II Kings 18  Hezekiah became the king of Judah when he was 25 years old. " And he did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done."  Hezekiah removed all of the high places, all of the Asherah and even the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for the Jews had made it into an idol too. 

"He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel... for he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments which the Lord commanded Moses."  ( v5-6)

How could a king so evil as Ahaz have a son like Hezekiah, who was more like David than his own father?  My guess is that it had to do with his mother, Abi... mentioned in verse 2.  Nothing more is said about her except that her father was Zechariah. Which Zechariah this was, we are not told. But, why else would they be mentioned?  Just conjecture.. but however God chose to work in Hezekiah's life, this was a remarkable turn around for Judah. 

Hezekiah saw the fall of Israel.  He was threatened by the king of Assyria.  Yet he listened to Isaiah, he restored the temple that his father had desecrated, and he reinstituted the Passover that hadn't been held for years. ( see II Chronicles 30)

Hezekiah's prayer and God's answer through Isaiah found in II Kings 19:14-34 are too long to quote here, but well worth reading.  Hezekiah knew the Lord, sought the Lord, and his prayer reflects that.."O Lord, the God of Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, Thou art God, Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast made heaven and earth." 

God came to Judah's defense. "For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake."  That night "the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians." 

I am struck by the words ".. for he clung to the Lord, the God of Israel."   Even when the Assyrians came and blasphemed God and tried to intimidate  him and the people, Hezekiah kept clinging to the Lord.  May we be encouraged from his example.  No matter what background we come from, no matter what culture we live in, no matter what challenges we face.. may we cling to the God of Israel,  who dwells above the cherubim, Who made heaven and earth, and Who alone is God!

Father in heaven, You are our God and we cling to You. More than that, even, we live and breathe and have our being in You.  You have brought to mind Romans 13:14, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh.. "  To "put on" Jesus - to be clothed.. arrayed.. adorned.. enveloped,..covered by Him.. is to put on the "new self, which  in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness and truth.." (Ephesians 4:24)  It is to "put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.. " ( Col.3:12)  To "put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created.. " us. ( Col. 3:10)  This is what our hearts' desire and  we must do.. to know You and to be obedient to Your Word, that we like Hezekiah in the days of old, can change the direction that our nation is moving.  May all who believe truly cling to You and be clothed in Jesus today.  We pray this in His holy and precious Name. Amen.