Hezekiah: A Legacy of Faithfulness in a Time of Crisis

The story of Judah’s final kings follows an up-and-down journey. Like a capital “M,” there are two prominent high points: the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah. Hezekiah’s greatness becomes even more remarkable when we consider that his father (Ahaz) and son (Manasseh) were two of Judah’s worst kings. Both participated in the detestable practice of child sacrifice (see 2 Kings 16:3; 21:6). 

Hezekiah’s story serves as both an example and a warning. On the one hand, he demonstrates how to break generational curses—evil patterns or practices passed down through families. Hezekiah refused to follow his father Ahaz’s wicked ways. On the other hand, Hezekiah failed to raise his son Manasseh to be a righteous, God-fearing king. While parents cannot guarantee good outcomes for their children, Manasseh’s awful wickedness raises questions about how effectively Hezekiah taught his son to honor God. (Proverbs 22:6 should be understood as general wisdom, not as a guarantee.) 

A King Who Trusted God in Crisis

Hezekiah’s reign took place during turbulent times—Assyria had defeated the northern kingdom of Israel. As Assyrian armies moved south, the same fate seemed certain for Judah. Facing this crushing threat, Hezekiah demonstrated tremendous faith in God. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent Hezekiah a message promising his destruction, Hezekiah didn’t panic or call a military strategy meeting. Instead, he took the threatening letter, walked up to God’s temple, “and spread it out before the LORD” (2 Kings 19:14). What a powerful example of how to respond when troubles, threats, or fears seem overwhelming—we spread our concerns before God (see 1 Peter 5:7)!

God honored Hezekiah’s prayer and delivered Jerusalem from Assyria’s army through a dramatic plague (see 2 Kings 19:35-36). Archaeologists have discovered King Sennacherib’s annals, which boast of his military victories. These records confirm what the Bible shows—mighty Sennacherib could not defeat Jerusalem. In the best spin he could imagine, the Assyrian king said, “As for Hezekiah, I shut him up like a caged bird in his royal city of Jerusalem.” 

Hezekiah’s Prayer for Healing

An even more dramatic event occurred when Hezekiah became seriously ill. The prophet Isaiah delivered devastating news: “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover” (2 Kings 20:1). Hezekiah prayed fervently to God and wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had even left the palace, God sent him back to Hezekiah with a new message: “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. I will add fifteen years to your life” (2 Kings 20:5-6). 

What should we learn from this story? Can humans so easily convince God to change his mind? We cannot fully explain why God chose to deliver a harsh message followed by a message of healing. However, we can know that God desires us to come before him in humble repentance, and he listens to our prayers. Even when God doesn’t respond to prayers in the way we expect or understand, Scripture still encourages us to bring our needs and concerns before him. As Paul writes, “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18). 

Imperfect, Yet Faithful

The final recorded episode of Hezekiah’s life is anticlimactic. While receiving envoys (or messengers) from Babylon, Hezekiah showed the messengers all the treasures of his palace and storehouses. When Isaiah heard about this, he delivered a harsh judgment to the king (see 2 Kings 20:16-18). 

Though Hezekiah wasn’t perfect, he stands out among Judah’s many bad kings as a man of faith and humility. He pushed back against the ways of his family and culture, directing the people of Judah back to God. Hezekiah’s life reminds us of the importance of standing for God’s ways regardless of what the world around us—including our own family members—thinks or says about us. The most important part of our relationship with God is faithfulness. Like Hezekiah, we won’t be perfect, but throughout our lives we should always strive to remain faithful to God’s will. 

Jesus, the Perfect and Faithful King

The good news is that the Bible presents a king who is perfect and perfectly faithful—Jesus Christ. Scripture promises that while we are often weak and faithless, Christ remains faithful (see 2 Timothy 2:13). This means, in part, that he will not give us over to our own weakness or frailty. Our perfect King and Savior, who defeated the power of sin and death, remains faithful to the end. He will present us before God without fault and with great joy (see Jude 24). Thanks be to God! 

Adapted from the study material from the NIV Application Bible based on the NIV Application Commentary series.