Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was the 13th king of Judah and reigned from approximately 715 to 686 BC. His reign is notably marked by a significant religious revival and reform in the Kingdom of Judah, as recorded in the biblical books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah. Hezekiah's revival is characterized by a return to the worship of Yahweh, the God of Israel, and a rejection of idolatry and pagan practices that had infiltrated the nation under previous kings.

Background and Ascension to the Throne

Hezekiah ascended to the throne during a period of spiritual decline in Judah. His father, Ahaz, had led the nation into idolatry, even sacrificing to foreign gods and closing the doors of the temple (2 Chronicles 28:24). Upon becoming king, Hezekiah set his heart on restoring the worship of the Lord and purifying the nation from its idolatrous practices.

Religious Reforms and Revival

Hezekiah's revival began with the reopening and cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem. In the first month of his reign, he ordered the Levites and priests to consecrate themselves and the temple, removing all defilement (2 Chronicles 29:3-5). Hezekiah's commitment to restoring proper worship is evident in his address to the Levites: "Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that His fierce anger will turn away from us" (2 Chronicles 29:10).

Hezekiah reinstituted the Passover, which had not been observed as prescribed for many years. He sent letters throughout Judah and even to the remnant of Israel, inviting them to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel (2 Chronicles 30:1-5). This act of unification and worship was a significant step in the revival, as it brought together people from both Judah and the remnants of the northern kingdom.

Destruction of Idolatry

A key aspect of Hezekiah's revival was the destruction of idolatrous symbols and high places. Hezekiah "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" (2 Kings 18:4). This decisive action demonstrated Hezekiah's commitment to eradicating idolatry and restoring exclusive worship of Yahweh.

Trust in the LORD

Hezekiah's reign was marked by his deep trust in the LORD, which was tested during the Assyrian invasion led by King Sennacherib. Faced with the threat of destruction, Hezekiah sought the LORD in prayer and received assurance through the prophet Isaiah that Jerusalem would be delivered (2 Kings 19:14-20). The LORD miraculously intervened, sending an angel to destroy the Assyrian army, thus preserving Judah (2 Kings 19:35-36).

Legacy of Revival

Hezekiah's revival had a lasting impact on Judah, setting a standard for future kings and demonstrating the power of sincere repentance and devotion to God. His reign is remembered as a time when the nation turned back to the LORD, experiencing both spiritual renewal and divine deliverance. The biblical account of Hezekiah's revival serves as a powerful example of the transformative effect of godly leadership and the importance of returning to the foundational truths of faith.2 Kings 18:1-7
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
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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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The Kingdom of Judah.
... The Great Religious Revivals of this Period. ... (4) A new revival under Hezekiah,
who introduced sweeping social and religious changes. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiv the kingdom of.htm

Letter v. Prayer and Fasting.
... Hezekiah prayed, and the angel of the Lord entered the camp of the invader ... no less
striking than these, are continually occurring in the revivals of religion of ...
/.../letter v prayer and fasting.htm

From the Close of the General Conference in 1796, to the ...
... This year was distinguished by several revivals of religion. ... Hezekiah Calvin
Wooster also took his departure to another world this year. ...
/.../chapter 3 from the close.htm

General Conference of 1824
... Devaney, Ethelbert Drake, Henry Holmes, John Lattimore, Caleb Leach, Hezekiah G.
Leigh ... years we have not been favored with extraordinary revivals of religion ...
/.../chapter 7 general conference of.htm

Ebenezer!
... made with Abraham; or his interposition on the behalf of the dying Hezekiah. ... How
delightful it is to see a Church earnest after revivals, crying, pleading for ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/ebenezer.htm

Political Parties in Connecticut at the Beginning of the ...
... The success of the revivals was marked by increasing austerities, such as the ... Jabez
H. Tomlinson of Stratford, Augur Judson of Huntington, Hezekiah Goodrich of ...
/.../chapter xiv political parties in.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1816 to the ...
... entered the itinerancy, and was again zealously engaged in promoting revivals. ... namely,
William Patridge, Anthony Senter, Henry Padgett, Hezekiah Harryman, and ...
/.../chapter 4 from the close.htm

Intercessory Prayer
... assembled people; or if you want another royal example, turn to Hezekiah with
Sennacherib's ... During one of the revivals in America, a young man was going to see ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/intercessory prayer.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1820 to the Beginning ...
... states of Kentucky and Tennessee, and Lewis Garrett and Hezekiah Holland were ... through
the agency of camp meetings, there were extensive revivals of religion ...
/.../chapter 6 from the close.htm

The General Conference of 1828
... Joseph Carson, Thomas Crowder, Peter Doub, John Early, Daniel Hall, Henry Holmes,
Caleb Leach, Hezekiah G. Leigh ... "The great and extensive revivals of religion ...
/.../chapter 9 the general conference.htm

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