404 Important lesson from King Hezekiah

Important lessons to learn from king Hezekiah of Judah.

After King Solomon, there were a number of evil kings in both Israel and Judah. But one of the most notable kings of Judah after King Solomon was Hezekiah. The life and reign of king Hezekiah is discussed in detail in the books of Kings; Chronicles and Isaiah. We also read about Hezekiah in Ezra, Nehemiah, Proverbs, Jeremiah, Micah and Hosea. King Hezekiah is also mentioned in the genealogy of our Master and savior Yahshua Messiah.

Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king over Judah. He reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem and did what was right in the sight of YHVH. Hezekiah started his reign by destroying the pagan altars that his father and the wicked kings before him built. He worked fervently to get rid of all the pagan worship in the kingdom of Judah, as we read from 2 Kings 18: 4 – 6, ‘He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Neshustan. (5)He trusted in YHVH, the Elohim of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. (6) For he clung to YHVH; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which YHVH had commanded Moses.’

King Hezekiah’s reigns was distinguished as one of spiritual rejuvenation, since he was responsible to restore Temple worship and a return to keeping the Feast Days of Elohim, as we read from 2 Chronicles 29: 3 –11, in this way: ‘In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of YHVH and repaired them.(4) And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them into the square on the east. (5) Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of YHVH, the Elohim of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy (set-apart) place. (6)For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of YHVH our Elohim, and have forsaken Him and turned their faces away from the dwelling place of YHVH, and have turned their backs. (7) They have also shut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the Elohim of Israel. (8) Therefore the wrath of YHVH was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. (9) For behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. (10) Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with YHVH Elohim of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. (11) My sons, do not be negligent now, for YHVH has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”’ Note that Hezekiah did not appoint his own priesthood, but called on the Levites to do what Elohim has ordained for them to do. In the next few verses we see that the Levites got together; sanctified themselves and cleansed the Temple.

We see from 2 Chronicles 30, how Hezekiah returned to Torah obedience, because the Priests and Levites could not sanctify themselves in time for the first Passover during his reign, he decreed that the nation observe the second Passover on the fifteenth of the second month (in accordance with Numbers 9: 9 – 12[1]), as is recorded in verses 1 – 3, ‘Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of YHVH at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to YHVH Elohim of Israel. (2) For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided to celebrate Passover in the second month, (3)since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.’ We see further from verses 10 – 13 of 2 Chronicles 30 that the king also invited the remnant of the 10 tribes of Israel who were not taken captive and were still living to the north of Judah, as follows: ‘So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulon, but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. (11) Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulon humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. (12) The hand of Elohim was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of YHVH. (13) Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feats of Unleavened Bread in the second month, a very large assembly.’ We see that some of those who kept the Passover with Judah did not prepare themselves before partaking of the same, but that Hezekiah prayed for them as we read from verses 18 – 21 of 2 Chronicles 30, in this way: ‘For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulon, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May YHVH pardon (19) everyone who prepares his heart to seek Elohim, YHVH Elohim of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” (20) So YHVH heard Hezekiah and healed the people. (21) And the sons of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised YHVH day after day with loud instruments to YHVH.’

The reason for Hezekiah’s success may be found in 2 Chronicles 31: 21, as follows: ‘And every work which he began in the service of the house of Elohim in law and in commandment, seeking His Elohim, he did with all his heart and prospered.’ This was the key to Hezekiah’s success and will also ensure the success of any one who does likewise. Hezekiah became the king of Judah, during the time the kingdom of Israel to its north was receiving punishment from Elohim at the hand of the Assyrians. In the sixth year of Hezekiah’s reign Israel was removed from their homeland by the Assyrians. Hezekiah grew concerned, as he saw the destruction of the kingdom of Israel to the north. He knew that the Assyrians would attack Judah next. We read from 2 Kings 18: 11 – 13, ‘Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, (12) because they did not obey the voice of YHVH their Elohim, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of YHVH commanded; they would neither listen, nor do it. (13) Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennaherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them.’ With the Assyrian army on his doorstep, Hezekiah tried to buy his way out of trouble, as we read from verse 14 - 16: ‘Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong. Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear.” So the king of Assyria required of Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. (15) And Hezekiah gave him all the silver which was found in the house of YHVH, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. (16)At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of YHVH, and from the doorposts which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.’

