Golden Age under Hezekiah
-growth of literature: Assyrian & Egyptian libraries were established during this time and Hezekiah also orders the State to compile literature to build up reputation and legend of the kingdom. This is significant because Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are religions based on "books"/literature. In this way, written law becomes more authoritative than the king.
-centralized religion: Hezekiah knocks down other shrines that were used to worship God because he wanted to centralize and establish only one place in Jerusalem for worship. This was another indication that Hezekiah was preparing to rebel.
Who is the Messiah?
The definition of a messiah is the one who gets annointed with oil. In those days, only the High Priests and Kings were annointed. According to the texts in the Bible, the Messiahnic prophecies about deliverance from Assyria actually point toward Hezekiah, and not Jesus. These texts were written over 700 years before Jesus' time, but Christians, including me, believe that Isaiah's prophecies were long-distance and also relate to Jesus. However, in strict context of Isaiah's prophecies, Hezekiah's the "King of David" that was to save Israel from Assyria.
This account of a fulfilled prophecy and of Jerusalem surviving the attack from Assyria is significant because it is the single greatest catalyst as to why Jerusalem grew into a legend and became a magnet for other legends and traditions.
Josiah
-Hezekiah's grandson. He was considered a "good" king
-deuteronomistic theology: good things -> God blesses you; bad things -> God curses you.
-Retrun to "Old Time Religion": discovery of the "book of law/convenant," "Deuteronomistic" Reform, elimination of Foreign cults
-Literacy continued to grow immensely. Lachish letter is evidence that there was a negative stigma for not being able to read and write.
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