II Chronicles 29

Hezekiah pleases the LORDverses 1-2

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

and he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD

according to all that David his father had done

Hezekiah commands reopening of the Templeverses 3-7

He in the first year of his reign – in the first month

OPENED the doors of the house of the LORD

and repaired them

and he brought in the priests and the Levites

and gathered them together into the east street

And said to them

Hear me – you 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

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

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 to the God of Israel

Hezekiah gives reason to open the Templeverses 8-11

Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was on Judah and Jerusalem

and HE has delivered them

to trouble – astonishment – hissing

as you see with your eyes

For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword

and our sons and our daughters and our wives

are in captivity for this

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

My sons – be not now negligent – for the LORD has chosen you

to stand before HIM – to serve HIM

and that you should minister to HIM

and burn incense

List of leaders among the Levitesverses 12-14

Then the Levites arose – Mahath the son of Amasai

and Joel the son of Azariah of the sons of Kohathites

and of the sons of Merari – Kish the son of Abdi

Azariah the son of Jehalelel

and of the Gershonites

Joah the son of Zimmah – Eden the son of Joah

and of the sons of Elizaphan – Shimri – Jeiel

and of the sons of Asaph – Zechariah – Mattaniah

and of the sons of Heman – Jehiel – Shimei

and of the sons of Jeduthun – Shemaiah -Uzziel

Priests and Levites worked togetherverses 15-16

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

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

Cleansing of the Temple took eight daysverse 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

Temple ready to be usedverses 18-19

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 showbread table – with all the vessels thereof

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

Hezekiah and leaders bring offeringsverses 20-21

Then Hezekiah the king rose early

and gathered the rulers of the city

and went up to the house of the LORD

and they brought seven

bullocks – rams – lambs – he goats

for a sin offering

for the kingdom

for the sanctuary

for Judah

And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron

to offer them on the altar of the LORD

Offering offered for all Israelverses 22-24

So they killed the bullocks – and the priests received the blood

and sprinkled the blood upon the altar – likewise

when they killed the rams

and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar

they killed also the lambs

and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar

and they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering

before the king and the congregation

and they laid their hands on them

and the priests killed them

and made reconciliation with the blood on 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

Levites brought musical instrumentsverses 25-26

And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD

with cymbals – psalteries – 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

And the Levites stood with the instruments of David

and the priests with the trumpets

Entire assembly offers praise to the LORDverses 27-30

And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering

on 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

And all the congregation worshiped

and the singers sang

and the trumpeters sounded

and all this continued

until the burnt offering was finished

And when they had made an end of offering

the king and all that were present with him

bowed themselves and worshiped

Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes

commanded the Levites to sing praise

to the LORD with the words of David

and of Asaph the seer

And they sang praises with gladness

and they bowed their heads and worshiped

People brought their offerings to the LORDverses 31-33

Then Hezekiah answered

and said

Now you have consecrated yourselves to 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

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

and the consecrated things were

six hundred oxen three thousand sheep

Temple of the LORD restored to serviceverses 34-35

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

And also the burnt offerings were in abundance

with the fat of the peace offerings

and drink offerings for every burnt offering

So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order

Hezekiah and all the people rejoicedverse 36

And Hezekiah rejoiced – and all the people

that God had prepared the people

for the thing was done suddenly

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. (3477 “right” [yashar] means straight, level, smooth, the quality of conforming to a moral standard, upright, righteous, or correct)

DEVOTION: Here is the son of a evil king of Judah. He takes the throne and does what is right in the sight of the LORD. How can an evil man have a good son? It happens throughout the history of Judah.

The difference can be the mother. Here we have a woman whose father was a spiritual man. He had to have an influence on his grandson. He had to prepare his grandson to honor the LORD.

Grandfathers can train their grandchildren if their parents are not willing to honor the LORD. What happens if the grandparents and parent are not willing to serve the LORD?

This could be tragic. It is happening today in our world. When grandparents and parents are more concerned with the things of the world their children are not trained in the most important area of live.

The spiritual training of the children in our world is more important than the natural trainings of earning a living and enjoying themselves while they live their life.

