Reformation Under Hezekiah

MEMORY VERSE: “For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again unto this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.” —II Chronicles 30:9

II CHRONICLES 29:1-11,35b,36; ISAIAH 30:15

THIS lesson centers around some of the good deeds of King Hezekiah of Judah. Hezekiah succeeded Ahaz, one of the evil kings of Judah. It is recorded of Ahaz that he “cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord.” Besides, “he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.”—II Chron. 28:24,25

But Hezekiah viewed things differently, and throughout his reign demonstrated his zeal for the God of Israel and his righteous requirements. Early in his reign he called together the priests and Levites, and instructed them to sanctify themselves, and to set upon the task of cleaning out the house of the Lord, opening its doors, so that it might again be used as a place in which to worship the God of Israel. This work was accomplished and Hezekiah was pleased.

For a long time the passover at Jerusalem had not been observed, and Hezekiah decided that he would revive this requirement of Israel’s Law. However, according to the Law, the passover was to be observed on the fifteenth day of the first month, and after making the decision, Hezekiah and his princes realized that this would not allow sufficient time for the priests, the Levites, and the people to prepare themselves properly for it; so a decision was reached to observe the passover this particular year on the fifteenth day of the second month.

Then letters of invitation were sent out to all the people of Israel and Judah to come to the Passover at Jerusalem. The kingdom of Israel had fallen, and many of the Israelites had already been taken into captivity in Assyria. However, many remained in Israel, and our memory verse is part of the invitation, or proclamation, which was addressed particularly to these. It is an admonition to return to the Lord, with the assurance that if they did, the Lord would look more graciously upon their brethren in captivity, and perchance might restore some of them to the land of Israel.

The record indicates that while some of the Israelites responded to the invitation, and returned to the Lord and to his worship at Jerusalem, the majority did not, but scoffed at those who delivered the letters. This is not surprising. Throughout the many generations of the rule of Israel’s wicked kings idolatry had been practiced and encouraged throughout the land of Israel; so these Israelites in name only would know little about the true God and his Law, and would care less.

Isaiah ministered in Judah as a prophet in Hezekiah’s day, and was well acquainted with the sins of Israel as well as those of Judah. He wrote concerning them, “This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.”—Isa. 30:9-11

Isaiah prophesied the destruction of the nation. The ten-tribe kingdom had already been destroyed, and in a short time, as we shall see in later lessons, the kingdom of Judah was also to be overthrown and the people taken into captivity. But this could have been avoided if the people had only returned to their God, who through Isaiah said to them, “In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.”—Isa. 30:15

There is a practical lesson in this for the Lord’s people today; it is the importance of placing complete confidence in our God, and obeying every aspect of his will. There is great strength in the knowledge that when we zealously endeavor to do the Lord’s will and honor him in our every thought, word, and deed, he will guide and strengthen us in our every time of need. Faith is the basis of this assurance; the very faith that God exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him with their whole heart.—Heb. 11:6

QUESTIONS

Outline one of the main acts of reformation instituted by King Hezekiah.

What benefit can we derive from this lesson?

What is the basis of full obedience and true devotion to God?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |