2 Chronicles 31
After keeping the passover and renewing worship in the temple the people zealously went out throughout all the cities of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh destroying all the pagan groves and images.
Hezekiah then appointed different groups of priests/Levites to continue the offerings, and thanks and praise to God. He commanded that the people re-commence bringing tithes and portions for the Levites. The people brought such an abundance of produce from the first of their harvests and animals, that over the next few months great heaps formed. Hezekiah ordered these to be stored in rooms in the temple.
The remainder of the chapter records the names of those who had charge over all the offerings and tithes and its distribution to the Levites. It concludes with the observation that all Hezekiah did in seeking God, he 'did it with all his heart, and prospered.'
Today my attention was brought to the words of Azariah, the chief priest in verse 10. In telling Hezekiah about the abundant amount of produce which the people had brought for the Levites, he said, "we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people".
Sometimes we find it hard to believe God is noticing what is going on in our lives because we don't hear an audible voice talking to us. But taking note of what is happening in our lives may indicate God's thoughts towards us. Here, as the people return to the ways of God we see him speak love and forgiveness to them in giving them good harvests and increase in their produce.
Does this then mean that in the case of poor Christians God is displeased with them - that they have perhaps sinned his blessings away?? How does God use their circumstances to speak to them? Why does he allow it?
My mind goes to John Warburton, a minister in 1776-1857, often in ill-health and poverty, but miraculously given food or money on many occasions.
On one occasion, he had been up early trying to finish some weaving work so that he could get paid and buy some food. When it got close to midday and the work still wasn't finished, his wife burst into tears. She was breastfeeding, a mother of six children and they were living in a cellar.
She cried, "O dear, I am so faint and weak that I cannot live...it will be nearly night before we can have anything". Although John comforted her that the Lord might send them a good dinner, she could not believe it.
Just then, their daughter, who had been sent on an errand, came in with a bag she had found in the road - she had tried to return it to a driver of a nearby cart but he said it wasn't his and insisted she take it home. On opening it they found large pieces of bread, meat, cheese and a 'very good pudding'.
John Warburton wrote,"O how I stood wondering and adoring, blessing and praising the kind hand of my covenant God for supplying my needs in such a way! O how sweet were those words, 'The cattle upon a thousand hills are mine; the earth is mine; and all the gold and silver is mine!' ... how sweet did that promise flow into my soul, 'Thy bread shall be given thee; thy water shall be sure'. Here I saw that the Lord had all in his hands, both in heaven and on earth - angels, men and devils... " *
We see that although the Lord had allowed the Warburtons to come into a very difficult and trying time they received blessings from God in his answering their prayers and care of them. The Lord fulfilled his name as Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord will provide), and we see the effect on John - his bodily needs met and praise, glory and love to God. Even though we do not like our trials, what blessings we can receive in them as the Lord helps us.
Let us praise and thank God for all the blessings we have in our lives - food, drink, homes, jobs, each other, freedom to worship and more. And when we have an abundance, let us the more glorify him, but not forget him and become satisfied by them; for, as Jesus shows us in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) the greatest blessings are not material but spiritual.
*The Mercies of a Covenant God, edited by Geoffrey Williams, 1988 edition published by Grace Abounding Ministries. Page 80.
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