Spiritual training needs to come first if the nation is to honor the LORD and receive the blessings of the LORD. It was lacking in Judah and it is lacking in many countries today.

There needs to be a revival in the hearts of parents and grandparents as to what is more important in the next generation. Do we want children and grandchildren that are doing things that are pleasing to the LORD?

If so, we need to be the ones who cause it to happen with the help of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in the lives of our children and grandchildren. It could be that our children and grandchildren could start a revival like Hezekiah.

CHALLENGE: Have we given up praying for a revival here in a America? The LORD is able to bring one here if HIS people will ask genuinely.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 5 And said to them, Hear me, you 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. (5079 “filthiness” [niddah] means menstruation, abomination, defilement, any unclean object, impurity, detestable, of idolatry, or of ceremonial impurity)

DEVOTION: The king gave instructions to the Levites. He wanted them to clean up their lives before the LORD. To be ceremonially clean meant that they had to remove all firth from their life first before they could stand before the LORD to serve HIM. This can only be done with confession of sin and a outward cleansing of their bodies and clothes. To serve the LORD had to involve a outward appearance and an inward relationship with the LORD.

Once the individual servants of the LORD had cleansed themselves then they could move on to clean up the house of God. In this case, the Temple had to be cleaned from the misuse that Ahaz had done to the Temple. The Temple was filthy. The house of the LORD took eight days to be cleansed of all the filth that Ahaz had done to it through neglect and misuse of the vessels that were dedicated to the LORD.

After eight days of cleansing the Temple was ready to be used to honor the LORD again. So there was the cleansing of those who were to serve the LORD and then a cleansing of the place of worship.

We have to enter into the house of the LORD after we have confessed our sins and come willing to serve the LORD in the local church for HIS glory. This is the only way that the blessings of the LORD can be manifested in the local church and then into the community.

Also the local church should be inviting to those who visit because it is a place that looks good for the LORD. People come into the church and look to see how the people care for the church building.

Everyone should be involved in making sure that first appearances are good appearances. What is the first impression visitors get when they enter your church? Is it good or not so good?

Each of us need to be sure that we prepare ourselves before we enter the church to be set apart for service to the LORD and not just going to church for what you can get out of the church service.

If our hearts are not right with the LORD before we enter it will cause problems for those who are visiting our church to worship the LORD or become followers of Jesus Christ. Those who are already followers of Jesus Christ should set the atmosphere for worship through their lives and through the appearance of the church.

We all need to work together for the glory of God each day of each week in the local body of believer and this can only happen if all are prepared before we enter the church and are willing to keep the church clean.

CHALLENGE: We need to be willing to repent and pray for this revival. It starts with us.

: 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. (4480 “trespassed” [min] means to be untrue, to violate one’s legal obligations, to do wrong by failing in a relationship or with regard to a standard, whether intentionally or unintentionally, or act counter to one’s duty)

DEVOTION: God has a standard for all of HIS people. There are some who are who are leaders of the nation, there are some who are citizens of the nation, there are some who are to help the leaders of the Temple and there are some who are to lead the worship in HIS temple.

Each of us fall into one of these categories in our service to the LORD. We have those who are in government. We have some who are in our states who are to be leading the state properly. We have some who are to lead our nation religiously according to the standards set down in the Bible. Finally, we have those who are follow the lead of proper religious leaders in their daily walk with the LORD.

Each individual has to answer to the LORD for their actions. If they sin they have to confess their sin and establish a good relationship with the LORD. This is to be done on a daily basis. It can at times be done on an hour to hour basis. God wants us to be pure in HIS eyes as we serve HIM. This can only be done if confession is part of our daily walk with HIM.

If we are not confessing our sins daily it is like these people in Judah who have turned their backs on the LORD and didn’t bother to ask for forgiveness and wondered why the LORD was not blessing their nation.

We need to turn our faces back to the LORD in full repentance as individuals and as a church and as a nation. Once this happens the LORD can bless us.

