Examining The Scripture LXIV: Hezekiah - Destroyer of Idols & Champion of Yahweh

The Godly actions performed by Hezekiah early in his reign (2 Chronicles 29) really are the pattern for his entire kingship and set the tone for the relationship he will have with God.


1. He Was Very Godly: He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and knocked down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had begun to worship it by burning incense to it. He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was never another king like him in the land of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. ~2Kings 18:4-6

..and what happened? "The LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. 2 King 18:7

The die has been cast...so let us continue.

2. He Repaired Temple: First year of his reign he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord & repaired them. Ahaz his wicked father barred them.



3. He Consecrated/Re-consecrated the Priest/Levites to the Lord. Their fathers had been unfaithful.

a. When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the Lord.
b. Priest purified the temple and brought out anything unclean to the courtyard which are then moved by the Levites to the Kidron Valley
c. By the eighth day they had reached the portico.
d. For eight days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day.

4. He made a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so His fierce anger will turn away from them.

5. After consecration they a great festival ensues brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats are brought as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah.

a. He commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the LORD. They sacrificed the bulls, the goats for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them.
b. He stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with musical instruments the way prescribed by David and Gad the king's seer and Nathan
c. Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar.

-i. As the offering began, singing to the LORD began also, accompanied by instruments of David king of Israel.
-ii. The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played.

d. When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.
e. The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the Lord.
f. The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats.

So the service of the temple of the LORD was reestablished. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly. It is amazing when God decides to act in a person’s or a peoples life/lives how quickly He can achieve His intended end. Often times He could have done it faster but it would’ve been a detriment to the humans involved. God can do anything anytime but He nearly always chooses to work through people (usually His faithful). Humans are is chosen vessel of action as he has made us keepers of this world and given dominion over the earth. As he works through these chosen vessels He invariably leaves His mark in them. No one touched by the Living God walks away unchanged. If they have walked away unchanged, it wasn’t God touching them.

Campbell, Donald , John Walvoord, and Roy Zuck. "The Conquest of Canaan." Bible Knowledge Commentary Old Testament: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Bible Knowledge). Acambaro: Victor, 1985. 642. Print.