Section 2

Hezekiah's first act as king was not political or military but spiritual. In the very first month of his reign, he reopened the Temple in Jerusalem, which his father had shut down. He initiated a comprehensive project to repair and purify the sacred space, summoning the priests and Levites and charging them with the task of sanctifying the house of the Lord. This was a massive undertaking, as the Temple had been defiled with idols and neglected for years. The cleansing process took sixteen days, after which the Temple services and sacrifices were reinstituted according to the Law of Moses.

His reforms extended far beyond Jerusalem. He sent messengers throughout Judah and even to the northern kingdom of Israel, inviting all to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, a festival that had not been properly observed for a very long time. Though some in the north mocked the invitation, many came, resulting in a Passover celebration of unprecedented scale and joy.

Furthermore, Hezekiah systematically dismantled the pagan places of worship throughout his kingdom. He ordered the destruction of the "high places," sacred pillars, and Asherah poles—symbols of Canaanite worship that had persisted for centuries. This wasn't just a political move to centralize worship; it was a profound act of spiritual purification aimed at restoring Judah's exclusive devotion to God.