Lessons for Hezekiah King of Judah

Lessons from Hezekiah King of Judah

Hezekiah removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (2Kings 18:4)

Hezekiah was one of a long line of Kings of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms (Israel and Judah). Virtually all of them were disobedient to God to a greater or lesser degree. In the main, they either actively encouraged the worship of false gods or failed to act decisively to put a stop to it.

Hezekiah was proactive in stamping out the worship of false gods. He made a difference.


Lesson #1: One person can make a difference.

Too often we limit what is possible for us to do on the basis of past events and what we have come to accept as the norm. Hezekiah broke the pattern of behaviour and set about making a huge difference.

What is it that you see needs to be changed but you are allowing to go on?

Where could you make a difference but you have remained silent and inactive?

Step up like Hezekiah and make a difference!

2 Kings 18: 5 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. 6 He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses.

Lesson #2: Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel.

Hezekiah held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him. Too many persons who come to know the true and living God fail to hold fast. Even today, too many of us are guilty of playing a hold - let go – hold game with God.

We hold in times of trouble or when the mood takes us and let go when we are distracted by the pleasures or cares of the world. This is similar to what the Horse racing fraternity calls “in and out running”. You can’t predict how the horse is going to run on any given day.

Too many Christians are guilty of in and out Christianity. You have no idea of where they will be in relation to their service to God on any given day. Sometimes they turn up to serve, at other times they fail to perform in keeping with their potential.

If secular racing authorities move aggressively to stamp out “in and out running”, what of God and His attitude to in and out Christianity? WOE!


2 Kings 18:7 And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.

2 Kings 20: 1 In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover."
2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 "Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
4 Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: 5 "Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the LORD. 6 I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.' "

Lesson #3: God takes care of the faithful and blesses them in ways that are beyond human imagination

Throughout history we time and time again see that persons succeed when they are aligned with God. They succeed not as a result their efforts but because of their faith and obedience.

Why are you blocking the blessings that God has in store for you?

Why not hold fast to Him continually?

Why not surrender in complete obedience now?

Why not like Hezekiah reject once and for all the practice of keeping one foot in service to God and one foot in pursuit of worldly pleasures or cares?

Will history record that in 2010 there was none like you as it relates to devotion and obedience to God?

Will you commit now to making a difference wherever you are placed?