Hezekiah paid Sennacherib more than what he demanded and because he thought that there was much more available in Judah, he broke the agreement with Hezekiah and surrounded Jerusalem. Judah’s army was too weak to fight, but Hezekiah had faith. We see from 2 Kings 18: 28 – 35 that the delegates of the Assyrian king spoke in Judean (meaning Hebrew) threatening the soldiers defending Jerusalem, in this way: ‘Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in Judean(i.e. Hebrew), saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria. (29) “Thus says the king, ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; (30) nor let Hezekiah make you trust in YHVH, saying, “YHVH will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” (31) ‘Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat each of his vine and each of his fig tree and drink each of the waters of his own cistern, (32) until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey, that you may live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, when he misleads you saying, “YHVH will deliver us.” (Woe, Rabshakeh was actually offering Judah a new promised land here; he like the agents of Satan today was trying to mislead the true servants of YHVH.) (33) ‘Has any one of the gods of the nations delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? (34) Where are the gods of the Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? (35) Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their land from my hand, that YHVH should deliver Jerusalem from my hand?’”Like the many agents of Satan today, Rabshakeh was a master at psychological warfare and by his intimidating tactics, he tried to scare the nation of Judah to capitulate without a fight. He told them that they had only two choices; either death or deportation. They could decide to fight and die at war, or be taken many miles away to a foreign country. Through Rabshakeh the Assyrian king asserted that YHVH the Elohim of Israel was powerless against him, the most powerful king in the region at that time.

The house of Judah must have been terrified. However, we read faithful Hezekiah’s response to these threats in 2 Kings 19: 1 – 4,as follows: ‘And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of YHVH. (2) Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. (3) And they said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah. ‘This is a day of distress, rebuke, and rejection; for children have come to birth, and there is no strength to deliver. (4) Perhaps YHVH your Elohim will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the Living Elohim, and will rebuke the words which YHVH your Elohim has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’” We continue reading about the account from Isaiah 37, where we read from verse 5 – 7:‘So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. (6) And Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master. ‘Thus says YHVH, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. (7) Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he shall hear arumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”’” Jerusalem was in a desperate situation, but YHVH proved true to His word and intervened for Hezekiah and its trapped citizens. We read accordingly from verses 35 – 37 of 2 King 19, ‘Thenit happened that night that the angel of YHVH went out, and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. (36) So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. (37) And it came about as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.’ In the end the Assyrian king was assassinated by two of his sons whilst worshipping his pagan god.

We read from verse 1 of 2 Kings 20, ‘In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says YHVH, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” We read Hezekiah’s response in verses 2& 3, as follows: ‘Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed to YHVH, saying, (3) “Remember now, O YHVH, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.’Before Isaiah left, YHVH came to him saying, as we read in verses 5 & 6: ‘Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says YHVH, the Elohim of your father David, ‘I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of YHVH. (6) And I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” Even though Hezekiah believed what Isaiah told him, he asked Isaiah for a sign. As we read from verse 9 of 2 Kings 20, Isaiah presented Hezekiah with two miracles to choose from, in this way: ‘And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from YHVH, that YHVH will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?”’ Hezekiah chose the latter, because he reasoned that a shadow moves forward anyway. So Isaiah cried to YHVH and He brought the shadow back ten steps. Here YHVH our Elohim, performed another miracle, he not only healed Hezekiah, but also made the shadow go back 10 degrees.

However, we read from 2 Chronicles 32: 25& 26, ‘But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. (26) However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of YHVH did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.’ YHVH spared Hezekiah and his kingdom for the remainder of his lifetime and when he died the citizens of Judah buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all of Judah honored him at his death. The most important lesson that we can learn from Hezekiah’s life, is that Elohim’s mercy is always available to those who acknowledge their sins and inadequacies and return to Him in obedience.

[1] Numbers 9: 9 – 12, ‘Then YHVH spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, observe the Passover to YHVH. In the second month of the fourteenth day at twilight, they shall observe it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute of the Passover they shall observe it.”’