A DEFINING MOMENT for Christian Schools
BY RON AND TONYA GORDON
N ot since the time of the Civil War has the United States seemed more polarized . Some have suggested that we are even on the brink of another civil war . Undoubtedly , the clash of worldviews is at the very heart of this polarization . We witness numerous examples every day of just how far we have moved from our biblical heritage as a nation . Shifting cultural norms are yielding a generation conflicted about allegiance to their country , concerned about the color of their skin , and even confused about their gender .
Our Christian schools are not immune to these same challenges . Across the nation , Christian school administrators , school board members , and parents struggle to align biblically on critical social and cultural issues . This internal discord poses a serious threat to the future of these Christian schools and the core principles upon which they were founded .
As we read through the books of 1 and 2 Kings , we follow the history of Israel and Judah across roughly 400 years following the reign of King David . The timeline is filled with kings revolting against God , driving their nations down destructive paths . Only a few kings from Judah followed the one true God . King Hezekiah of Judah stands out among this lineage of kings . In 2 Kings 18:5 , we learn that Hezekiah “ trusted in the Lord , the God of Israel , so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him , nor among those who were before him .” What a strong compliment to one ’ s faith !
In 2 Kings , we find Hezekiah facing an Assyrian attack and pleading with the Lord for help . As a result , the angel of the Lord strikes down 185,000 warriors to protect Judah . Reading further , in 2 Kings 20 , Hezekiah experiences God ’ s supernatural power over sickness when God grants him an extra fifteen years of life . Hezekiah committed to following God and obeying His precepts , and as a result , prospered throughout most of his reign .
Despite the powerful testimony of the bulk of King Hezekiah ’ s life , a strong finish eluded him , as we learn in the latter part of 2 Kings 20 . Nearing the end of his life , when Babylonian envoys visited , Hezekiah foolishly showed the envoys all the treasures in his houses , storehouses , and kingdom .
26 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW