Hezekiah's Story from Hope to Honor

This past fall, I was reading through the Bible with the Sweeter Than Honey Bible reading plan. On October 16, I came to 2 Chronicles 30-32. There the Bible tells us about Hezekiah's letter. His letter was to all the people of Israel, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh. This letter was an invitation of sorts. It was an invitation to a feast—the Feast of Passover.

Within Hezekiah’s story, we see hope, mercy, joy, and faithfulness. We also read of courage, humility, testing, and honor.

But we also see compassion: “For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful.” These are words of hope for people who needed hope desperately.

​If you’re in that “needing hope” boat today, remember Hezekiah’s invitation.

From Sweeter Than Honey:

In chapter 30 of 2 Chronicles, we find King Hezekiah, who was a good king over Judah, sending a letter to all the people of Israel, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh. This letter was an invitation of sorts. It was an invitation to a feast—the Feast of Passover.

King Hezekiah was inviting all of Israel, Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh “to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel” (30:1).

Hezekiah, his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month, which was not the normal time for Passover, “because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem” (30:3).

The Bible tells us that “the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed” (30:4-5). Verse 6 tells us that the couriers went throughout all of Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded. And now, let’s look at Hezekiah’s letter of invitation to Passover.

“O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that He made them a desolation, as you see. Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that His fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him.” 2 Chronicles 30:6-9

These words stand out to me today as I read the king’s invitation to celebrate Passover: return, do not be faithless, do not be stiff-necked, yield yourselves, come to His sanctuary, serve the Lord your God. And then this in verse 9: “For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away His face from you, if you return to Him.”
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Compassion: “For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful.” These are words of hope for people who needed hope desperately. If you’re in that “needing hope” boat today, remember Hezekiah’s invitation.

​I love Hezekiah’s story!! ​

Within his story we see:

• Hope— Hezekiah’s letter 2 Chronicles 30:6-9
• Mercy— Hezekiah’s prayer 2 Chronicles 30:18-20
• Joy— Passover restored 2 Chronicles 30:26-27
• Faithfulness— Hezekiah’s work 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
• Courage— Hezekiah’s charge 2 Chronicles 31:7-8; 16-20
• Humility— Hezekiah’s realization 2 Chronicles 31:24-26
• Testing— Hezekiah’s heart 2 Chronicles 31:31
• Honor— Hezekiah’s death 2 Chronicles 31:33

What part of Hezekiah's story touches you?