CHALLENGE: We need to be willing to confess our sins to HIM and watch what HE will do with a person, church or nation that is willing to repent and turn in the right direction.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 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. (3477 “upright” [yashar] means right, righteous, straight, correct, level, pleasing, proper, or moral excellence)

DEVOTION: The tribe of Levi was divided into two groups. There were the descendants of Aaron who were the priests and the rest of the tribe were called to be Levites or helpers of the priests.

The priests were the only ones who were supposed to offering sacrifices to the LORD. The rest of the tribe helped them get everything ready for offering the sacrifices and cleaned up after the sacrifices were made.

The Levites were the ones who did the manual labor to help the priests do their responsibilities. They were the work force behind the priests. Now we find that when Hezekiah wanted to get the worship of the LORD back in the nation that the Levites were the ones who set themselves apart for service faster than the priests.

It is because the priests were so slow to obey the command of the king to cleanse themselves because that was necessary before they could serve the LORD that the Levites had to make the offerings because they were quicker to prepare their lives to please the LORD.

Sometimes we find that there are deacons or church members who are more willing to cleanse themselves before the pastors of the churches. The laymen have started many movements in the church for revival. They were the ones who started to get their hearts right with the LORD and then the pastors followed their lead.

It should be the other way around but even here we find that the ones who were called to lead in a spiritual direction were slow to follow the LORD. Are we finding that we need another revival that like the one that happened in this chapter in our nation? Do we need to have a layman revival to help the pastors lead their churches into a closer walk with the LORD?

Obedience is necessary for revival. Both the priests and the Levites needed to be involved but the priest should have taken the lead in obedience.

CHALLENGE: We need a revival again and it should be led by those called to serve the LORD in leadership roles.

: 36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people; for the thing was done suddenly. (6597 “suddenly” [pith’om] means instantly, straightway or unexpectedly)

DEVOTION: The LORD can send a revival anytime HE wants too. Here we have the tribe of Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem where the temple has been closed for twenty years.

On the scene comes a new king. He wanted to reform the nation. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. He opened the temple. He repaired it. He calls the priests and the Levites to sanctify themselves. He commanded them to sanctify the house of the LORD.

The Levites were to carry all the filthiness out of the Temple. Hezekiah believed that their fathers had trespassed and done evil. They had turned their face against the LORD.

Therefore Judah was suffering the wrath of the LORD. HE had delivered time into trouble or trials. He wanted it all to change. He made a covenant with the LORD that he would cause a change to take place in Judah.

Change happened. They begin worshiping the LORD with their sacrifices. There was singing and praising. The people, the king and the priests were all involved. It was affecting the whole nation.

The last verse of the chapter tells us why. The LORD had prepared the people. The people were ready for a revival. It happened so fast there were not enough priests to offer the sacrifices. The Levites had to help them. This was a worship service that was done unexpectedly.

They gathered and a worship service broke out. It was something that the LORD made happen. Everyone enjoyed the service. Everyone sang with gladness. Everyone gave with gladness.

It was a worship service where the LORD was present. As we look around our church this Sunday – should we expect this kind of service? Are we helping this to happen? Do we acknowledge the presence of the LORD? Most of us want the Holy Spirit to visit our services with power. Our country needs a revival. Let us all pray for it.

Revival only comes as the people of God prepare themselves with cleansing by the Word of God. There needs to be confession of sin before believers enter the church.

Are we preparing our hearts for revival? We can!!! It starts in our homes and then moves to the churches and then to the country.

CHALLENGE: God is still the God of the impossible!!! It can happen unexpectedly.

