Topical Bible: Rulers: Righteous: Hezekiah, in his Fear of the Lord

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Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, reigned as the king of Judah from approximately 715 to 686 BC. His reign is notably marked by his devout commitment to the Lord and his efforts to restore proper worship in Judah. Hezekiah's fear of the Lord is a central theme in the biblical narrative, highlighting his righteousness and dedication to God's commandments.

Restoration of Worship and Reforms

Upon ascending to the throne, Hezekiah immediately set out to reform the religious practices of Judah, which had been corrupted under his father Ahaz. Hezekiah's fear of the Lord is evident in his zealous actions to cleanse the temple and restore the proper worship of Yahweh. In 2 Chronicles 29:3-5 , it is recorded, "In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. Then he brought in the priests and Levites, gathered them in the square on the east side, and said to them, 'Listen to me, O Levites! Consecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers, and remove from the sanctuary every detestable thing.'"

Hezekiah's reforms extended beyond the temple, as he also destroyed the high places, cut down the Asherah poles, and broke into pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for the Israelites had begun to burn incense to it (2 Kings 18:4). His actions demonstrated a profound reverence for God and a desire to lead his people back to true worship.

Trust in the Lord

Hezekiah's fear of the Lord was also reflected in his unwavering trust in God during times of crisis. When faced with the threat of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, Hezekiah turned to the Lord in prayer, seeking divine intervention. In 2 Kings 19:15-19 , Hezekiah prayed, "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words that Sennacherib has sent to defy the living God... Now, O LORD our God, please save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God."

The Lord responded to Hezekiah's prayer by sending an angel to destroy the Assyrian army, thereby delivering Judah from destruction (2 Kings 19:35). This miraculous deliverance underscored Hezekiah's faith and the power of trusting in the Lord.

Legacy of Righteousness

Hezekiah's reign is characterized by his commitment to righteousness and his fear of the Lord, which set a standard for future generations. 2 Kings 18:5-6 states, "Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. No king of Judah was like him, either before him or after him. For he held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow Him; he kept the commandments that the LORD had given Moses."

Hezekiah's life serves as a testament to the blessings that come from fearing the Lord and walking in His ways. His dedication to God and his efforts to lead his people in righteousness left an indelible mark on the history of Judah, illustrating the profound impact of a ruler who earnestly seeks to honor the Lord.

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2 Kings 18:3
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
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2 Kings 20:1-11
In those days was Hezekiah sick to death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, Thus said the LORD, Set your house in order; for you shall die, and not live.
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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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Library

Manasseh and Josiah
... which Judah had safely passed during Hezekiah's reign had ... for the guidance of Israel's
rulers, and his ... wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 32 manasseh and josiah.htm

Deliverance from Assyria
... To Hezekiah came the message: "This shall be a sign ... But the rulers of Assyria, instead
of using their unusual ... day of final awards, when the righteous Judge of ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 30 deliverance from assyria.htm

Demonstration xxi. --Of Persecution.
... 1090] Thus there is not one righteous and good ... and Gomorrha ought they to dwell with
the rulers of Sodom ... Hezekiah prayed and overcame his adversary; and by the ...
/.../aphrahat/aphrahat select demonstrations/demonstration xxi of persecution.htm

Manner of Covenanting.
... it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments."[135 ... In the first year of his reign,
Hezekiah declared, "Now ... He, the priests and Levites, the rulers of Jerusalem ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

How the Bishop is to Treat the Innocent, the Guilty, and the ...
... over all men, over priests, kings, rulers, fathers, children ... and built the high places
which Hezekiah his father had ... and Jacob, and of their righteous seed, who ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iii how the bishop is.htm

How Antipater Committed the Care of Galilee to Herod, and that of ...
... Caesar, their bitter enemies instead of rulers, for that ... for Herod, Antipater's son,
hath slain Hezekiah, and those ... name was Sameas, [16] a righteous man he was ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 9 how antipater committed.htm

His Name --The Counsellor
... a sovereign, or apart from magistrates and rulers to carry ... him, with all its
difficulties, as Hezekiah did Rabshakeh's ... he will never suffer the righteous to be ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/his namethe counsellor.htm

Covenanting a Duty.
... is due to God, as the righteous Ruler of all ... to engage in solemn covenant renovation,
Hezekiah said to ... Nehemiah, the whole people and their rulers also entered ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iii covenanting a duty.htm

1 Thessalonians i. 3-Jan
... (Acts 17:5-8.) And they troubled all the rulers of the city, and they instigated
the city against them. ... In the time of Hezekiah, who was righteous. ...
/.../homily i 1 thessalonians i.htm

An Exhortation to Theodore after his Fall. Letter I.
... a single city is being judged before rulers in this ... of thy son." [281] And again
when Hezekiah was about to ... possible risk, although he was a righteous man, God ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/an exhortation to theodore after.htm