Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Judah, is renowned for his religious reforms and fervent dedication to the worship of Yahweh. His reign, which is chronicled in 2 Kings 18–20, 2 Chronicles 29–32, and Isaiah 36–39, marks a significant period of spiritual renewal and reform in the history of Judah.

Upon ascending the throne around 715 BC, Hezekiah inherited a kingdom steeped in idolatry and apostasy, largely due to the policies of his father, Ahaz. Determined to restore the worship of the one true God, Hezekiah embarked on a series of religious reforms that demonstrated his zeal for the Lord.

Restoration of the Temple Worship

One of Hezekiah's first acts as king was to reopen and repair the doors of the Temple, which had been neglected and desecrated during Ahaz's reign. Hezekiah gathered the priests and Levites, urging them to consecrate themselves and the Temple. In 2 Chronicles 29:5, Hezekiah commands, "Listen to me, O Levites! Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove all the defilement from the sanctuary."

Hezekiah's reforms included the removal of all idolatrous elements from the Temple and the restoration of the Levitical priesthood to its rightful duties. He reinstituted the sacrificial system, as described in 2 Chronicles 29:20-36, where he led the people in offering sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord, accompanied by music and worship.

Destruction of Idolatry

Hezekiah's zeal extended beyond the Temple as he sought to eradicate idolatry throughout Judah. He destroyed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. Notably, he broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for the Israelites had begun to worship it as an idol. 2 Kings 18:4 records, "He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had burned incense to it. It was called Nehushtan."

Celebration of the Passover

In a further demonstration of his religious zeal, Hezekiah reinstituted the celebration of the Passover, which had been neglected for many years. He sent letters throughout Judah and Israel, inviting the people to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the Lord. This event, described in 2 Chronicles 30, was marked by great joy and unity among the people, as they gathered to worship and celebrate together. The Passover celebration was so successful that it was extended for an additional seven days, as noted in 2 Chronicles 30:23.

Trust in the Lord

Hezekiah's religious zeal was also evident in his unwavering trust in the Lord during times of crisis. When faced with the threat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, Hezekiah turned to God in prayer and sought the counsel of the prophet Isaiah. His faith was rewarded when the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, delivering Judah from destruction (2 Kings 19:35).

Hezekiah's reign is characterized by his commitment to restoring true worship and his reliance on God. His religious zeal not only brought about a spiritual revival in Judah but also left a lasting legacy of faithfulness to the Lord.2 Chronicles 29:1
Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
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2 Chronicles 30:1
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 to the LORD God of Israel.
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2 Chronicles 31:1
Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.
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Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant.
... his accession. The last good king of Judah before him was Hezekiah,
who had been dead sixty or seventy years. That religious ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon vii josiah a pattern.htm

The Rediscovered Law and Its Effects
... people of the land made Josiah his son king in his ... of David was still a spell in
Judah, and guarded ... that seventy-five years had passed since Hezekiah, and that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the rediscovered law and its.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... Isaiah 2:8. *** 2 Kings 18:4. I leave the account of this religious reformation
in the place assigned ... Hezekiah, King of Judah, had emptied his treasury ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Isaiah.
... the prophet may mention himself, Jerusalem, Israel, Judah, Babylon or ... of Uzziah,
Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, and most ... of court preacher or chaplain to the king. ...
/.../gerberding/the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xv isaiah.htm

The Prophet Hosea.
... Thorough-going reforms, like those under Hezekiah and Josiah, were ... Judah and Israel
shall, in the future, be again gathered ... ii.2 (i.11); a glorious king out of ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet hosea.htm

Numbers
... struck terror into the heart of Balak, the king of Moab ... wilderness to Hebron in the
south of Judah, xiii.22 ... we know persisted to the time of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/numbers.htm

And ii.
... by the hand of David, and by the hand of Josiah and Hezekiah, yet there ... Hebrew: bHcr
hmTrh], which is in the house of the king of Judah;" compare Jeremiah 38 ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i and ii.htm

Manner of Covenanting.
... In the first year of his reign, Hezekiah declared, "Now it is ... and presenting an
animating example, the kingdom of Judah, with Asa their king, "sware unto ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... life of the Hebrew race was centred in Judah alone, the ... carried the day, and the
views of Hezekiah and Isaiah ... Josiah had been king, in name at any rate, for ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

Formation and History of the Hebrew Canon.
... kings as David, Solomon, Asa, and Hezekiah complied with ... and his captivity, the good
king Josiah neglected ... about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xv formation and history.htm

What is the Ascension of Isaiah? | GotQuestions.org

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What is the significance of Assyria in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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