Topical Bible: God: Preserver: Hezekiah

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Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was the 13th king of Judah, reigning in Jerusalem during the late 8th century BC. His account is prominently featured in the books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah. Hezekiah is remembered as a king who trusted in the Lord, and his reign is marked by significant religious reforms and divine deliverance, showcasing God as the Preserver of His people.

Religious Reforms and Faithfulness

Hezekiah ascended to the throne at a time when Judah was steeped in idolatry, following the practices of his father, Ahaz. However, Hezekiah distinguished himself by his commitment to the Lord. He initiated a series of religious reforms aimed at restoring true worship in Judah. He reopened the doors of the temple, which had been closed by Ahaz, and repaired them (2 Chronicles 29:3). Hezekiah also removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles (2 Kings 18:4). He even broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for the Israelites had begun to worship it (2 Kings 18:4).

Hezekiah's reforms were not merely external but reflected a deep personal faith. The Berean Standard Bible records, "Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. No king of Judah was like him, either before him or after him" (2 Kings 18:5). His trust in God set the stage for divine intervention and preservation.

Divine Deliverance from Assyria

One of the most significant events during Hezekiah's reign was the Assyrian invasion led by King Sennacherib. The Assyrian army, having already conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, threatened to overrun Judah. Sennacherib's forces laid siege to Jerusalem, and his officials mocked Hezekiah's trust in the Lord, attempting to demoralize the people (2 Kings 18:19-35).

In response, Hezekiah sought the Lord's help through prayer and consultation with the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah's prayer, recorded in 2 Kings 19:15-19, is a profound expression of faith, acknowledging God's sovereignty and pleading for deliverance for the sake of His name. The Lord answered Hezekiah's prayer, assuring him through Isaiah that the Assyrian king would not enter the city (2 Kings 19:32-34).

That very night, the angel of the Lord struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw and return to Nineveh (2 Kings 19:35-36). This miraculous deliverance underscored God's role as the Preserver of His people, protecting Jerusalem from destruction.

Hezekiah's Illness and Recovery

Another instance of God's preservation in Hezekiah's life occurred when he fell gravely ill. The prophet Isaiah informed him that he would not recover, but Hezekiah turned to the Lord in prayer, weeping bitterly (2 Kings 20:1-3). God heard his plea and granted him an additional fifteen years of life, confirming this promise with the miraculous sign of the sun's shadow moving backward (2 Kings 20:5-11).

Legacy and Lessons

Hezekiah's reign is a testament to the power of faith and the importance of seeking God's guidance and intervention. His life illustrates how God preserves those who are faithful to Him, even in the face of overwhelming odds. Despite his later mistakes, including showing the Babylonian envoys his treasures (2 Kings 20:12-19), Hezekiah's overall legacy is one of devotion and reliance on God.

Through Hezekiah, the narrative of God's preservation is vividly portrayed, reminding believers of the importance of trust, prayer, and obedience in their relationship with the Lord.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Kings 19:1
And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.
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Job 1:9-12
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?
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Job 2:6
And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in your hand; but save his life.
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Library

The World, Created by God, Still Cherished and Protected by Him. ...
... that he is also a Governor and Preserver, and that ... the sun, but only the instrument
which God employs, because ... 10:13); that as a favour to Hezekiah, its shadow ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 16 the world created.htm

Miller's views on the Second Coming of Christ.
... Spirit, omnipresent, omniscient, having all power, Creator, Preserver, and self ... mankind
to make their peace with God, to be ... Hezekiah 29 3462 695 2 Kings 18:2.17 ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/millers views on the second.htm

The Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts
... Eph. 1:3ff. HYMN 55 Hezekiah's song; or, Sickness and recovery. Isa. ... HYMN 18 The
ministry of angels. HYMN 19 Our frail bodies, and God our Preserver. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/

Meditations for the Sick.
... lxxxvi.7.) Hezekiah's sickness made him weep (Isaiah 38:2, 3 ... imitate the thankful
leper, and return to God this or ... up again; who art the only preserver of all ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bayly/the practice of piety/meditations for the sick.htm

The Axe at the Root --A Testimony against Puseyite Idolatry
... God, not merely as Creator and Preserver, or as ... mental faculties in the worship of
the invisible God. ... brazen serpent entitled it to worship, Hezekiah called it ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 12 1866/the axe at the roota.htm

An Index to Find any Hymn by the Title or Contents of It.
... see Praise; presence in life and at death, 2:115; see Presence; preserver of our ...
judgment, 1:45, 1:175; 2:62; or the vengeance of God, 2:22 ... Hezekiah's song, 1:55 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/watts/hymns and spiritual songs/an index to find any.htm

Indexes and Tables
... [1791]115; see Presence; preserver of our lives, ii. ... Hell and death i. [1887]2; or
the vengeance of God, ii. ... [1890]107. Hezekiah's song, i. [1891]55. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/indexes and tables.htm

CHAP. I. -II. 3 (II. 1).
... of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of ... the special love,
then the general relation to God as the Creator and Preserver must also ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i -ii 3 ii 1.htm

The Prophet Amos.
... the God of the heathen,"the Creator, Preserver, and Governor ... likewise serve to point
out the omnipotence of God. ... eg, Isaiah 37:16, where Hezekiah begins his ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet amos.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... there,** but the common people could no longer intercede with their God except through ...
brazen serpent was still in existence in the time of Hezekiah, at the ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm