190. HEZEKIAH—JUDAH'S GREATEST KING

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble"

 

Hezekiah 's father, Ahaz was a wicked king. He shut the temple and caused wicked pagan worship to come into Judah.

 

It is refreshing to read of Hezekiah. As Ahaz did wickedly so Hezekiah did that which was right in the sight of Yahweh. He followed the spiritual example of one of his forefathers, King David, so that it was said of Hezekiah that he did "that which was right in the sight of Yahweh, accor­ding to all that David his father did" (2 Kings 18:3). It is also recorded "in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and in the commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered" (2 Chronicles 31:20-21).

 

2 Chronicles 29-32; 2 Kings 18-19.

 

HEZEKIAH'S FIRST WORK—TO OPEN THE TEMPLE. 2 Chronicles 29:1-19.

Hezekiah was 25 when he began to reign and the first thing he did, in the first month of being king, was to "open the doors of the house of Yahweh" and repair them (v.3). But merely having the temple reopened was not enough, for that would not bring the people to God. For this teachers were needed, so Hezekiah brought together the Levites and priests who were the religious teachers of Israel. He told them to sanctify themselves and to sanctify the house of Yahweh by cleaning it up and preparing it so that the people could worship. The priests obeyed, and in eight days the house was sanctified and on the 16th day everything was ready for worship.

 

HEZEKIAH OFFERS A NATIONAL SIN OFFERING. 2 Chronicles 29:20-36.

Hezekiah realised the sinfulness of the entire nation, so firstly he gathered the rulers and went up to the Temple. Hezekiah had the rulers and congregation involve themselves with the sin offerings, thus acknowledging that they had sinned in turning away from God. After the sin offering (an offering whereby the nation acknowledged their sin-fulness before Yahweh) Hezekiah had a burnt offering made (v.27). Burnt offerings speak of complete dedication to God. As the burnt offer­ing was consumed upon the altar the Levites commenced to sing, accom­panied by the musical instruments appointed by King David. Then all present bowed themselves and worshipped and with gladness praised Yahweh.

 

With the people realising once again how good Yahweh had been to them and how He could bless them if they served Him only, they then brought thank offerings or "freewill offerings" to show their gratitude to God (v.31).

 

HEZEKIAH AND THE PEOPLE KEEP THE PASSOVER. 2 Chronicles 30:1-22.

Now that the worship had once again commenced in the Temple the feasts could be held, so Hezekiah decided that the Passover should be kept. He sent letters not only to Judah over which he was king, but also to Israel. In the letter he invited everyone to come to Jerusalem to keep the feast of Passover, but since the 14th day of the first month Abib had passed (which was the day the Passover was usually kept) they were to keep the feast this time on the 14th day of the 2nd month. The Law allowed this under certain circumstances (Numbers 9:10-11).

 

In the letter Hezekiah reminded all the people of their sinfulness and their need to turn again unto Yahweh. If they did this then Yahweh who is "gracious and merciful" would not turn away His face from them. It all depended on whether they would first turn to Yahweh (v.9).

 

Many in Israel laughed, but others humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem (v.10, 11). In Judah God moved the people to come together as one to keep the Passover.

 

When keeping the Passover, Israel were to take all leaven out of their land. Leaven is a symbol of corruption, and so the people were being taught to have pureness of heart and mind in service before God. As Israel gathered at Jerusalem they noticed the altars that Ahaz had caused to be built for the worship of pagan idols and gods. This idolatry was like leaven because it had a corrupting (or evil) influence on the nation, so before the feast was held they took all the altars and cast them out of the city into the Brook Kedron (v.14). After this they celebrated the Passover which was followed by the feast of unleavened bread which was held with great gladness for seven days (4:21). Hezekiah spoke words of encourage­ment to the Levites and they "taught the good knowledge of Yahweh to the people" (v.22).

 

ANOTHER FEAST HELD BECAUSE OF THE JOY OF WORSHIP. 2 Chronicles 30:23-27.

As the feast of unleavened bread drew to a conclusion, the people gathered together. They rejoiced that they were able to come together to worship Yahweh and be taught of His ways by the priests. Everyone was so pleased that they decided to stay yet another seven days in Jerusalem and continue to worship and learn of Yahweh. "So there was great joy in Jerusalem" (v.26). God was well pleased with his efforts for it is recorded that "he wrought that which was good and right and truth before Yahweh his God ... he did it with all his heart and prospered" (31:20-21).

 

JUDAH'S RESPONSE TO THE ASSYRIAN THREAT (Isaiah 22)

Hezekiah had reigned for six years and had led the people to God. The mighty power of Assyria was attacking Israel in the north but Hezekiah's reaction was to place his confidence — not in his defenses but in Yahweh his God. He threw off the yoke of Assyria (2 Kings 18:7). Then from the north news came that the Assyrian king and his army had come up against the kingdom of Israel and taken them captive and scattered them throughout their empire (2 Kings 18:9-12).

