Bible Talks

2 Chronicles 30:21-31:121And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord. 22And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers. 23And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness. 24For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. 26So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 27Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven. 1Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities. (2 Chronicles 30:21‑31:1).
EZEKIAH and the people kept the feast of unleavened bread, which lasted seven days. During those days they could not have leaven in their houses. Leaven is a type of evil, and this feast, as we learn from 1 Cor. 5:6-8,6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6‑8) is typical of our sojourn here after we have been brought to the Lord. We are called upon to be in separation from evil, and to keep our feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
We read that "the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: . . . And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness." God was there, and such was the joy they experienced in carrying out His will. If we are truly seeking to please Him we shall find that "His commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:33For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 John 5:3)). Again the Lord Jesus tells us: "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matt. 11:29, 3029Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29‑30).
We are told that there had not been such great joy in Jerusalem since the time of Solomon. It is remarkable that in all those seven hundred years there had not been such a joyful time as there was now that the people were truly in heart seeking the Lord. Certainly those who had come oui of the ten tribes had never spent such happy days around the calf at Dan or while under the religious system of Jeroboam. But that which is really of God will make the soul happy, and if we want real joy of heart, we shall find it in His presence; for "in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11).
"Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, even unto heaven." v. 27. This would teach us that if our prayers are to be heard in heaven, they must be in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23, 2423But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23‑24).)
The joy and blessedness experienced in the presence of the Lord at Jerusalem produced a powerful moral and separating influence on all those who had come up to the feast. After it was all over we read that they went out and broke down all the idolatrous altars and images and cut down the groves not only in the cities of Judah and Benjamin, but throughout Ephraim and Manasseh as well. It does not appear that king Hezekiah had told them to do this but after such a season of worship and joy before the Lord, they felt how inconsistent it was for such things to be in their midst. This was service happily flowing out of worship. Hezekiah and the children of Israel found strength at the altar of God to pull down the altars of Satan. If one is conscious of failure or decline from God, if Satan has gotten the advantage over him, then the path to true restoration and happiness is to get before the Lord about it at once and in brokenness of spirit to confess the sin and failure; then by faith one can look up and see in Jesus the Beloved the measure of his acceptance before God. Thus the spirit is restored and strengthened, the soul is chastened yet rejoices in the love of Christ, and one can go on again for Him.
Messages of the Love of God 11/30/1958