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Doors of the house of LORD openedverse 3

Repaired doorsverse 3

Priests and Levitesverse 4

Gathered

Sanctified Levitesverse 5

Sanctify house of the LORDverse 5

Carried all filthiness out of holy placeverse 5

Priest chosen to burn incenseverses 11, 21-24

Chosen to serve LORD

Chosen to stand before HIM

Chosen to minister

Chosen to burn incense

Offer on altar of the LORD

Sprinkled blood on altar

Levites aroseverses 12-16

Mahath the son of Arnasai

Joel the son of Azariah

of sons of Kohathites

of sons of Merari

Ish the son of Abdi

Azariah the son of Jehalelel

of son of Gershonites

Sons of Elizaphan

Shimri

Jeiel

Sons of Asaph

Zechariah

Mattaniah

Sons of Herman

Jehiel

Shimel

Sons of Jeduthun

Shemaiah

Uzziel

Sanctified themselves

To cleanse the house of the LORD

Carried uncleanness to brook Kidron

House of the LORDverses 15, 18, 20

Priestsverse 16

Inner part of the house of the LORD

Cleanse it

Brought out all uncleanness

First day of first month sanctify

Eighth day came to porch

Sanctified house of the LORD in 8 days

Temple of the LORDverses 16, 17

1/16 ended the cleansing

Cleansed all the house of the LORDverses 18, 19

Altar of burnt offering with vessels

Shewbread table with the vessels

Vessels were prepared and sanctified

Altar of the LORDverses 19, 21

Sin offeringverses 21-24

King and congregation

Burnt offeringverses 24, 27, 31, 32, 35

Levites with musical instrumentsverses 25-27

Congregation worshipedverses 28-34

Singers sang

Trumpeters sounded

Burnt offering were finished

Bowed themselves

Sang praises unto the LORD

Sang praises with gladness

Brought sacrifices with a free heart

Priests and Levites sanctified themselves

Thank offeringsverse 31

Consecrated thingsverse 33

Levites helped with offeringsverse 34

Were more upright in heart

Peace offeringsverse 35

Drink offeringsverse 35

House of the LORD set in orderverse 35

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Davidverses 2, 25, 27, 30

Covenantverse 10

Words of the LORDverse 15

Commandments of Gadverse 25

Commandments of the LORDverse 25

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15-21, 25, 31

Sight of the LORDverse 2

House of the LORDverses 3, 15-18

God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 5, 6

LORD God of your fathersverse 5

Eyes of LORD our Godverse 6

Habitation of the LORDverse 6

God of Israelverse 7

Wrath of the LORDverses 8, 10

Delivered Judah into

Trouble

Astonishment

Hissing

LORD God of Israelverse 10

Words of the LORDverse 15

Altar of the LORDverses 19, 21

Commandment of the LORDverse 25

Songs of the LORDverse 27

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Filthiness in Templeverse 5

Trespassedverse 6

Evilverse 6

Forsaken the LORDverse 6

Turned away their faces from the LORDverse 6

Turned their backs on the LORDverse 6

Shut up the doors of the LORD’S porchverse 7

Put out the lamps of the house of the LORDverse 7

Not burned incense verse 7

Not offered burnt offerings verse 7

Being negligentverse 11

Uncleanness in the house of the LORDverse 16

Transgression of Ahazverse 19

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Do what was rightverse 2

Sanctify selfverses 5, 15, 34

Covenant with the LORDverse 10

Chosenverse 11

Serve the LORDverse 11

Ministerverse 11

Cleanse the house of the LORDverses 15-19

Reconciliationverse 24

Atonementverse 24

Prophetsverse 25

Consecratedverse 31

Upright in heartverse 34

Rejoiceverse 36

Prepared peopleverse 36

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Hezekiahverses 1, 18-36

25 years old when began reign

Reigned 20 years

Mother’s name: Abijah daughter of Zechariah

Did what was right in eyes of LORD

Told the temple was cleansed

Rose early and gathered rulers of City

Commanded priest to offer sacrifices

King and people bowed themselves and worshiped

Rejoiced

Jerusalemverses 1, 8

Davidverses 2, 27, 30

Hezekiah repaired the Templeverse 3

Fathers fallen by swordverse 9

Captivity of peopleverse 9

People of Judah verse 11

Levites rose up – sanctified selvesverses 12-15

Worship serviceverses 20-36

Congregation worshipedverse 28

Asaph the seerverse 30

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

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QUOTES regarding passage

Hezekiah was one of Judah’s greatest kings (2 Kings 18:5). In the very first month of his sole reign (in 715) he opened the temple doors to repair them and restore the Lord’s house, since Ahaz, his wicked father, had barred the temple (2 Chron. 28:24). Hezekiah gathered the priests and the Levites before the temple (on the east side) and commanded them to consecrate themselves to the work of purifying and repairing the temple, which, in the years of Ahaz especially, had fallen into a sorry state of deterioration. The Lord in His anger (cf. 28:9, 25) had therefore sent judgment on the nation, so much so that some of them had gone into captivity to the Arameans, Israelites, and Edomites (cf. 28:5–8, 17). (Merrill, E. H. (1985). 2 Chronicles. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 641–642). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

