Chapter 28
Hezekiah
In sharp contrast with the reckless rule of Ahaz was the reformation
wrought during the prosperous reign of his son. Hezekiah came to the
throne determined to do all in his power to save Judah from the fate
that was overtaking the northern kingdom. The messages of the prophets
offered no encouragement to halfway measures. Only by most decided
reformation could be threatened judgments be averted.
In the crisis, Hezekiah proved to be a man of opportunity. No sooner
had he ascended the throne than he began to plan and to execute. He
first turned his attention to the restoration of the temple services, so
long neglected; and in this work he earnestly solicited the co-operation
of a band of priests and Levites who had remained true to their sacred
calling. Confident of their loyal support, he spoke with them freely
concerning his desire to institute immediate and far-reaching reforms.
"Our fathers have trespassed," he confessed, "and done
that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God, and have forsaken
Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the
Lord." "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the
Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us." 2
Chronicles 29:6, 10.
In a few well-chosen words the king reviewed the situation they were
facing--the closed temple and the cessation of all services within its
precincts; the flagrant idolatry practiced in the streets of the city
and throughout the kingdom; the apostasy of multitudes who might have
remained true to God had the leaders in Judah set before them a right
example; and the decline of the kingdom and loss of prestige in the
estimation of surrounding nations. The northern kingdom was rapidly
crumbling to pieces; many were perishing by the sword; a multitude had
already been carried away captive; soon Israel would fall completely
into the hands of the Assyrians, and be utterly ruined; and this fate
would surely befall Judah as well, unless God should work mightily
through chosen representatives.
Hezekiah appealed directly to the priests to unite with him in
bringing about the necessary reforms. "Be not now negligent,"
he exhorted them; "for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before
Him, to serve Him, and that ye should minister unto Him, and burn
incense." "Sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of
the Lord God of your fathers." Verses 11, 5.
It was a time for quick action. The priests began at once. Enlisting
the co-operation of others of their number who had not been present
during this conference, they engaged heartily in the work of cleansing
and sanctifying the temple. Because of the years of desecration and
neglect, this was attended with many difficulties; but the priests and
the Levites labored untiringly, and within a remarkably short time they
were able to report their task completed. The temple doors had been
repaired and thrown open; the sacred vessels had been assembled and put
into place; and all was in readiness for the re-establishment of the
sanctuary services.
In the first service held, the rulers of the city united with King
Hezekiah and with the priests and Levites in seeking forgiveness for the
sins of the nation. Upon the altar were placed sin offerings "to
make an atonement for all Israel." "And when they had made an
end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed
themselves, and worshiped." Once more the temple courts resounded
with words of praise and adoration. The songs of David and of Asaph were
sung with joy, as the worshipers realized that they were being delivered
from the bondage of sin and apostasy. "Hezekiah rejoiced, and all
the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done
suddenly." Verses 24, 29, 36.
God had indeed prepared the hearts of the chief men of Judah to lead
out in a decided reformatory movement, that the tide of apostasy might
be stayed. Through His prophets He had sent to His chosen people message
after message of earnest entreaty--messages that had been despised and
rejected by the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel, now given over to
the enemy. But in Judah there remained a goodly remnant, and to these
the prophets continued to appeal. Hear Isaiah urging, "Turn ye unto
Him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted." Isaiah
31:6. Hear Micah declaring with confidence: "I will look unto the
Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall, I shall arise; when I
sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the
indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He
plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: He will bring me forth to
the light, and I shall behold His righteousness." Micah 7:7-9.
These and other like messages revealing the willingness of God to
forgive and accept those who turned to Him with full purpose of heart,
had brought hope to many a fainting soul in the dark years when the
temple doors remained closed; and now, as the leaders began to institute
a reform, a multitude of the people, weary of the thralldom of sin, were
ready to respond.
Those who entered the temple courts to seek forgiveness and to renew
their vows of allegiance to Jehovah, had wonderful encouragement offered
them in the prophetic portions of Scripture. The solemn warnings against
idolatry, spoken through Moses in the hearing of all Israel, had been
accompanied by prophecies of God's willingness to hear and forgive those
who in times of apostasy should seek Him with all the heart. "If
thou turn to the Lord thy God," Moses had said, "and shalt be
obedient unto His voice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) He
will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of
thy fathers which He sware unto them." Deuteronomy 4:30, 31.