 

A few years later, in the 14th year of his reign, the Assyrians, this time under their king Sennacherib, came against the kingdom of Judah. They took the cities of Judah and only the city of Jerusalem remained.

 

The threat from the north threw the people of Judah into turmoil. Some wanted to flee into Egypt whilst others trusted in Jerusalem's defenses. But they had forgotten Yahweh "the maker thereof neither had respect unto Him that fashioned it long ago" (Isaiah 22:8-11). Yet another group were ready to give up saying, "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" (v.v. 12-14). Others took pride in their self righteousness, believing that they themselves would be saved but the others would perish. Finally there were those like Eliakim who supported Hezekiah's faithfulness. These were promised deliverance, not just from the Assyrian invasion but to be numbered amongst the worthies of the house of David (v.v.20-25). Can we imagine the agitated state of the men of Judah and Jerusalem and the added pressure on Hezekiah's faith in Yahweh?

 

Yet Hezekiah knew that unless Yahweh was with them they would never survive a battle against mighty Assyria. So he gathered the people together and once again spoke heart-to-heart with them.

 

He told them to be "strong and courageous", the same words as Yahweh had spoken to Joshua as he led Israel into the land (Joshua 1:9). He went on to say that the multitude that was with Israel, even the host of Yahweh's immortal angels, was far greater than the army of Assyria (2 Chron. 32:6-8; Psa. 34:7).

 

Hezekiah could see that the battle was between the "arm of strength of flesh", that which man worships and trusts, and the God of heaven. With these sound words of faith the people found they had support, so they "rested (mg. leaned) themselves upon the word of Hezekiah".

 

THE ASSYRIANS COME UP TO JERUSALEM. 2 Kings 18:17-37; 19:1-8.

The army of Assyria came to the city of Lachish and while they laid siege to that city, Sennacherib sent part of his army to Jerusalem to weaken the city ready for battle. This army camped in the valleys around Jerusalem, and their leader Rabshakeh began to shout boastfully that none of the gods of the other countries that they had come up against had been able to save those countries from the mighty army of Assyria. He mockingly pointed out that the other cities of Judah had fallen and therefore Yahweh would not deliver Jerusalem and thus compared Yahweh the God of heaven and earth with the pagan gods of other na­tions. Hezekiah wisely commanded his people not to utter a work in reply to Rabshakeh (v.36). There was no point in answering a fool according to his folly, and it would not calm the people down in this crisis.

 

Rabshakeh's blasphemy against Yahweh made Hezekiah greatly distressed. Hezekiah rent his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the House of God and prayed (2 Kings 19:1). Hezekiah knew that without Yahweh's intervention the situation was hopeless. How often do we trust in our own solutions rather than to prayerfully seek for God's help. Do we place our trust in Yahweh or in the "arm of flesh"? The word of God came to Isaiah and he told Hezekiah that God would cause news to come to the Assyrians that would cause them to withdraw from Jerusalem and they would return to their own land. And so this came to pass. The army under Rabshakeh withdrew from Jerusalem. But the Assyrians were not going to give up their attack against Jerusalem and its king.

 

A LETTER OF BLASPHEMY AGAINST YAHWEH. 2 Kings 19:8-19.

When Rabshakeh returned to join the rest of the army of Assyria he sent a letter of blasphemy to Hezekiah saying that he would return and overthrow Jerusalem and show that Yahweh was not able to save them. "Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee", he wrote.

Hezekiah was greatly distressed by the blasphemy of the letter and again turned to Yahweh. He took the letter up to the House of God and actually spread it out before Yahweh, then he prayed asking God for deliverance, that all kingdoms of the earth might know that Yahweh only is God. Hezekiah's prayer of trust and supplication is very instructive. He declares the majesty and power of Yahweh over all nations. He appeals for Yahweh to hear the proud mocking claims of Sennacherib. His own faith in God is expressed and his knowledge that Sennacherib's gods are "the work of men's hands". Finally Hezekiah pleads for Yahweh to preserve His people, so that "all the kingdoms of the earth may know that Thou art Yahweh God, even Thou only".

 

GOD ANSWERS HEZEKIAH. 2 Kings 19:20-36.

Once again the word of God came to Isaiah with a reassuring message for Hezekiah. Isaiah said, "Thus said Yahweh concerning the king of Assyria, he shall not come into this city" (v.32). God went on to say, "For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake and for my ser­vant David's sake" (v.34).

 

How true the words of God were, for that very night the angel of Yahweh went through the host of the Assyrians and killed 185,000 of them. With such a humiliating punishment upon his army Sennacherib returned to Assyria. The news of Yahweh's victory over Assyria soon spread and nations sent gifts to Yahweh and presents to Hezekiah because of this mighty miracle (2 Chronicles 32:23). Sennacherib himself was murdered by his own sons whilst worshipping in the Temple of Nisroch his god. (2 Kings 19:36, 37).

