HEZEKIAH

Second Chronicles 29, beginning with verse 1, introduces us to this Old Testament Bible character, Hezekiah. He began to reign when he was five and twenty years old. He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem (the Southern Kingdom). His mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. He was the son of the wicked king Ahaz. You can also read about Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18-20, and Isaiah 36-39. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah were all prophets they prophesied during his reign.

Hezekiah’s story is told in 2 Kings 16:20-20:21; 2 Chron Hezekiah’s story is told in 2 Kings 16:20-20:21; 2 Chron. 28:27-32:33; Isa. 36:1-39:8. He is also mentioned in Prov. 25:1; Isa. 1:1; Jer. 15:4; 26:18-19; Hos. 1:1; and Micah 1:1.

I. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1. Temple Worship Restored Chron. 29:3-5, “He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.  And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.”

2. Revival God used King Hezekiah to lead a great revival among the people. It was also a result of the preaching of Micah and Hosea and the great prophet Isaiah. But Hezekiah was the man God chose to bring about this revival.

After Ahaz’s wicked reign, there was much work to do, and Hezekiah boldly cleaned house. Pagan altars, idols, and temples were destroyed. The bronze serpent that Moses had made in the desert (Numbers 21:9) was also destroyed, because the people had made it an idol (2 Kings 18:4). The temple in Jerusalem, whose doors had been nailed shut by Hezekiah’s own father, was cleaned out and reopened. The Levitical priesthood was reinstated (2 Chronicles 29:5), and the Passover was reinstituted as a national holiday (2 Chronicles 30:1). Under Hezekiah’s reforms, revival came to Judah.

2 Chron. 30:1-5, “And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.   For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.  

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.   And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.   So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.”

What is a revival. Evangelism is something we do through the church What is a revival? Evangelism is something we do through the church. A revival is something we do in the church. I believe the New Testament church has always been. Hence, I don’t need to speak about a restoration, but a revival. Psa. 85:6, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” 

II. HIS ATTRIBUTES

1. A Prayerful Man He pleads for deliverance. 2 Kings 19:15-19, “And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.   LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.  

Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.  Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.” 

The Lord heard his prayer. 2 Kings 19:35, 36, “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.  So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.” 

He prayed for Healing. 2 Kings 20:1, 2, “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.  Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, saying.” 

2 Kings 20:5-7, “Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.   And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.  And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.”

2. He Was a Prideful Man Isa. 39:1-6, “At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.  And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.  

Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from Babylon.   Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.   Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.” 

III. HIS ARROGANT HEIR

After Hezekiah’s recovery from illness, he would father a son, Manasseh. He would be considered the worse king to ever rule over Jerusalem (2 Kings 18— 20; 2 Chronicles 29—32; Isaiah 36— 39). Tradition has it that Manasseh is the one who murdered Hezekiah’s friend, Isaiah.

2 Chron. 33:1-9, “Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: But did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.  For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.  And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.   And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 

And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.   So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.” 

Manasseh Repents 2 Chron. 33:10-13, “And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.   Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.   And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.” 

He learned from his father, the power of prayer. Manasseh teaches us that no matter how far we stray, God will always take us back.

True Repentance 2 Chron. 33:15-17, “And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.   And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel.   Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the LORD their God only.”