shown his arsenal and treasures to the Babylonians, he probably wouldn’t have put his kingdom at such great jeopardy. He was also probably too trusting of people he did not know by showing them such important things only because they had sent him a gift. A good leader should be keen in identifying allies.
References
Piper, J. (1995). The Marks of a Spiritual Leader. desiring God .
Stallard, M. L. (2018). What Does the Bible Say about Leadership? Salem Media Group .
