M. Hezekiah chs. 29-32

In contrast to Ahaz, we can see Hezekiah's love for Yahweh in how he cared for the temple. Ahaz's reign was full of war, but Hezekiah enjoyed peace. God rewarded Hezekiah's spiritual restoration of Judah with a remarkable military deliverance. Yet good king Hezekiah was not the completely faithful Son of David whose kingdom God had promised to establish forever (1 Chron. 17:11-14).

"He is the golden boy' of Chronicles."⁷⁷

The Chronicler gave more space to Hezekiah's reign than to any others except David and Solomon, to whom he likened Hezekiah.⁷⁸

 1. The cleansing and rededication of the temple ch. 29

Ahaz had closed the temple and had set up other centers of worship throughout the land (28:24-25). Hezekiah reopened the temple and cleansed it in preparation for reusing it (vv. 3, 5). Whereas the writer of Kings described Hezekiah's religious reforms in only one verse (2 Kings 18:4), the Chronicler devoted three chapter to them (chs. 29-31). Hezekiah wanted to rededicate the nation to God (v. 10).

"When there is a financial crisis, the first thing we think about is money. When there is a communications crisis, our prime concern is to learn how to talk the language of the modern generation. When there is a church attendance crisis, we make it our chief aim to get numbers up. If Hezekiah had responded to a military threat in a military way, the Assyrians would have understood that. Army would have been matched against army, with dire consequences for Judah. But instead he and his people first look up to God."⁷⁹

Hezekiah carried out his clean-up job hurriedly to prepare for the celebration of the Passover (vv. 17, 26; 30:1). The Kidron Valley was a burial ground, so it was an appropriate place for unclean things. He first offered a sin offering to atone for the guilt of Judah (v. 21). Then he sacrificed burnt offerings of worship (v. 27) and led the people in worship (v. 29), joyful singing (v. 30), and willing sacrificial giving (v. 31). All the people of Judah who reverenced Yahweh rejoiced over the king's re-establishment of the temple services (vv. 35-36).

 2. Hezekiah's Passover 30:1-31:1

"Following the restoration of the temple and its services in ch. 29, the emphasis now falls heavily upon Hezekiah's strenuous efforts to reunite in worship the hitherto separated peoples of the north and south."⁸⁰

Hezekiah wanted all the Israelites, namely, those left in the Northern Kingdom following its captivity, as well as the Judahites, to rededicate themselves to Yahweh (vv. 1-9). Many in Israel had no interest in doing this (v. 10), but some responded positively, as did most of the people in Judah (vv. 11-12). The complete repentance of the Israelites in the North might have resulted in God setting free many of the captive exiles (v. 9).

"Sometimes people refuse to repent out of a sense of hopelessness, but Hezekiah reminds that it is never too late to return to God."⁸¹

Large numbers of the people who came to the feast had not prepared themselves as the Mosaic Law specified. This group included priests and Levites who were ashamed of their uncleanness (v. 15). This revelation shows how the people had disregarded the Law. God pardoned ritual uncleanness if the worshipper's heart was right (vv. 18-20; cf. John 7:22-23; 9:14-16). The heart attitude is more important than ritual cleanliness.

The feast was such a success that Hezekiah extended the celebration another week (v. 23). Great joy followed return to the Lord and His temple (v. 26).

"Hezekiah is portrayed here as a second Solomon (v. 26), and the celebration of the Passover is a watershed between the disruption of Israel after Solomon's death and a return to the spiritual conditions that existed in Solomon's day."⁸²

God paid attention to the prayers of the rededicated Israelites (v. 27). Josiah carried out his Passover (35:1-19) in stricter conformity to the Mosaic Law, but Hezekiah's Passover was the greatest in terms of participation and spiritual renewal since Solomon's reign (v. 26).

 3. Re-establishment of proper worship 31:2-21

The king organized the priests and Levites again into the divisions David had specified. Evidently Hezekiah's predecessors had not observed these divisions. He also instituted tithing again as the Mosaic Law commanded (cf. Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:8; Deut. 14:28). Because the people responded obediently there was an abundance of money for temple maintenance and for its servants (v. 10). The principle these reforms illustrate is that when God's people obey His Word they prosper. God always desires people's welfare. Hezekiah prospered too (v. 21) because he sought God with all his heart, as David had done. In New Testament terms, he did all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

 4. The invasion by Sennacherib 32:1-23

In a few details this account differs from the one in 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-37. It was after Hezekiah's acts of faithfulness that God tested his trust (v. 1). Many of Judah's other good kings had followed God faithfully only to abandon faith in him later in life as a result of pride (e.g., Solomon, Uzziah, et al.). In this respect Hezekiah failed too (v. 25).

Hezekiah's preparations for Sennacherib's siege did not indicate reliance on the flesh rather than on God, as his praying shows. They were simply wise defensive measures (vv. 1-8).

"It is no denial of one's trust in God if one makes certain precautionary preparations. Pray to God and keep your powder dry' is a wise response in the face of danger at any time."⁸³

The real difference between the two armies was that while both had a measure of physical strength, Israel possessed an additional spiritual resource (v. 8). This is a difference between a Christian and a non-Christian too.

Sennacherib's fatal mistake was that he regarded Yahweh as only one of many idols (v. 19). This was his undoing. God not only granted a miraculous deliverance to Jerusalem because of Hezekiah's reliance on Him, but many nations brought gifts to the king and Yahweh (vv. 21-23).

 5. Hezekiah's humility and greatness 32:24-33

Hezekiah fell short to being the perfect Son of David just like all the rest of Judah's monarchs. Yet when his heart did become proud because of God's blessings, he humbled himself (vv. 25-26). Consequently God postponed his discipline (v. 26).

Hezekiah was immensely wealthy and enjoyed much honor in his day (vv. 27-30; cf. Solomon). God rewarded his faithfulness and commitment. The Chronicler passed over Hezekiah's unwise decision to show the Babylonian envoys his riches with a brief comment (v. 31; cf. 2 Kings 20:12-19). He was not perfect.

King Hezekiah was one of the greatest of Judah's reformers. We can see his zeal for God clearly in his zeal for God's house and the worship it facilitated. Not since Solomon had there been a king who more consistently reflected the heart of David.

". . . the Chronicler has gone out of his way to present Hezekiah as a second Solomon . . ."⁸⁴