Scroll to the bottom for thoughts/discussion questions!
One-sentence summary: Hezekiah becomes king of Judah and does right in the Lord's sight- more than any king before or after him- and he destroys all the altars and high places and cleanses the house of the Lord and the people and reinstates the priestly service and the Passover.
In the 3rd year of King Hoshea of Israel, Hezekiah king of Judah begins to reign at 25 years old. He reigns in Jerusalem 29 years, and he does right in the Lord's sight, as David did. He removes the high places and breaks the "sacred" pillars, brings down the wooden image, and breaks in pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made, since Israel had turned it into a god ever since that time and had burned incense to it. He trusts in the Lord so that "after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him, for he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following Him but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him. He prospered wherever he went." He rebels against the king of Syria and doesn't serve him, and he subdues the Philistines. In his 4th year (the 7th of Hoshea): The king of Assyria comes up against Samaria and besieges it, and after three years, takes it. The king of Israel carries the Israelites away captive to Assyria- this is because they had not obeyed God's voice or kept His covenant. "They would neither hear nor do them." A few years later, he comes up against all the fortified cities of Judah and takes them as well. Then, Hezekiah sends to him, and says that he has done wrong, and that he will pay whatever he asks. So the king requires silver and gold from him, and he gives him from the house of the Lord and the king's house. He takes it from the pillars of the house of the Lord.
Then, something interesting happens: The king of Assyria sends a great army against Jerusalem to king Hezekiah, and when they come, they call out to the king and say that the king says he is rebelling against him and is full of empty words, trusting in Egypt, who is a "broken staff." He says if he says, "We trust in the Lord God?" then has he taken away his high places and altars and forced them to worship in Jerusalem? (His comment proves his ignorance.) He says if he will make a pledge with him and will give him 2,000 horses. Hezekiah's representatives respond, asking the king's representatives to please speak in Aramaic and not in Hebrew i"n the hearing of the people." They respond that their master sent them to speak these words to him (the king) and not the people "who will eat and drink their own waste with you." Then, a representative calls out with a loud voice in Hebrew, "Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: 'Do not let Hezekiah deceive you! For he will not be able to deliver you from his hand! Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, 'The Lord will surely deliver us!' This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria' Do not listen to Hezekiah, for thus says the king of Assyria, 'Make peace with me by a present and come out to me!'" He tells him he will take them to a land like their own land, a land of grain and new wine, of bread and vineyards, of olive groves and honey, that they "may live and not die!" "But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you, saying, 'The Lord will deliver us!''" He says no other gods have delivered them from his hand. However, the people hold their peace and do not answer, because Hezekiah told them not to. Then, Hezekiah's messengers tear their clothes and tell him these words.
Hezekiah's story is told in both Kings and Chronicles. In the first month of his reign, he opens the doors of the house of the Lord and repairs them. Then, he brings in the priests and Levites and tells them to sanctify themselves and "carry out the rubbish from the holy place," since their fathers have turned their backs to God and forsaken him and done evil. They have not carried out the work of the Lord's service, so trouble has come upon them. He tells them not to be negligent, since the Lord has chosen them to minister to Him. So they sanctify themselves and cleanse the house of the Lord. They bring out all the debris and carry it to the brook. On the eighth day, they come to the vestibule, and they sanctify the Lord's house in eight days and finish it on the 16th day of the first month. They tell Hezekiah that they are finished, and he rises early, gathers the rulers of the city, and goes up to the house of the Lord. They sacrifice to the Lord for a sin offering. He tells the priests to offer them on the Lord's altar, with separate sacrifices for Judah and Israel. He stations the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, stringed instruments, and harps, according to the command of David, Gad the seer, and Nathan the prophet, for the Lord had commanded it through them. As the offering begins, the song of the Lord begins with trumpets and the other instruments, and all the assembly worships until the offering is finished. Then, the king and all present bow and worship. He and the leaders command the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer. And they sing praises with gladness and bow their heads and worship. Hezekiah tells them to come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord, now that they have cleansed themselves. And "As many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings." The priests are too few and cannot not make so many offerings, so the Levites help them until the other priests sanctify themselves, because "the Levites [are] more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests." So "the service of the house of the Lord is set in order. Then, Hezekiah and all the people rejoice that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
