2 Chronicles 29: 21-36
The temple all being cleaned and prepared for worship we now see Hezekiah get up early and call the rulers of the city to come with him to the temple. At Hezekiah's command animals were offered to atone for the sins of Judah and all Israel. He then ordered a burnt offering to be made accompanied by music, as set out in the time of David. It is recorded that the people sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads, worshipping the LORD. The congregation were then encouraged to bring sacrifices and thank offerings for the LORD - so many were brought the priests had to enlist the help of the Levites.
The last verse in this chapter caught my attention:
"And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly"
Last week we noticed how it appears that within the first month of coming to the throne Hezekiah had commanded the temple to be cleaned and prepared for worship. As soon as it was ready, he, the city rulers, princes and a congregation went to worship. This was all done very quickly - suddenly.
We remember how in Hezekiah's father's 16 year reign there had been wide spread worship to other gods, the King had sacrificed his own sons, and the temple had been shut up. And yet, we are told 'God had prepared the people' for this sudden return to worship him.
How had God prepared them?
Firstly we see their willingness. This is seen in their attendance at the service, the amount of sacrifices and burnt offerings which they brought (verse 31), and their glad singing of the praises (verse 30).
In the Psalms we read, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power" (Psalm 110: 3). This is a prophetic Psalm speaking of the Lord Jesus. We can relate it to the work of the Holy Spirit, working unseen in the hearts of God's children.
Secondly, perhaps through their circumstances. These people were battle worn, deprived of loved ones, and their homes damaged. How many of them must have wondered why this was happening to them? How many must have thought back to times of prosperity under King Jotham, who followed God? How many would have remembered the 'stories' that were passed on from their ancestors of how the LORD had been their God and miraculously saved them from Egyptian bondage? How many would have been conscious of their sins and wished they could return to the worship of God? Perhaps some would have felt they had sinned away their right to do so.
So, today, the Holy Spirit works in the heart of God's children making them realise their need of God, perhaps making them aware of their sins and God's great holiness, or making them aware of a deep void of unhappiness within them, which nothing in life seems to satisfy. He prepares their hearts to receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour.
Thirdly, God had prepared their leader - Hezekiah. As mentioned before, it seems that Hezekiah's maternal grandfather was Zechariah, the priest, so it may be that his mother had instructed him in the ways of God and temple worship. And God had blessed this upbringing, and given him a real desire to re-institute his worship and follow him.
Hezekiah and his people, prepared in heart and circumstances by God; came together and by the symbolic nature of the sacrifices confessed their sins, and consecrated (gave their hearts and lives to) God, after which with great joy they offered thanksgiving. So today, a repenting sinner coming to the Lord Jesus, on giving their heart to him and receiving his peace, will be full of joy and praise and thanksgiving. And 'likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth' (Luke 15:7).
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