2. He showed the sad consequences of the neglect and decay of religion among them, v. 8, 9. This was the cause of all the calamities they had lain under. God had in anger delivered them to trouble, to the sword, and to captivity. When we are under the rebukes of God’s providence it is good for us to enquire whether we have not neglected God’s ordinances and whether the controversy he has with us may not be traced to this neglect. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 605). Peabody: Hendrickson.)

Opening the temple doors provides the occasion for challenging the temple personnel to reopen and cleanse the temple (29:3–11). In his challenge Hezekiah acknowledges that the nation had disobeyed the covenant and neglected proper ritual. This unfaithfulness had produced the disasters suffered by the people. Hezekiah states his intention to renew the covenant. Confirming the hereditary prerogatives of the ritual personnel is a significant step in reform. (Bowling, A. C. (1995). 1-2 Chronicles. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 289). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House)

Ver. 8. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, &c.] As appeared, by suffering the Syrians, and Israelites, and Edomites, and Philistines, to come upon them, and distress them, as the history of the preceding chapter shews: and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes; such desolation and destruction were made among them, as not only threw them into a stupor, that they knew not what to do, but were amazing to all their neighbours, and caused them to hiss at them, which they could not but be sensible of. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 3, p. 84). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

2–11. His address to his people in the very opening of his government implies that his soul had been grieved for the dreadful conduct of his father during his minority. Reader! how evident it is that grace is not hereditary. How many a graceless father hath had a gracious son! and how many a gracious father a graceless child. What a contrast is here between Ahaz and Hezekiah! (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: 1 Kings–Esther (Vol. 3, p. 539). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

Note, too, in Hezekiah’s speech, the true order of religious reformation. The priests and Levites were not foremost in it, as indeed is only too often the case with ecclesiastics in all ages. Probably many of them had been content to serve Ahaz as priests of his multiform idolatry. At all events, they needed ‘sanctifying,’ though no doubt the word is here used in reference to merely ceremonial uncleanness. Still the requirement that they should cleanse themselves before they cleansed the Temple has more than ceremonial significance. Impure hands are not fit for the work of religious reformation, though they have often been employed in it. What was the weakness of the Reformation but that the passions of princes and nobles were so soon and generally enlisted for it, and marred it? He that enters into the holy place, especially if his errand be to cleanse it, must have ‘clean hands, and a pure heart.’ The hands that wielded the whip of small cords, and drove out the money-changers, were stainless, and therefore strong. Some of us are very fond of trying to set churches to rights. Let us begin with ourselves, lest, like careless servants, we leave dirty finger-marks where we have been ‘cleaning.’

The next point in the speech is the profound and painful sense of existing corruption. Note the long-drawn-out enumeration of evils in 2 Chron. 29:6–7, starting with the general recognition of the fathers’ trespass, advancing to the more specific sin of forsaking Him and His house, and dwelling, finally, as with fascinated horror, on all the details of closed shrine and quenched lamps and cold altars. The historical truth of the picture is confirmed by the close of the previous chapter, and its vividness shows how deeply Hezekiah had felt the shame and sin of Ahaz. It is not easy to keep clear of the influence of prevailing corruptions of religion. Familiarity weakens abhorrence, and the stained embodiments of the ideal hide its purity from most eyes. But no man will be God’s instrument to make society, the church, or the home, better, unless he feels keenly the existing evils. We do not need to cherish a censorious spirit, but we do need to guard against an unthinking acquiescence in the present state of things, and a self-complacent reluctance to admit their departure from the divine purpose for the church. There is need to-day for a like profound consciousness of evil, and like efforts after new purity. If we individually lived nearer God, we should be less acclimatised to the Church’s imperfections. No doubt Hezekiah’s clear sight of the sinfulness of the idolatry so universal round him was largely owing to Isaiah’s influence. Eyes which have caught sight of the true King of Israel, and of the pure light of His kingdom, will be purged to discern the sore need for purifying the Lord’s house.

