Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute. He also conquered the Philistines as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city.

2 Kings 18:5-8

He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done.
2 Chronicles 29:2

• Hezekiah becomes king of Judah at 25 years old and reigns for 29 years.
•  Crucially, he "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done" (2 Kings 18:3 NIV). This is a rare commendation in the book of Kings.
•  Hezekiah immediately undertakes a radical spiritual cleanup:
     * He removes the "high places" (local altars where people worshipped, often syncretistically).
     * He smashes sacred stones and cuts down Asherah poles (idolatrous symbols)
     * He even breaks into pieces the bronze serpent Moses had made (Numbers 21:9) because the
        Israelites had begun to burn incense to it, turning a divine tool into an idol, calling it "Nehushtan." 
• "He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him" (2 Kings 18:5 NIV).
• Because of his faithfulness, God was with him, and he prospered, even rebelling against Assyria.
• The chapter briefly recounts the fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) to the Assyrians, highlighting that it happened "because they had not obeyed the LORD their God, but had violated his covenant."
• This serves as a stark reminder to Judah (and to us) of the consequences of disobedience and idolatry.
• Hezekiah's first act as king was to remove idols, even the bronze serpent that had a historical connection to God's deliverance.
• What "high places" or "bronze serpents" (things that were once good or even God-given, but have become objects of idolatry or distraction) might we need to remove from our lives? Where might our worship be diluted or compromised?
• Are there areas where you need to be more radical in your devotion to God, eliminating anything that subtly takes His place?
• King Hezekiah's story in 2 Kings 18 is a powerful narrative of faith, reform, and divine deliverance. 
• It reminds us that our greatest strength lies not in our own resources or strategies, but in our unreserved trust in the Lord.

Remember Hezekiah's example: his courage to cleanse, his humility to seek God even after a misstep, and his unwavering trust in the face of overwhelming opposition. May we, like Hezekiah, be known as those who 'trusted in the LORD.'