Hezekiah sends to all Israel and Judah and writes letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord. The king and leaders decide to keep it at the second month. They cannot keep it at the regular month because the priests have not all consecrated themselves yet nor all the people gathered in Jerusalem. So they proclaimed through all Israel that they should come, since they have not done it in the proper way in a long time. The messengers tells the people to return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He will return to the remnant who escaped from Assyria. He tells them not to be like their forefathers who sinned or be stiff-necked but yield themselves to the Lord, to enter HIs sanctuary and serve Him so that His wrath will turn from Him. "If you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those that led them captive, that they may come back to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him." So the runners go through all the city, but the people laugh at them and mock them. However, some from Manasseh, Asher, and Zebulun humble themselves and come to Jerusalem. Also, God's hand is on Judah to give them "singleness of heart" to obey the command of the king and leaders at the word of the Lord. So a great assembly gathers at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They take away the altars and cast them into the brook. They slaughter the Passover lambs on the 14th day of the second month. The priests and the Levites are ashamed and sanctify themselves and bring the offerings to the Lord's house. Many in the assembly have not sanctified themselves, so the Levites are given charge of the slaughter of the lambs for those who are unclean. Many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulin have not cleansed themselves, but they still eat the Passover, "contrary to what was written." Hezekiah prays for them, praying that "the good Lord [would] provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God... though he is not cleansed." And the Lord listens to him and heals the people. They keep the feast seven days "with great gladness," and the Levites and priests praise the Lord day by day, accompanied by loud instruments. Hezekiah gives encouragement to all the Levites who teach "the good knowledge of the Lord." They also give peace offerings and make confessions to the Lord. Then, they all agree to keep the feast another seven days, and they do it with gladness. Hezekiah gives them 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the leaders give 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests sanctify themselves, and all Judah rejoices, and also all the priests and Levites, people of Israel and the sojourners, and there is great joy in Jerusalem- because nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the days of King Solomon. Then, the priests and Levites stand and bless the people, and their prayers reach to heaven, God's holy dwelling place.
After all this, all the people present go to the cities of Judah and break the "sacred" pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and bring down the high places and altars- from Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh- until they "had utterly destroyed them all." Then, they all return, and Hezekiah appoints the priests and Levites for specific service in the house of the Lord. He appoints a portion of his possessions for the offerings. He also commands people in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites so they can devote themselves to the law of the Lord. So Israel brings an abundance of the first fruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they bring in abundantly the tithe of everything. And Israel and Judah bring the tithe of oxen and sheep and of holy things consecrated to the Lord, laying them in heaps; this takes them four months. When Hezekiah and the leaders see the heaps, they bless the Lord and His people Israel. Then, the king asks the priests and Levites about the heaps, and the chief priest, Azariah, says that since the people began to bring the offerings, they have had enough to eat with plenty left over, because the Lord has blessed his people. So Hezekiah commands them to prepare rooms in God's house, and they bring in all the offerings. And for the sons of Aarons the priest who are in the common fields, they are to distribute males to the priests. So Hezekiah "[does] what is right and good and true before the Lord His God. And in every work He began in the service of the house of God- in the law and the commandment to seek His God- He [does] it with all his heart, and so he prospers."
Thoughts/discussion questions:
The Scripture says here that we are to prepare our hearts to seek God.
Hezekiah prayed to God, that He would provide atonement for everyone who prepared his heart to seek God- and God listened! That is a wonderful prayer to pray today! I actually believe Hezekiah's prayer has already been answered on behalf of all men!
Seek God with all your heart, and you will be blessed.