2 Chronicles 29:30-30:430Moreover 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. 31Then 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. 32And 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. 33And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep. 34But 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. 35And 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. 36And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly. 1And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. 2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. (2 Chronicles 29:30‑30:4).
WE WERE noticing earlier that Jotham's faith and energy had led to building cities, castles and towers in the forests and mountains of Judah. But in Hezekiah we see a young man whose course began in the presence of the Lord. The first day of his reign he opened the doors of the Lord's house, which had been closed during his father's evil reign. Hezekiah seemed to value the Lord's presence and Jerusalem as His earthly center. Surely this was written for our learning; we read, "Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God." Psa. 92:1313Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:13). Again, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt. 6:3333But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33).
Hezekiah had laid a good foundation. Of what use were castles and towers as long as the doors of the Lord's house were shut up? And of what value are the works of our hands if God does not have the full homage of our hearts? How many are ready to do acts of outward service apparently for God, but have little desire for private communion with Him. And yet communion is the secret of true spiritual power; it is the only thing that can maintain us in effective service for Him.
After the offering of the sacrifices, Hezekiah commanded the Levites to praise with psalteries and harps according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet. Then they offered burnt offerings; the congregation worshiped; the singers sang; and the trumpeters sounded until the burnt offering was finished. Then the king and all present bowed themselves and worshiped. After this they brought in thank offerings, and as many as were of a free heart brought burnt offerings. So "Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly." v 36.
The sense of the Lord's goodness and grace to him and his people seemed to enlarge the heart of Hezekiah, for he thought not only of Jerusalem and Judah but of all Israel as well. The blood that could cleanse Judah, could cleanse the ten tribes also, and both stood in need of it. Hezekiah's desire was to gather the scattered tribes around the one altar at Jerusalem, and the blood of the lamb was God's basis for the union of all. If we are walking in the truth and enjoying the Lord's presence, our heart's affections too shall go out to the whole family of God, and to the perishing all around us. We shall desire that they too might find in Jesus alone the One who can satisfy, whose blessed Person is the true Center for faith.
Hezekiah, his princes and the congregation had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month. They could not keep it in the first month because of the defilement in the house of the Lord which had to be taken away first. In Numbers 9 the law made provision for keeping it in the second month if they were unclean at the time or were on a journey. Well, they certainly had become unclean, and they could not have kept the Passover in such a condition without bringing judgment on themselves. But we see how that the Lord directed Hezekiah firs[ to "repent," and then to do "the first works." (Rev. 2:55Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:5).)
Messages of the Love of God 11/16/1958