"The sad fate of the kingdom of Israel had some effect in partially awakening among the people of Judah a sense of their own impending doom," wrote Elder James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve in The Articles of Faith.
"Hezekiah reigned as king for nine and twenty years, and proved himself a bright exception to a line of wicked rulers who had preceded him. Of him we are told that `he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.' "Unlike his godless father, Ahaz, Hezekiah was a man of outstanding piety in his service to Jehovah. In 2 Chronicles, chapters 29 and 30, are accounts of how Hezekiah reorganized the temple service and celebrated the Passover to which he invited the tribes of Israel.
Hezekiah brought about a revival of religion and worked earnestly to drive out idolatry. Hezekiah undertook the spiritual reformation of Israel, standing beside Isaiah in calling the people to repentance.
"In the course of the reformation by Hezekiah, the people manifested their repentance by an immediate payment of tithes; and so liberally did they give that a great surplus accumulated, observing which, Hezekiah inquired as to the source of such plenty: `And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the Lord hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.' " (2 Chron. 31:10.)
Elder Talmage wrote that during Hezekiah's reign, the Assyrians under Sennacherib invaded the land; but the Lord's favor was in part restored to the people and Hezekiah roused them to a reliance upon their God, bidding them take courage and fear not the Assyrian king nor his hosts, " for," said this righteous prince,there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles.' (2 Chron. 32:8.) The Assyrian army was miraculously destroyed."