The clear insight into the national sin gives as clear understanding of the national suffering. Hezekiah speaks, in 2 Chron. 29:8–9, as the Law and the Prophets had been speaking for centuries, and as God’s providence had been uttering in act all through the national history. But so slow are men to learn familiar truths that Ahaz had grasped at idol after idol to rescue him; ‘but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.’ How difficult it is to hammer plain truths, even with the mallet of troubles, into men’s heads! How blind we all are to the causal connection between sin and sorrow! Hezekiah saw the iron link uniting them, and his whole policy was based upon that ‘wherefore.’ Of course, if we accept the Biblical statements as to the divine dealing with Israel and Judah, obedience and disobedience were there followed by reward and suffering more certainly and directly than is now the case in either national or individual life. But it still remains true that it is a ‘bitter’ as well as an ‘evil’ thing to depart from the living God. If we would find the cause of our own or of a nation’s sorrows, we had better begin our search among our or its sins.

That phrase ‘an astonishment, and an hissing’ (2 Chron. 29:8) is new. It appears for the first time in Micah (Micah 6:16), and he, we know, exercised influence on Hezekiah (Jer. 26:18–19). Perhaps the king is here quoting the prophet.

The exposition of the sin and its fruit is followed by the king’s resolve for himself, and, so far as may be, for his people. The phrase ‘it is in my heart’ expresses fixed determination, not mere wish. It is used by David and of him, in reference to his resolve to build the Temple. ‘To make a covenant’ probably means to renew the covenant, made long ago at Sinai, but broken by sin. The king has made up his mind, and announces his determination. He does not consult priests or people, but expects their acquiescence. So, in the early days of Christianity, the ‘conversion’ of a king meant that of his people. Of course, the power of the kings of Israel and Judah to change the national religion at their pleasure shows how slightly any religion had penetrated, and how much, at the best, it was a matter of mere ceremonial worship with the masses. People who worshipped Ahaz’s rabble of gods and godlings to-day because he bade them, and Hezekiah’s God to-morrow, had little worship for either, and were much the same through all changes.

Hezekiah was in earnest, and his resolve was none the less right because it was moved by a desire to turn away the fierce anger of the Lord. Dread of sin’s consequences and a desire to escape these is no unworthy motive, however some superfine moralists nowadays may call it so. It is becoming unfashionable to preach ‘the terror of the Lord.’ The more is the pity, and the less is the likelihood of persuading men. But, however kindled, the firm determination (which does not wait for others to concur) that ‘As for me, I will serve the Lord,’ is the grand thing for us all to imitate. That strong young heart showed itself kingly in its resolve, as it had shown itself sensitive to evil and tender in contemplating the widespread sorrow. If we would brace our feeble wills, and screw them to the sticking-point of immovable determination to make a covenant with God, let us meditate on our departures from Him, the Lover and Benefactor of our souls, and on the dreadfulness of His anger and the misery of those who forsake Him. (MacLaren, A. (2009). Expositions of Holy Scripture: 2 Kings 8–Nehemiah (pp. 227–231). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

Esther 2
Esther wins the king’s favor and is chosen to become queen.
INSIGHT

Abraham, Moses, David, and Esther are all living lives of obscurity when God chooses them. He uses them for great things because they are faithful to Him in the little things. While not all of us are destined to do incredible things in the eyes of man, greatness in the eyes of God is simply being faithful to Him the best way we know how. God has not forgotten about us; His eye is on us. And He will use us–even if only in seemingly “small” ways (Quiet Walk)

