And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was a good, righteous, upright and godly king who did what was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David did. He was one of Judah's best kings and one of its two decided reformers, in contrast to his father Ahaz who rejected trust in the Lord and led Judah into idolatry. His doing right was a reformation that broke down the high places, idolatrous temples, altars and groves, turned Judah's worship to one God, and included breaking in pieces the bronze serpent of Moses because Israel had begun burning incense to it. He clung to the Lord and trusted in Him, and his story stands as an example that God helps those who trust Him in trouble and that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible. Although so righteous, he wept sore when told he must die, which proves that peace of mind in view of death is no test of piety and that sorrow and dread at death are consistent with an upright godly life.
Hezekiah's Character and Reign
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did. He is set forth as a good, righteous, upright, godly and devoted king. His life was upright and godly before the Lord, following the example of David.
He was one of Judah's best kings and one of its two decided reformers. This stands in contrast to his father Ahaz, who rejected trust in the Lord and led Judah into idolatry. His godly course shows that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible.
Though devoted to God, he also made mistakes. His reign was mild and prosperous and seemed to hold back God's impending wrath. It included remarkable experiences. His Passover was marked by great interest and spiritual power, though the people did not all return to God with him.
The verse belongs to the account of Sennacherib's invasion of Palestine and siege of Jerusalem. That invasion and siege is confirmed by the Assyrian cylinder. The biblical account also mentions a misfortune in the Assyrian camp, though the cylinder does not record the loss of 185,000 men.
Reform, Trust, and Lessons
Doing what was right meant carrying out a reformation that broke down the high places used for idol worship and threw down idolatrous temples and idolatry itself. It removed idolatrous worship on the hills, with its altars and groves, and recognized God by directing Judah's worship to one God. When the king feared and served God in this way, the people were led to learn righteousness and to seek refuge in God.
The reform included breaking in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the Israelites had begun burning incense to it. They had come to honor it with incense because of its connection to Israel's past, but he dismissed it as merely a piece of brass. This destruction of an object of idolatrous worship was counted among his good deeds.
His conduct in this showed that he clung to the Lord and trusted in him. His story stands as an example of God helping people who trust him when in trouble.
His example as a godly man, though the son of Ahaz, shows that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible. Nearness to God is expressed in faithful character and worship, not in costly or elaborate buildings, as seen in a reformation where idolatrous temples were thrown down and God was recognized. When a ruler fears and serves God, idolatrous hill worship is removed and the people are led toward righteousness.
Although he was righteous and his life was upright and godly before the Lord, he wept sore when told he must die. That proves that peace of mind in view of death is no test of piety, and that sorrow and dread at death are consistent with an upright godly life. Because even one so righteous said that if he died he would not see the Lord, death does not bring the righteous into God's presence in heaven.
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was a good, righteous, upright and godly king who did what was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David did. He was one of Judah's best kings and one of its two decided reformers, in contrast to his father Ahaz who rejected trust in the Lord and led Judah into idolatry. His doing right was a reformation that broke down the high places, idolatrous temples, altars and groves, turned Judah's worship to one God, and included breaking in pieces the bronze serpent of Moses because Israel had begun burning incense to it. He clung to the Lord and trusted in Him, and his story stands as an example that God helps those who trust Him in trouble and that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible. Although so righteous, he wept sore when told he must die, which proves that peace of mind in view of death is no test of piety and that sorrow and dread at death are consistent with an upright godly life.
Hezekiah's Character and Reign
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did. He is set forth as a good, righteous, upright, godly and devoted king. His life was upright and godly before the Lord, following the example of David.
He was one of Judah's best kings and one of its two decided reformers. This stands in contrast to his father Ahaz, who rejected trust in the Lord and led Judah into idolatry. His godly course shows that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible.
Though devoted to God, he also made mistakes. His reign was mild and prosperous and seemed to hold back God's impending wrath. It included remarkable experiences. His Passover was marked by great interest and spiritual power, though the people did not all return to God with him.
The verse belongs to the account of Sennacherib's invasion of Palestine and siege of Jerusalem. That invasion and siege is confirmed by the Assyrian cylinder. The biblical account also mentions a misfortune in the Assyrian camp, though the cylinder does not record the loss of 185,000 men.
Reform, Trust, and Lessons
Doing what was right meant carrying out a reformation that broke down the high places used for idol worship and threw down idolatrous temples and idolatry itself. It removed idolatrous worship on the hills, with its altars and groves, and recognized God by directing Judah's worship to one God. When the king feared and served God in this way, the people were led to learn righteousness and to seek refuge in God.
The reform included breaking in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the Israelites had begun burning incense to it. They had come to honor it with incense because of its connection to Israel's past, but he dismissed it as merely a piece of brass. This destruction of an object of idolatrous worship was counted among his good deeds.
His conduct in this showed that he clung to the Lord and trusted in him. His story stands as an example of God helping people who trust him when in trouble.
His example as a godly man, though the son of Ahaz, shows that adverse circumstances do not make faithful living for God impossible. Nearness to God is expressed in faithful character and worship, not in costly or elaborate buildings, as seen in a reformation where idolatrous temples were thrown down and God was recognized. When a ruler fears and serves God, idolatrous hill worship is removed and the people are led toward righteousness.
Although he was righteous and his life was upright and godly before the Lord, he wept sore when told he must die. That proves that peace of mind in view of death is no test of piety, and that sorrow and dread at death are consistent with an upright godly life. Because even one so righteous said that if he died he would not see the Lord, death does not bring the righteous into God's presence in heaven.