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Lives That Met God

October 8

Reforms that outlasted the feast

Ellen G. White

"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 31:21 · KJV

Hezekiah and his associates instituted various reforms for the upbuilding of the spiritual and temporal interests of the kingdom. “Throughout all Judah” the king “wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began, ... he did it with all his heart, and prospered.” “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, ... and departed not from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; and he prospered.” Verses 20, 21; 2 Kings 18:57.

The reign of Hezekiah was characterized by a series of remarkable providences which revealed to the surrounding nations that the God of Israel was with His people. The success of the Assyrians in capturing Samaria and in scattering the shattered remnant of the ten tribes among the nations, during the earlier portion of his reign, was leading many to question the power of the God of the Hebrews. Emboldened by their successes, the Ninevites had long since set aside the message of Jonah and had become defiant in their opposition to the purposes of Heaven. A few years after the fall of Samaria the victorious armies reappeared in Palestine, this time directing their forces against the fenced cities of Judah, with some measure of success; but they withdrew for a season because of difficulties arising in other portions of their realm. Not until some years later, toward the close of Hezekiah's reign, was it to be demonstrated before the nations of the world whether the gods of the heathen were finally to prevail.