A JUDGMENT

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. Philippians 3:8
The apostle Paul was once very proud of his achievements, all he had accomplished as Saul of Tarsus. But when he saw Christ, all he could say was, “I count them but dung.” “From him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” He will arrive at the bar of eternal judgment with nothing at all, just his own miserable, sinful self–naked, empty, forlorn, and hopeless–and he will go on living like that forever and ever.
This word is a judgment. Do you have this vital thing or do you not? “But what can I do?” asks someone. “I see now that I am a fool. I hadn’t realized that it was a mystery. I thought I knew what Christianity is, but I see now that it means being reconciled to God, being right for the judgment and for eternity. I know nothing about it–how can I get it?”
It is quite simple. Instead of shutting your eyes in blind prejudice, open them and pay attention to the message. Come as a little child, as a pauper. Come as you are, not to criticize, not to be clever, not to justify yourself; come and acknowledge that you have nothing. “Except ye be converted,” says our Lord, “and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). You need the simplicity of a little child. You need, in other words, an acknowledgment of your sin, of your utter failure. You have to come saying, “I am nothing. I have nothing. God have mercy upon me, a sinner.”
A Thought to Ponder
You have to come saying, “I am nothing. I have nothing. God have mercy upon me, a sinner.” (Walking with God Daily Devotional by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

His Kingdom Is Forever
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
The final verse of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” describes our tools and comportment while in the battle, and the final victory.
That word above all earthly powers,
No thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours
Thro’ Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
As the King’s soldiers, we have God-given abilities and possessions, most notably the indwelling God’s Spirit and empowering gifts. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4). We should “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28) and focus on Him, “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” (even goods and kindred [Luke 9:60-62] if need be). “We should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13)
As of yet the battle continues. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

Listen and Learn

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

On one side of the street a homeowner displays in his yard a giant blow-up bald eagle draped in a US flag. A big truck sits in the driveway. Its side window features a painted flag and the back bumper is covered with patriotic stickers. Directly across the street in a neighbor’s yard are signs that highlight the slogans for current social justice issues in the news.

Are the people in these homes feuding or friends? we might wonder. Is it possible that both families are believers in Jesus? God calls us to live out the words of James 1:19: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Too often we stubbornly hold on to our opinions and aren’t willing to consider what others are thinking. Matthew Henry’s Commentary has this to say: “We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak . . . and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath.”

Someone has said, “Learning requires listening.” The practical words from God in the book of James can only be accomplished if we’re filled with God’s loving Spirit and choose to respect others. He’s willing to help us make changes in our hearts and attitudes. Are we open to listen and learn? (By Anne Cetas, Our Daily Bread)

THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK IN US

For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13
Our Lord said in John 15 that we are bound to Him as are the branches to the vine; His life is in us, and it is a part of this blessed work of the Spirit. Then He goes on to work in us, sanctifying and perfecting us. “Work out your own salvation,” says Paul in Philippians 2:12-13, “with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Heaven helps us in our prayers: “We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself market intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). He then goes on to produce the fruit of the Spirit in us: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The work of the Spirit is to make the Lord Jesus Christ real to us. So do not waste your time trying to picture the Lord Jesus Christ. Do not go and look at portraits of Him that are wholly imaginary. There is a sense, I believe, in which nobody should ever try to paint Him, it is wrong. I do not like these paintings of Christ; they are the efforts of the natural mind. If you want a photograph of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will give it to you in the inner man. Christ said Himself, in John 14:21, “He that hath my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall beloved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” That is the work of the Spirit “to make Christ living, to mak eus certain He is there, so that when we speak to Him, and He to us, the Spirit makes Him real, and He is formed in us.
A Thought to Ponder: The work of the Spirit is to make the Lord Jesus Christ real to us.

(From Saved in Eternity, pp. 92-93, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

Valentine’s Year

Be exhilarated always with her love. PROVERBS 5:19

“I really thought romance was something you did on special occasions like Valentine’s Day and your anniversary. But you know, I think my wife might want romance a little more often.”

You think?

