With All His Heart

In the few chapters that discuss Hezekiah’s reign in the book of Chronicles, we see the theme of the heart describing him and his people. Hezekiah told the children of Israel, “Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.” Hezekiah sought the Lord with all his heart and wanted his people to do the same, making a covenant with him. He instructed the people, “Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord.” The congregation then “brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.” Those whose heart was turned to God came and brought sacrifices to the Lord, and the Levites in particular were “upright in heart” as they served Jehovah (2 Chronicles 29:10, 31, 34). Hezekiah sought diligently to help his people seek the Lord in their hearts and serve Him not just in deed but in their very souls.  

            Other passages in the book of Chronicles similarly highlight Hezekiah’s heart and that of his people. Hezekiah invited the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God…. for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.” We read that some did follow his words: “Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.” Hezekiah prayed for them in these words: “The good Lord pardon every one That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary” (30:8-9, 12, 18-19). He earnestly sought to help his people prepare their hearts to worship the Lord in truth. I love this description of his life: “And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:20-21). He himself tried to seek the Lord with all his heart as he struggled to lead a people who were easily turned away from Jehovah. This was particularly important in the struggle against the Assyrians who almost captured Jerusalem, but Hezekiah trusted in the words of the Lord through Isaiah with his heart, and He saved them against Sennacherib. Hezekiah still had his struggles, though, for at one point near the end of his life, “Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.” His heart was lifted up in pride until he chose to humble himself before God, which he did. The last reference to his heart came in this profound verse that I have often pondered: “Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” (32:25-26, 32). Hezekiah’s heart was tested by the Lord as the Spirit of God was taken from him for a time to see if he would stay true. But he was true, and Hezekiah gave us an example to follow as we work through our struggles: we must seek our God with all our heart, humbling it when necessary, and staying true in our heart to Him even when we feel that He is for a time no longer with us.