And in the prophetic prayer offered at the dedication of the temple
whose services Hezekiah and his associates were now restoring, Solomon
had prayed, "When Thy people Israel be smitten down before the
enemy, because they have sinned against Thee, and shall turn again to
Thee, and confess Thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto Thee in
this house: then hear Thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of Thy people
Israel." I Kings 8:33, 34. The seal of divine approval had been
placed upon this prayer; for at its close fire had come down from heaven
to consume the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the
Lord had filled the temple. See 2 Chronicles 7:1. And by night the Lord
had appeared to Solomon to tell him that his prayer had been heard, and
that mercy would be shown those who should worship there. The gracious
assurance was given: "If My people, which are called by My name,
shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land." Verse 14.
These promises met abundant fulfillment during the reformation under
Hezekiah.
The good beginning made at the time of the purification of the temple
was followed by a broader movement, in which Israel as well as Judah
participated. In his zeal to make the temple services a real blessing to
the people, Hezekiah determined to revive the ancient custom of
gathering the Israelites together for the celebration of the Passover
feast.
For many years the Passover had not been observed as a national
festival. The division of the kingdom after the close of Solomon's reign
had made this seem impracticable. But the terrible judgments befalling
the ten tribes were awakening in the hearts of some a desire for better
things; and the stirring messages of the prophets were having their
effect. By royal couriers the invitation to the Passover at Jerusalem
was heralded far and wide, "from city to city through the country
of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun." The bearers of the
gracious invitation were usually repulsed. The impenitent turned lightly
aside; nevertheless some, eager to seek God for a clearer knowledge of
His will, "humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem." 2
Chronicles 30:10, 11.
In the land of Judah the response was very general; for upon them was
"the hand of God," "to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes" --a command in accord
with the will of God as revealed through His prophets. Verses 22, 21.
The occasion was one of the greatest profit to the multitudes
assembled. The desecrated streets of the city were cleared of the
idolatrous shrines placed there during the reign of Ahaz. On the
appointed day the Passover was observed, and the week was spent by the
people in offering peace offerings and in learning what God would have
them do. Daily the Levites "taught the good knowledge of the
Lord;" and those who had prepared their hearts to seek God, found
pardon. A great gladness took possession of the worshiping multitude;
"the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing
with loud instruments;" all were united in their desire to praise
Him who had proved so gracious and merciful. Verse 12.
The seven days usually allotted to the Passover feast passed all too
quickly, and the worshipers determined to spend another seven days in
learning more fully the way of the Lord. The teaching priests continued
their work of instruction from the book of the law; daily the people
assembled at the temple to offer their tribute of praise and
thanksgiving; and as the great meeting drew to a close, it was evident
that God had wrought marvelously in the conversion of backsliding Judah
and in stemming the tide of idolatry which threatened to sweep all
before it. The solemn warnings of the prophets had not been uttered in
vain. "There was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of
Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in
Jerusalem." Verse 26.
The time had come for the return of the worshipers to their homes.
"The priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their
voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place,
even unto heaven." Verse 27. God had accepted those who with broken
hearts had confessed their sins and with resolute purpose had turned to
Him for forgiveness and help.
There now remained an important work in which those who were
returning to their homes must take an active part, and the
accomplishment of this work bore evidence to the genuineness of the
reformation wrought. The record reads: "All Israel that were
present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake 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." 2
Chronicles 31:1.
Hezekiah and his associates instituted various reforms for the
upbuilding of the spiritual and temporal interests of the kingdom.
"Throughout all Judah" the king "wrought that which was
good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that
he began, . . . he did it with all his heart, and prospered."
"He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, . . . and departed not from
following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord commanded
Moses. And the Lord was with him; and he prospered." Verses 20, 21;
2 Kings 18:5-7.
The reign of Hezekiah was characterized by a series of remarkable
providences which revealed to the surrounding nations that the God of
Israel was with His people. The success of the Assyrians in capturing
Samaria and in scattering the shattered remnant of the ten tribes among
the nations, during the earlier portion of his reign, was leading many
to question the power of the God of the Hebrews. Emboldened by their
successes, the Ninevites had long since set aside the message of Jonah
and had become defiant in their opposition to the purposes of Heaven. A
few years after the fall of Samaria the victorious armies reappeared in
Palestine, this time directing their forces against the fenced cities of
Judah, with some measure of success; but they withdrew for a season
because of difficulties arising in other portions of their realm. Not
until some years later, toward the close of Hezekiah's reign, was it to
be demonstrated before the nations of the world whether the gods of the
heathen were finally to prevail.
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