Valentine’s Day came and went yesterday. All over the country, beautiful cards were opened, heart-shaped candy boxes exchanged hands, and flower vases sprouted up on tabletops and nightstands. Last night, lingerie was worn and thrown on the floor where it belongs. And somewhere in the back of your mind, you might have given yourself some pats on the back for points scored.

Money in the marriage bank. “Okay, that’s done.”

Actually, though, Valentine’s Day should function as a small reminder of the kind of romance we should be cultivating 365 days a year. It should help us see that the reason why Valentine’s Day brings out the best in us – romantically speaking – is because it’s something we mark on the calendar. We plan for it. We go to the store a week in advance to avoid that sick feeling of choosing from the picked-over cards left on February 13.

What if you were that thoughtful and deliberate every time you made plans to romance your spouse? What if you regularly flipped through the Sunday ads, seeing if there was something you could give her that would bring out a smile? What if you gave yourself the assignment of pulling off a surprise Valentine’s Day in the summer or the fall or a week from Wednesday or a month after her birthday—not to give expensive gifts, but just to pick some ordinary days to do some out-of-the-ordinary things?

I hope your Valentine’s Day was fun. But wouldn’t it be a lot more fun if this became your Valentine’s Year? (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)

Love in the Old Testament
“And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” (Genesis 29:20)

It is well known that “love” in the New Testament almost always means unselfish agape love. The Greek word for sexual love or romantic love,eros, is never used at all in the New Testament. Even marital love is ideally agape love in its main expression, as in Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

In the Old Testament, on the other hand, there are about a dozen different Hebrew words used for “love,” and these often have wide variations in meaning, depending on context, often including romantic love as one of them. For example, Jacob’s willingness to work for Laban seven years in order to obtain Rachel for his wife clearly must have involved a high degree of romantic love on his part. He also loved her sister Leah, after Laban insisted, he marry her first, but “he loved also Rachel more than Leah” (Genesis 29:30).

Several different “love” words are used in the Song of Solomon, as Solomon and his bride frequently speak of their romantic love for each other. There is no doubt that God approves of such love when it is pure and true and involves self-sacrificing agape love as well. “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). The word for “whoremonger,” incidentally, is also often translated “fornicator” and can refer to any kind of sexual activity (some may call it “love,” but this is a caricature) outside of monogamous, man-and-woman, lifelong marriage.

The greatest love of all, of course, in both Old and New Testaments, is God’s love for the men and women He has created and redeemed. HMM

Thanks Pat: Hebrews 12:1-3
One day a week during our journey together, we will be exploring a Christian who was killed because of his or her faith in Jesus Christ. These individuals are referred to as martyrs, and there have been millions of them during the 2,000 years of Church history.

It is good for us to take time to remember them because they remind us that we are not alone, that ordinary individuals can do extraordinary things through the power of Christ, and that the way of the Christian lies under the shadow of the cross. They show us, in a unique way, the view from under the shadow. Not all of us will be martyrs, but all of us are called to give our lives completely to God to be a living sacrifice.

Some of the stories of the martyrs are known well, yet they are hardly remembered; other stories are pieced together from accounts peppered through Church history, sometimes inspiring international days of revelry. The story of Valentine is one of the latter.

While most of us associate Valentine’s Day with a chubby cherub holding a bow and arrow rather than a devout priest who defied a Roman emperor, the stories point to just such an individual. Valentine was a priest, possibly a bishop, during the third century, who was executed by Claudius II on February 14, 269. The exact reasons for his execution have been blurred through the years, but three reasons surface again and again in the stories: refusing to deny Christ, performing Christian weddings, and spreading the Gospel.

Valentine, like the rest of the martyrs, died for his devotion to God, for his conviction to the faithful ministry of the Church, and for his love for those in desperate need of hearing the Good News. These are the convictions that call to us from under the shadow of the Cross. God, the Church, the world—Valentine died for the love of each of them.

Will we have the courage to live the same love for each of them? Will we persevere? Will we consider not only the faithfulness of Valentine and the martyrs but also the faithfulness of the one who perfects our faith in us? Will we not grow weary in our love for God, our love for his Church, and our love for the World?

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