Hezekiah's Profile
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The past is an important part of today's actions and tomorrow's plans. The
people and kings of Judah had a rich past, filled with God's action, guidance,
and commands. But with each passing generation, they also had a growing list of
tragedies that occurred when the people forgot that their God, who had cared for
them in the past, also cared about the present and the future - and demanded their
continued obedience. Hezekiah was one of the few kings of Judah who was
constantly aware of God's acts in the past and his interest in the events of
every day. The Bible describes him as a king who had a close relationship with
God.
As a reformer, Hezekiah was most concerned with present obedience. Judah was
filled with visual reminders of the people's lack of trust in God, and Hezekiah
boldly cleaned house. Altars, idols, and pagan temples were destroyed. Even the
bronze snake Moses had made in the desert was not spared because it had ceased
to point the people to God and had also become an idol. The temple in Jerusalem,
whose doors had been nailed shut by Hezekiah's own father, was cleaned out and
reopened. The Passover was reinstituted as a national holiday, and there was
revival in Judah.
Although he had a natural inclination to respond to present problems,
Hezekiah's life shows little evidence of concern about the future. He took few
actions to preserve the effects of his sweeping reforms. His successful efforts
made him proud. His unwise display of wealth to the Babylonian delegation got
Judah included on Babylon's "Nations to Conquer" list. When Isaiah informed
Hezekiah of the foolishness of his act, the king's answer displayed his
persistent lack of foresight - he was thankful that any evil consequences would
be delayed until after he died. And the lives of three kings who followed
him - Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah - were deeply affected by both Hezekiah's
accomplishments and his weaknesses.
The past affects your decisions and actions today, and these, in turn, affect
the future. There are lessons to learn and errors to avoid repeating. Remember
that part of the success of your past will be measured by what you do with it
now and how well you use it to prepare for the future.
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Hezekiah's Strength and Accomplishments
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* Was the king of Judah who instigated civil and religious reforms
* Had a personal, growing relationship with God
* Developed a powerful prayer life
* Noted as the patron of several chapters in the book of Proverbs (Proverbs
25:1)
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Hezekiah's Weaknesses and Mistakes
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* Showed little interest or wisdom in planning for the future and protecting
for others the spiritual heritage he enjoyed
* Rashly showed all his wealth to messengers from Babylon
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Lessons from Hezekiah's Life
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* Sweeping reforms are short-lived when little action is taken to preserve
them for the future
* Past obedience to God does not remove the possibility of present
disobedience
* Complete dependence on God yields amazing results
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Hezekiah's Vital Statistics
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* Where: Jerusalem
* Occupation: 13th king of Judah, the southern kingdom
* Relatives: Father: Ahaz.
Mother: Abijah.
Son: Manasseh
* Contemporaries: Isaiah, Hoshea, Micah, Sennacherib
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Key Verses
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"Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him
among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to
the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had
given Moses" (2nd Kings 18:5, 6).
Hezekiah's story is told in 2nd Kings 16:20-20:21; 2nd Chronicles 28:27-32:33;
Isaiah 36:1-39:8. He is also mentioned in Proverbs 25:1; Isaiah 1:1; Jeremiah
15:4; 26:18, 19; Hosea 1:1; Micah 1:1.