Doubting Hezekiah

In the past, the Bible was respected by both believers and, to some extent, by unbelievers. Over the years that respect has dwindled; many people presuppose that the Bible is full of myths. Bible believers have an uphill climb for credibility dealing with folks who have not read it.

People who utilize critical thinking can readily see the differences. Bible history has specific people, places, and times. Mythology has none of that. Liberal Christians as well as atheists take a "prove it" approach, saying that certain biblical accounts have not been verified by archaeology.

King Hezekiah Destroys the Idols, Matthaeus Merian the Elder, 1625-30 (PD, modified)

Numerous archaeologists in the 20th century have gone on record saying that their studies have never contravened claims in the Bible. More recent archaeologists disagree, using the logical fallacy of argument from silence (or "prove it"), essentially stating that if they can't verify something, it didn't happen. Ridiculous.

One example is the Hittites. It was said that since there was no evidence found, they didn't exist. Then the evidence was found. Below, we see doubt about King Hezekiah, who was discussed in two books of the Old Testament. Many of the kings of Judah were sidewinders, promoting idolatry and immorality as well as being oppressive in general. Hezekiah was a good king who instituted reforms. Verified. Again, doubters have to consume their fetid words.

In 2 Kings 18:1–3, 22 and 2 Chronicles 31:1, we read about the religious reforms of Hezekiah (from the writers of those books and even the hostile witnesses from Assyria), who is described as doing “what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:20–21 ESV). Second Kings 18:5–6 (ESV) describes Hezekiah in this way: “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses.” Second Chronicles 33:1–4 also confirms this by mentioning that his son, Manasseh, reinstated idolatry in the land by rebuilding the high places that his father had destroyed and erecting altars to Baal and Asheroth.

You can read the whole thing at "Does Archaeology Show King Hezekiah's Destruction of Idolatry?" Dig this, you should also check out "Hezekiah and the Tunnel to Siloam."