What are the features of revival itself? To revive something is to cause it to live again or to breathe again. As oxygen is to the human body, so the Word of God is to the spiritual life. Without breathing in the Word of God, there is no power for revival. Hezekiah’s revival is marked by a return to the Scriptures. This revival rested entirely on the foundation of the Word of God. We must realize that it is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit uses to change lives.

Paul emphasized this to Timothy when he told him to “preach the word!” Even when people do not want to hear it, preach it (2 Tim. 4:2–4). When we read through First and Second Timothy, we read reference after reference to the importance of the Word of God in the life of the child of God.

Another thing that marked this revival was the emphasis on sanctification. One whose heart is not set apart to the Lord will not enjoy the fresh power of the Holy Spirit in his or her life.

The message of salvation is another feature of revival. In 2 Chronicles 30, Hezekiah reinstitutes the celebration of the Passover, which speaks of the redemption and deliverance that God provided for them. They had lost sight of this for many years. Today, Christ is our true Passover (1 Cor. 5:7), but we can lose sight of this, and all that it means. There must be a fresh appreciation for who He is and what He has accomplished.

A return to joy marked this revival as well. When God has His rightful place, joy is the result, and revival in my heart can begin!