Holy Bible Online 
Hezekiah was a king of Judah who reigned for 29 years and placed great trust in God. He restored the temple, destroyed idols, and stood against Sennacherib, king of Assyria. God told Hezekiah that he would die from an illness, but he prayed, and God granted him 15 more years of life. Despite this blessing, Hezekiah fell into the sin of pride by showing his riches to his enemies, which jeopardized the future of the kingdom of Judah.
The story of Hezekiah in the Bible teaches that sincere prayer can change circumstances and that trusting in God brings deliverance. His reign is remembered for his faithfulness to God. Unlike many kings who ruled before him, Hezekiah sought to restore the worship of God, cleansed the temple, destroyed idols, and encouraged the people to follow the commandments of the Lord.
During his reign, Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, threatened to destroy Judah. Hezekiah prayed to God, and the prophet Isaiah announced that God would deliver Jerusalem. That night, an angel of the Lord struck down thousands of Assyrian soldiers, and Sennacherib fled.
After that great victory, Hezekiah became seriously ill. God sent Isaiah to tell him that he would die. Upon hearing this, Hezekiah prayed and pleaded for the Lord’s mercy. God heard his prayer and commanded Isaiah to return and tell him that he would have 15 more years of life. As a sign of the miracle, God made the shadow on the sundial move backward ten degrees, about 40 minutes.
Despite his faith, Hezekiah committed a great sin. When messengers from Babylon came to visit him, he showed them all the treasures of his palace and the temple to those enemies. Because of this, Isaiah prophesied that in the future Babylon would carry everything away, including Hezekiah’s descendants, who would become slaves.
The course of Hezekiah’s life teaches us that sincere prayer can change situations and that God responds to those who trust in Him. But it also warns us that we must have wisdom and humility so that pride does not lead us into error.
The story of King Hezekiah can be found in the Old Testament, in the books of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah.
Key Events in the Life of Hezekiah
- Hezekiah becomes king of Judah: Hezekiah began to reign at the age of 25 and ruled for 29 years in Jerusalem. Unlike many of the kings who came before him, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, following the example of David. His faithfulness to God marked one of the most spiritually restorative periods in Judah’s history.
- Hezekiah’s religious reforms: At the beginning of his reign, Hezekiah undertook a wide spiritual reform in Judah. He ordered the restoration and purification of the temple of the Lord, which had been neglected during the rule of his father, Ahaz. He called the Levites, restored worship, and invited all the people of Judah and even Israel to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem, something that had not happened for a long time. He also destroyed pagan altars, idols, and idolatrous places of worship throughout the land.
- The threat of Assyria and God’s deliverance: During Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, surrounded Judah and threatened to invade Jerusalem, sending messengers to mock God and intimidate the people. In the face of the crisis, Hezekiah sought the Lord in prayer, and the prophet Isaiah delivered God’s response: He would protect the city. That night, the Lord sent an angel who destroyed 185,000 soldiers of the Assyrian army, delivering Jerusalem in a supernatural way.
- The miraculous healing of Hezekiah: When Hezekiah became seriously ill, the prophet Isaiah announced that his death was near. In deep anguish, the king prayed sincerely to God, who heard his plea and promised to add 15 more years to his life. As a sign that He would fulfill His promise, God made the shadow of the sun move backward ten degrees, an extraordinary miracle that confirmed His faithfulness.
- Hezekiah’s sin of pride: After recovering from a serious illness, Hezekiah received envoys from Babylon and, moved by pride, showed them all the treasures of his palace and the temple. As a warning, the prophet Isaiah announced that in the future Babylon would carry away all those riches and some of his descendants would be taken captive to serve in the palace of the king of Babylon.
- Hezekiah’s death and legacy: Hezekiah reigned for 29 years in Judah and, when he died, he was remembered as one of the most faithful kings to the Lord. During his rule, he promoted religious reforms, trusted in God in the face of threats, and experienced a miracle of healing. After his death, his son Manasseh took the throne, but he did not follow his father’s ways, choosing instead to do what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Bible Study on Hezekiah
The Sin of King Hezekiah
The main sin of Hezekiah was pride. After being healed by God and receiving 15 additional years of life, he made a serious mistake by showing all the riches of his kingdom to the messengers from Babylon.
The envoys of the king of Babylon came to visit him, and Hezekiah, instead of seeking God’s guidance, displayed all his treasures, weapons, and the wealth of the palace and the temple. This act revealed pride and a lack of discernment, for he trusted in a foreign nation instead of relying fully on God.
The prophet Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah. He announced that, in the future, everything Hezekiah had shown would be carried off to Babylon, including his descendants, who would become servants in the palace of the Babylonian king (2 Kings 20:14-18).
This mistake brought consequences for future generations, since years later Babylon invaded Judah and carried away its treasures and its people as captives. The story of Hezekiah teaches that pride can lead to ruin and that we must always seek God’s guidance before making important decisions.
Why God Said Hezekiah Was Going to Die
God said Hezekiah was going to die because he was gravely ill. In 2 Kings 20:1, the prophet Isaiah was sent to him with the message: “Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not live.” The Bible does not specify the exact cause of the illness, but it makes clear that it was serious and fatal.
Upon hearing this news, Hezekiah prayed sincerely, weeping and recalling his faithfulness to God. Hezekiah prayed a simple prayer:
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.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Remember, 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. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: “Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler 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. 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.’” Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered.
- 2 Kings 20:2–7
God heard his prayer and decided to extend his life by 15 years. As a sign of this miracle, He made the shadow on the sundial of Ahaz move backward ten degrees (2 Kings 20:8–11).
This episode shows that God has control over life and death, but also listens to sincere prayers. God’s response to Hezekiah reveals His mercy and power. It also teaches us that we must trust in Him in all circumstances, whether in health or in sickness.
What We Can Learn from King Hezekiah
The life of Hezekiah gives us great lessons about faith, prayer, trust in God, and the dangers of pride.
Main lessons from Hezekiah’s life:
- Faithfulness to God brings protection and blessings.
- Prayer can change impossible situations.
- We must trust completely in God.
- Pride can bring serious consequences.
- We need discernment and wisdom before acting.
Hezekiah showed that faithfulness to God brings blessings. By restoring the temple, ending idolatry, and encouraging the people to seek God, he received protection and prosperity. This teaches us that obeying God sets us on the right path.
His story highlights the power of prayer. When Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, Hezekiah prayed and God sent an angel to destroy the enemy army. When he became ill, Hezekiah prayed and God granted him 15 more years of life. This shows us that God hears and answers sincere prayers.
However, we also learn from his mistakes. Hezekiah became proud after his healing and showed his wealth to the Babylonian messengers, without foreseeing the consequences. This teaches us to be humble and careful with our actions.
Even though he was a faithful king, Hezekiah made mistakes. His story reminds us that we must always seek God’s guidance in every decision.
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