We should note that at the time of this crisis, Hezekiah's faith was again sorely tested by becoming sick unto death (see 2 Kings 20:5, 6). But Yahweh graciously strengthened him and added fifteen years to his life. Psalms 46-48 and 120-134 were probably written by Hezekiah at this time of deliverance and beautifully expressed his remembrance of God's goodness.

 

LESSON FOR US:

We see in the man Hezekiah, characteristics that were well-pleasing to God. Firstly in service to God, "He did it with his heart". God wants us to dedicate ourselves to serving Him not part of the time, but all of the time. Hezekiah not only served God himself, but encouraged others in God's way. Let us learn the lesson of Hezekiah's life so that we as a peo­ple may rejoice in each other's company around the wonderful things of God's truth.

 

When troubles arose for Hezekiah he was unmoved by the faithlessness of others realising that Yahweh alone could bring deliverance. His faith was strong, and he continually prayed to God for deliverance from his af­flictions. We likewise must always remember God is ever present to help us in our times of distress. The example of our faith and trust in God will be of great encouragement and example to others, even as Hezekiah's was to those in his day.

 

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"The Story of the Bible" (H.P. Mansfield)—Vol. 5, No. 12, pages 188-194, Vol. 6, No. 1, pages 3-36.

"The Ways of Providence" (R. Roberts)—pages 179-181.

 

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1.  

1. 1. How is Hezekiah described in the Bible?

   2. What was the first thing he did after becoming king?

   3. What did he command the priests and Levites to do?

2. How did Hezekiah arrange the Passover to be kept and what was the people's response?

3. When the king of Assyria came against Jerusalem:

   1. How did Hezekiah comfort and encourage his people?

   2. What did the Assyrians say about Israel's God?

4. Describe Hezekiah's prayer when receiving Rabshakeh's letter and what was God's answer?

 

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the work of Hezekiah in restoring the worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem.

2. Describe Hezekiah's response to Rabshakeh's words and Sennacherib's letter. What was God's answer and what lessons do we
   learn from Hezekiah's attitude?

EVENTS CULMINATING IN CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH

 

JUDAH'S KING	Yr. of Reign	B.C.	EVENTS	REFERENCE
Josiah		638-608
31 years	8	631	Seeks Yahweh	2 Chron.34:3
	12	627	First purge	2 Chron.34:3
	13	626	Jeremiah called	Jer.l:l-2;25:3
	18	621	Book found; 2nd purge—Passover	2 Kings 22:14
		609	(Necho, king of Egypt 609-593)
		608	Battle of Megiddo—Josiah's death. Pharaoh Necho fights Medes and Babylonians at Carchemish and subjugates Judah and Syria.	2 Kings 23:29 2 Kings 23:29,34 Jos.Ant.X.V.l
Jehoahaz (Shallum) 2nd son of Josiah. 1 months		608	Deposed, taken captive to Egypt —Johoiakim made king instead.
Jehoiakim (Eliakim) 1st son of Josiah.		608-597
11 years.			Tribute paid to Egypt, subjection to Babylon prophesied, Necho defeated at Carchemish.	Jer.27:l-ll 2 Kings 23:35-36 2 Kings 24:1
	3-4	605	Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem 1st Babylonian Attack 70 years desolation prophesied (Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon 605-562)	Dan. 1:1 Jer. 46:2 Jer.25:1,11
		604-603	Nebuchadnezzar dreams in 2nd year	Dan.2:l
	5	603	Public fast. Bible burned.	Jer. 36:9,23
	7	602	Rebels against Nebuchadnezzar after 3 years Bands of Chaldeans, Moabites, Syrians, and Ammonites afflict Judah	2 Kings 24:1 2 Kings 24:2
	11	597	2nd Babylonian Attack City surrendered. Jehoiakim slain in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar 3,000 captives taken.	2 Chron. 36:5-7 Jos.Ant.X,VI,3 Jer.22:18,36:30
Jehoiachin (Jeconiah Coniah). Son of Jehoiakim 3 months		597	3rd Babylonian Attack Jehoiachin surrendered and taken captive to Babylon. Huge numbers of captives and vessels. Including Ezekiel and Mordecai.	2 Kings 24:10-16 Ezek. 1:2 Esth.2:6
Zedekiah (Mattaniah) 3rd son of Josiah 11 years		597-586
	4	594	Enthroned by Nebuchadnezzar Yokes, captivity foretold— Hananiah visits Babylon	Jer. 27:12-28:1 Jer. 51:29
(Psamtick 'Psammetichus ii' King Of Egypt		593-588	4th Babylonian Attack Jerusalem besieged—18 months Jeremiah imprisoned—Buys field Temple burned. Zedekiah taken into captivity 19th of Nebuchadnezzar.	Jer.32:1-2 2 Kings 25:8-9 Ezek. 12:13 Jer. 52:12-16,29