HEZEKIAH, KING OF JUDAH

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HEZEKIAH, KING OF JUDAH --too much of a good
king--
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Hezekiah, son of King Ahaz, and mother
Abijah, became king at age 25 and reigned
29 years. He took the throne during a crucial
time in Judahs history. Assyria recently had
con- quered Aram. During the early part of
his reign, the Assyrians conquered the
northern kingdom of Israel and forced Judah
itself to pay an annual tribute to Assyria.
With the encouragement of the prophet Isaiah,
Hezekiah under-took a religious reform he
removed all idolatrous elements from worship,
cleansed and sanctified the Temple, and restored
the Levites to their temple duties. He restored
the celebration of Passover, send-ing letters
across Judah and Israel to have the people attend
the Passover celebration, which was a huge
success. 2 Chronicles 3026 says that Jerusalem
had not seen a celebration like that since the
days of King Solomon.
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Hezekiah strengthened Judah politically, expanded
its borders, and had the people tithe their
crops. He built an underground tunnel to bring
water into Jerusalem, in case of a siege. Later,
King Sennacherib invaded Judah, surrounded
Jerusalem, and sent Hezekiah a letter, stating
that Judah should surrender, claiming that the
Assyrian gods were stronger than the Lord God.
Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed to God. God
answered by saying that He would defend and save
the city. That night, 185,000 Assyrian troops
mysteriously died and their bodies were seen all
across the landscape in the morning (2 Kings
1934-35). Later, in answer to another prayer,
God healed Hezekiah of a deadly sickness and
added 15 years to his life. When he died, his
son Manasseh became the new king. Hezekiahs
story is found in 2 Kings 18-20, and 2 Chronicles
29-32.
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When the Assyrian army approached,
the king decided to fortify the city
and wall in the newly built areas. The
archaeological dig found that houses
which had stood on the planned route of
the wall were demolished and their
stones used to reinforce the wall.
According to Isa. 229-10 "And you took note of
the many breaches in the City of David... and you
counted the houses of Jerusalem and pulled houses
down to fortify the wall. This description
conveys well the atmosphere of urgency and drama
that accompanied the building of the wall.
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In 701 BCE, when the Assyrian king laid
siege to Jerusalem. The Gihon Spring, which
was outside the city, gave King Hezekiah
a double dilemma to ensure water for
the besieged city, yet to deny the source of
the water to the Assyrian forces. The Bible
des-cribes Hezekiah's solution "It was Hezekiah
who stopped up the spring of water of Upper
Gihon, leading it downward west of the City of
David (2 Chron. 3230). The waters of the Gihon
were diverted into the Gai wadi by means of a
tunnel 581 yards long, which was hewed from both
ends simultaneously.
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What do we know about Hezekiah?
1. He generally is considered to be the grandson
of Zechariah, the prophet (2Ki. 182) 2. Of
Judahs 19 kings, he is one of the few good ones
reigned between his evil father Ahaz, and his
more evil son, Manasseh.

• Heres the plan
• Summarize his background the story of his reign
• Read 2 Ki. 201-11 Isa. 389-20
• Look for some lessons from his life, actions, and
  his delayed death.

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Hezekiah, King of Judah 724-695 B.C.
A. During the 16 yr. reign of Ahaz, moral
darkness covered the land. Open apostasy was the
order of the day. Images of Baal, altars and
temples dedicated to idolatry were not enough
Ahaz even offered one of his sons as a human
sacrifice.
B. Judahs condition was extremely
desperate Politically humiliated by having to
pay tribute to Assyria. One party urged an
alliance w/Egypt another, to continue the
tribute to Assyria a third cried for
independence from all foreign nations. Socially
authorities oppressed the people with widespread
injustice violence, so that the common man
trembled before the officials. Spiritually
priests were corruptmany of the prophets taught
error (Isa. 913-15). They gave false teaching
for pay, while the true prophets were seen as
public enemies. Hezekiah caught in the middle.
But Isaiah, one of the greatest of all prophets,
was sent to teach to help him. While Israel
was in its death-throes, Hezekiah set himself to
revive the whole system of Moses Law, which had
fallen into complete neglect in Judah.
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How did Hezekiah change things in Judah?
A. Thoroughly repaired the temple, reopened its
doors, revived the use of Davids psalms in
worship (2Chron. 2930), and restored the paying
of the tithe to the priesthood (2Chron. 312,5)
B. Reorganized the priests/Levites according to
the Laws instructions
C. Reinstituted the celebration of the Passover
D. Devoted his life to restoring the worship of
Jehovah to purifying the land from idolatry,
which his father had introduced strongly
supported
The Law was his guide in everything he
did. Gods true prophets were his most trusted
advisors, especially Isaiah He was humble
godly, in great contrast to his father. He
commissioned a collection of most of the material
which makes up the book of Proverbs
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Note this description of Hezekiah
He trusted in Jehovah, the God of Israel so that
after him was none like him among all the kings
of Judah, nor among them that were before him.
For he clave to Jehovah he departed not from
following Him, but kept his commandments, which
Jehovah commanded Moses. And Jehovah was with
him whithersoever he went forth, he prospered.
(2 Kings 185-8)
Lets read 2 Kings 201-11, and the hymn he wrote
after recovering from his sickness in Isaiah
389-20
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2 Kings 201-10 - In those days Hezekiah became
ill and was at the point of death. The prophet
Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is
what the Lord says Put your house in order,
because you are going to die you will not
recover." Hezekiah turned his face to the wall
and prayed to the Lord "Remember, O Lord, how I
have walked before you faithfully and with
wholehearted devotion and have done what is good
in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the
word of the Lord came to him "Go back and tell
Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what
the Lord, the God of your father David, says I
have heard your prayer and seen your tears I
will heal you. On the third day from now you will
go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add
fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver
you and this city from the hand of the king of
Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and
for the sake of my servant David.'" Then Isaiah
said, "Prepare a poultice of figs." They did so
and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
Hezekiah had asked Isaiah, "What will be the
sign that the Lord will heal me and that I will
go up to the temple of the Lord on the third day
from now?" Isaiah answered, "This is the Lord's
sign to you that the Lord will do what he has
promised Shall the shadow go forward ten steps,
or shall it go back ten steps?" "It is a simple
matter for the shadow to go forward ten steps,"
said Hezekiah. "Rather, have it go back ten
steps."
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Isa 389-14 - A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah
after his illness and recovery I said, "In the
prime of my life must I go through the gates of
death and be robbed of the rest of my years?" I
said, "I will not again see the Lord, the Lord in
the land of the living no longer will I look on
mankind, or be with those who now dwell in this
world. Like a shepherd's tent my house has been
pulled down and taken from me. Like a weaver I
have rolled up my life, and he has cut me off
from the loom day and night you made an end of
me. I waited patiently till dawn, but like a
lion he broke all my bones day and night you
made an end of me. I cried like a swift or
thrush, I moaned like a mourning dove. But what
can I say? He has spoken to me, and he himself
has done this. I will walk humbly all my years
because of this anguish of my soul. Lord, by
such things men live and my spirit finds life in
them too. You restored me to health and let me
live. Surely it was for my benefit that I
suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me
from the pit of destruction you have put all my
sins behind your back. For the grave cannot
praise you, death cannot sing your praise those
who go down to the pit cannot hope for your
faithfulness. The living, the living they
praise you ,as I am doing today fathers tell
their children about your faithfulness. The Lord
will save me, and we will sing with stringed
instruments all the days of our lives in the
temple of the Lord.
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What should we remember about Hezekiah?
1. He knew the battle was not between himself
Sennacherib, but between Jehovah Assyrias
pride blasphemy.
2. His concern for the honor of Gods name among
the heathen nations (Isa. 3720) Now, O Lord
our God, deliver us from his hand, so that
all kingdoms on earth may know that you
alone, O Lord, are God.
3. His readiness to take his concerns to God in
prayer the assurance he received from Gods
answering those prayers 2 Chron 321 says
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done,
Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded
Judah. Assyria invaded God took care of
things. Righteous behavior brings Gods
support and help.
4. Gods ability to instantly turn things around
for a man or a nation
5. The importance of going to God Because you
have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of
Assyria, I have heard you - 2 Ki. 1920
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But we also need to remember his problems
1. He had severe trouble with pride, 2Chr. 3225ff
2. He was relieved to have his life
extended, but not grateful In
those days Hezekiah became
mortally ill and he prayed to the Lord, and the
Lord spoke to him and gave him a sign. 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.
(2 Chr. 3224-25)
3. He cared only that he was okay not moved by
the calamity to come on his sons, grandchildren,
others calamity brought on them by his pride
ingratitude
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One final thought
What if Hezekiah had died on schedule? What
if his life had not been extended?
A. He would have been one of the greatest kings
of all time.
B. Perhaps Israels history would have changed
for the better his pride provoked the
Babylonians to make plans to conquer Judah, which
they didbecause he also produced Manasseh, the
evil king who brought Gods protection of Judah
to an end and caused them all to go into
captivity.
C. Manasseh would not have been born (born 3 yrs.
after Hezekiahs life was spared).
D. He was the only man in history whose life was
extended like that, look at the suffering
caused by it! It may have been better for him
for the nation if he had died when he was
supposed to. Theres more to life than
livingbetter to die a righteous hero at 39 than
an ungrateful, prideful father of Manasseh at 54.
Perhaps Hezekiah outlived his spiritual strength.
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