As king of Judah (see Kings of Israel and Judah), Hezekiah overall "did what was right in the eyes of The Lord, according to all that David his father had done" (see also notes for 2 Chronicles 29). He restored the neglected Temple and observance of The Lord's only true Holy Days, all of which were, and are, Christian (see Christ's Passover, Christ's Feast of Unleavened Bread, Christ's Pentecost, Christ's Feast of Trumpets, Christ's Day Of Atonement, Christ's Feast of Tabernacles and Christ's Eighth Day).
"Hezekiah sent to all Israel [see The Northern Kingdom] and Judah [see The Southern Kingdom], 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 the God of Israel. For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month - for they could not keep it in its time because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem - and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan [see Dan to Beersheba], that the people should come and keep the passover to The Lord the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers as prescribed." (2 Chronicles 30:1-5 RSV)Some of the northern tribes refused to come, but others looked beyond the carnal politics of the two separate kingdoms (see The Division Of Israel) and sought to worship The Lord where The Lord had established His Zion (see Who, What or Where Is Zion?).
"So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Only a few men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also upon Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of The Lord." (2 Chronicles 30:10-12 RSV)Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread (see the links above to these and the other true Holy Days of God) were joyously observed. Appropriately, the sinful things were put out of The Lord's House during the days of Unleavened Bread.
"And many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly. They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for burning incense they took away and threw into the Kidron Valley. And they killed the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. And the priests and the Levites were put to shame, so that they sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of The Lord. They took their accustomed posts according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood [see also Christ's Mercy Seat] which they received from the hand of the Levites." (2 Chronicles 30:13-16 RSV)The people discovered the joy of obeying The Lord, a Timeless principle of goodness.
"And the people of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised The Lord day by day, singing with all their might to The Lord." (2 Chronicles 30:21 RSV) "So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel [see also Israelite Dynasties] there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven." (2 Chronicles 30:26-27 RSV)2 Chronicles Chapter 31
For a time, the people turned away from worthless idols (see Thou shalt not make any graven image; also What Would Mary Really Say About Idolatry?).
"Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke in pieces the pillars and hewed down the Asherim [see Groves] and broke down the High Places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, every man to his possession." (2 Chronicles 31:1 RSV)Hezekiah also restored the ministry of the Temple according to those who were authorized to do so, not by any man, but by The Lord (see Raiders Of The Lost Ark).
"And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of The Lord and to give thanks and praise. The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths [see Sunday Is Not The Sabbath], the New Moons, and the appointed feasts [see God's Holy Days], as it is written in the Law of The Lord." (2 Chronicles 31:2-3 RSV)The Levites had no tribal territory of their own (see map above) however they did have their own independent and self-sufficient cities throughout the other tribal areas.
"And for the sons of Aaron, the priests [see The Lines Of Eleazar and Ithamar], who were in the fields of common land belonging to their cities, there were men in the several cities who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to every one among the Levites who was enrolled." (2 Chronicles 31:19 RSV)Overall, Hezekiah was a good king.
"Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good and right and faithful before The Lord his God." (2 Chronicles 31:20 RSV)2 Chronicles Chapter 32
As has been the way of man almost from the beginning, stronger nations, while they were taking their turn at being a stronger nation (see the Fact Finder question below to understand how empires rise and inevitably fall) invaded smaller nations. Hezekiah was threatened in such a way by the Assyrians (see the Fact Finder question below), however the Assyrians were sure to lose because the people of Judah were obedient to The Lord. No nation is bigger than God; no nation is bigger than any nation that truly obeys God, as Hezekiah faithfully stated, "for there is One greater with us."
"After these things and these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, he planned with his officers and his mighty men to stop the water of the springs that were outside the city [see also Hezekiah's Tunnel]; and they helped him. A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the land, saying, "Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?" He set to work resolutely and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised towers upon it, and outside it he built another wall; and he strengthened The Millo in The City of David. He also made weapons and shields in abundance. And he set combat commanders over the people, and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, "Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him; for there is one greater with us than with him." (2 Chronicles 32:1-7 RSV)Sennacherib's arrogance reached its peak when he blasphemed The Lord Himself. It was his fatal mistake (see The Day Sennacherib Challenged God).
"Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the Prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. And The Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword." (2 Chronicles 32:20-21 RSV)Despite his goodness, Hezekiah was still human and subject to foolish pride (see The Two Kinds Of Pride).
"In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to The Lord; and he answered him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of The Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah." (2 Chronicles 32:24-26 RSV)Hezekiah, a good king, completed his reign and was buried in "the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David" in Jerusalem.
"Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. And Hezekiah slept [see What Happens When You Die?] with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honor at his death. And Manasseh his son reigned in his stead." (2 Chronicles 32:32-33 RSV)
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