2 Chron. 30:1-12, Revival in the Word of the LORD

The impact of the “word of the LORD” in the revival of Hezekiah does not jump out at you as it does, say, in the revival in Josiah’s time when they found the “book of the law” in the temple and read it.  But it is there, in fact, if you pay attention.

The summary statement in 2 Ki. 18:6 says it this way: “He (Hezekiah) trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.”  Here’s how it played out in the details in 2 Chronicles:

And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD (29:15).

… that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner (i.e. according to the Law, the word of the LORD; 30:5).

Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD (30:12).

… offerings … Sabbaths … New Moons … feasts, as it is written in the Law of the LORD.  Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the Law of the LORD (31:3-4).

What you see is that every move that Hezekiah made was a response of obedience to the word of God.  This was not the way it had been previously.  The Law in written form may or may not have been readily available under his father’s rule, but the point is that no one considered it to be the lamp for their feet or light for their paths.  One reason Hezekiah was able to move quickly, in the first month of his reign, was because he knew what the word of the LORD required.  He just needed to become king so he could lead the people accordingly.

There is also, in the story of Hezekiah, the role of the prophet of the LORD, Isaiah.  We will come to the story of the Assyrian king and his ranting against the God of Israel.  Hezekiah responded by going to Isaiah and the prophet gave a great answer. 

One other thing is the “evangelistic” efforts of Hezekiah.  I never cease to be amazed at the fact that he sent couriers up into the area of the Northern Kingdom to invite any who were left after the Assyrian deportation (the record is in 2 Chr. 30:5-11).  The couriers were mocked for their message, and we are told that only “some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.” 

The point in all this is to say that, even though the record of the revival under Hezekiah does not speak of special reading of the Book of the Law as in the times of Josiah and Ezra, it still was a revival of the word, and a revival of obedience to the word of God.

To summarize this part of the record concerning Hezekiah, in calling the people back to the LORD he did not hesitate, he emphasized true repentance, and he called them to obedience to the word of the LORD.  In our personal lives, when the Spirit is at work to conform us to the image of Christ, we should not hesitate in our response to the Spirit.  We need to acknowledge sin, repent of it, and bring the word of God to bear on the path forward. 

(Below are explanations and examples of idolatry that was destroyed in the time of Hezekiah, the temple at Arad and the altar of sacrifice at Beersheba.)