11 Chronicles Chapter 29

11Chronicles Chapter 29

Hezekiah Reigns in Judah

2Chronicles 29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.

Usually wicked begets wicked but here is a king that seems to have critical thinking skills and makes his own decisions. He was righteous and followed those that feared God. He must have observed the wicked ways of his own father and did just the opposite. Perhaps his mother was a good mother. Then perhaps he just had his own relationship with God and figured out that it was stupid to worship and graven image that cannot see, hear or talk. That is something I never could understand myself.

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple

2Chronicles 29:3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.
7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.

Praise the Lord, this sounds just like David and this is just like something David would do. How awesome to see someone among the kings who did right and wanted to undo all the wickedness of kings before him. While growing up he didn't blindly follow his father but observed what was happening and what caused the decay, wickedness and trouble as a result of the deeds of his father departing from the ways of the Lord. No matter what mistakes David made, he never once went into idolatry but worshipped God continually. He would not have allowed one image to be worshipped in a place He had rule over. We can read the Psalms and see how David worshipped God with all his might.

2Chronicles 29:8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.
9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

Critical thinking skills are sometimes lacking even today. We never should blindly follow leadership. Obey the laws that are not contrary to God's laws but observe and see that serving God is the best way to live. Hezekiah did just that. He watched and observed what had happened when his own father forsook God and set up idolatry. He was wise enough to know the cause of the defeat from their enemies. God's hand of protection was gone. Hezekiah wanted to make a new covenant and follow the Lord.

2Chronicles 29:11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.
12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:
13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah:
14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.
15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

The cleansing and works to be done by the priests are all in detail among the writings of Moses according to the law of God. This was being restored.

2Chronicles 29:16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof.
19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.

Revival had come to them. They undid all the evil and prepared to restore the worship in the temple. How awesome it is to read this. Hezekiah saw the greatest need of all during his reign. He knew they needed God. I don't believe it was just so they would be safe from enemies but I believe he loved God, loved what God represented and just loved God's ways and wanted His presence among them again.

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

2Chronicles 29:20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.
21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.
22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.
23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

First the sacrifices and sin offerings were done to atone for all the sin of the people that departed from God's law. We can't just worship God when we are full of sin and iniquity. I would be a false religion just for show. Our hearts need to be right with God. We seek Him first in repentance and restoration then we worship with joy and gladness.

2Chronicles 29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.
26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

Using musical instruments in worship along with voices of singing is very biblical and right. Never should we forbid it if done in a way to honor and glorify God. All worship should be with awe, reverance and respect.

2Chronicles 29:27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.
28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.

This may be where the practice of choir singing started. I use to sing in a choir and I really miss those days. However singing with a whole congregation lifting up their voices in worship and praise is great to see also.

2Chronicles 29:29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.
30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Bowing the knees or bowing the head is also a way of worship that shows humility and respect.

2Chronicles 29:31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.
33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.
36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

Sad to see them short on priests because of the failure of the previous kings to watch over those things. Perhaps some of them followed the wicked kings and the righteous ones were fewer in number. Although we can't legislate true worship and praise, force never should be used in worship to God because it must come from within us, not just an outward show of worship. Force never should be used for false worship of idols either. Kings though should encourage and arrange freedom of worship and acknowledge God in all their ways. God will bless nations that do that. True worship has to come from within. Leadership needs to seek God in all their ways and set the example especially for the sake of the children. We need God so bad in our world today. DJC

11 Chronicles Chapter 30