2 Chronicles 29
2 Chronicles 29 begins the reign of Hezekiah. He is remembered as a king that did right in the sight of Yehovah, according to all that David his father had done. Now Hezekiah was not perfect, but he had a heart for God. He stood against many adversaries, when nations greater than Israel fell. His father Ahaz is not remembered as a good king. Ahaz had done many atrocities that had to be rectified. Hezekiah starts out his reign as a new era for Judah. A time to return to the ways of Yehovah once again. He was determined to turn an entire nation back to Yehovah. This is what he did in 2 Chronicles 29.
2 Chronicles 29:1
1 Hezekiah began to reign 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.
Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz. Hezekiah is a unique king, because his reign will be recorded in 3 places, 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah. Other kings are recorded in the prophets; however, Isaiah will provide quite a bit of detail on Hezekiah’s reign. Sometimes all three sources must be used to get a clear picture of what is occurring.
2 Chronicles 29:2
2 And he did right in the sight of Yehovah, according to all that David his father had done.
Hezekiah did right in the sight of Yehovah, similar to David. This is refreshing when one considers what Hezekiah’s father Ahaz had done, 2 Chronicles 28:21-25.
21 For Ahaz took away a portion of the house of Yehovah, and of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave to the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. 22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against Yehovah: this king Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of Yehovah, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yehovah Redeemer of his fathers.
Ahaz worshipped just about every god he could find. He did everything except, the one thing that would make a difference. Ahaz could not find time to worship Yehovah, the only one that could help him. Ahaz may have been in the land, but he was far from the home he belonged to. Ahaz was looking for the easy way out. Just put another sacrifice on the Altar. Yehovah is a little more difficult for most. He actually expects repentance and a change of heart. Few are willing, as such, Yehovah may not be willing either.
2 Chronicles 29:3
3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of Yehovah, and repaired them.
More than likely, Hezekiah was crowned king at Rosh Hashanah. This is what was typically done during Temple times. Therefore, 6 months later; Hezekiah opened the Temple doors that his father, Ahaz, had closed.
What makes this interesting is, Ahaz completely disregarded Yehovah. So how did Hezekiah learn of Yehovah? And how did Hezekiah know what to do? And who effected his change from his father?
Based on the fact that Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign and he reigned 16 years, Ahaz was 36 when he died. Hezekiah was 25 years old when he started his reign. Therefore, the age difference between Hezekiah and his father was 9 years. This is considering that there was no dual regency. This means that Hezekiah knew his grandfather Jotham. What could Hezekiah have learned from Jotham?
2 Kings 15:32-34
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign. 33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did right in the sight of Yehovah: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
If you study the life of Uzziah, it is clear that he was a good king. Actually better than most until something happened, 2 Chronicles 26:3-5.
3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did right in the sight of Yehovah, according to all that his father Amaziah did. 5 And he sought Redeemer in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of Redeemer: and as long as he sought Yehovah, Redeemer made him to prosper.
Uzziah reigned longer than any other king. He brought a new life to Judah that had not been seen for a long time. Uzziah prospered beyond many of the former kings. Yet, he did something wrong, 2 Chronicles 26:16.
16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to destruction: for he transgressed against Yehovah his Redeemer, and went into the temple of the Yehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
Uzziah did not just get complacent, he did worse. Uzziah thought better of himself than he should have. Uzziah did something that was close to what Nadab and Abihu did, Aaron’s sons. They got burnt up. More than likely, Nadab and Abihu went into the Holy of Holies. Uzziah probably did not get very far beyond the Altar. The real difference is Nadab and Abihu may have been allowed in the future, but Uzziah would have never been allowed to burn incense. During Temple times, only the priests were allowed to burn incense. As a result, Uzziah became a leper and Jotham began to reign. There is a possibility of a dual regency; however, Uzziah never recovered from the leprosy. The Chronicler records in 2 Chronicles 27:1-2.
1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did right in the sight of Yehovah, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of Yehovah. And the people did yet corruptly.
Hezekiah probably knew what had formerly happened. He more than likely realized that what his father was doing was causing further problems. Although, Jotham was a good king, the people did corruptly. This is not surprising. It probably happened during Uzziah’s reign. Possibly as a result of the incident in the Temple. Often when someone, who was considered good, commits a major sin, people use that for justification to disregard all the good they formerly did. Jotham was unable to reverse what happened. This can work both ways as will be explained below.
This is similar in the lives of Christians. Christians who often become born again later in life will start to change significantly. Their children who knew the former life will disregard the parents change as a phase. Parents have tendency to do this to their children too. Neither realizing that it is not a phase. When the parents change if the children are older than about six or seven, the children may not follow the parents’ change. The children may disregard the parents’ revival, because the children were nurtured in the former ways.
All this is important to understand, because there is a side to this that is pervasive in Christianity today. Children are disregarding the ways of their parents. Many are turning back to God in a seriousness that has not been seen, since the First Century. Many are turning back to the ways of the First Century. They are disregarding teaching that have been nurtured by centuries of tradition and harlot religion. This is happening to Christians of all ages.
This is exactly what Hezekiah is about to do. Some people call this finding their roots. It is because, if one reads their Bible; they will easily discover that what most do today is not in accordance with the Bible. Neither is it what Yeshua or His apostles did in the First Century. Today more than ever, Believers are looking for more than just a feel good religion. They want that deeper walk and reality in their lives that existed in the First Century. To do this, it often puts them at odds with family members. However, we must all answer the question, do we follow family traditions or Yehovah, His Messiah and the Bible?
This is a question, we must all answer. Because there is coming a day, when all will answer for everything they have done and said, Matthew 12:36-37.
36 But I say to you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (krisis). 37 For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.
For believers who think this does not apply to them, Peter and Paul are clear. First in 1 Peter 4:17.
17 For the time that judgment (krima) must begin at the house of God: and if first at us, what shall the end of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Yeshua will judge his people at the beginning of the millennium. This will become the basis for rewards and assignments in the millennium. Paul tells us in Romans 14:10-12.
10 But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at naught your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat (bema) of Messiah. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Do not think as a believer, your minor indiscretions will not be judged. Salvation is a guarantee, but this is something beyond salvation. Take serious what you do today and never stop the pursuit of righteousness as so many have in the past.
2 Chronicles 29:4-5
4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5 And said to them, Hear me, Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yehovah God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.
After Hezekiah opens the doors of the Temple, he gathers the Levites to cleanse the Temple. As we are to do today.
2 Chronicles 29:6-9
6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done evil in the eyes of Yehovah our Redeemer, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Yehovah, and turned backs. 7 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 Redeemer of Israel. 8 Wherefore the wrath of Yehovah was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as you see with your eyes. 9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.
He starts off with stating that their fathers had forsaken Yehovah. They have not kept the observance at the most minor levels. Next, Hezekiah explains what happened as a result of this. It was the very things that Ahaz and the people were formerly trying to prevent happening. Unfortunately, the fathers were so deep in sin; they could not understand that what they did made things worse. After Hezekiah had seen what happened, possibly with help from others; he wants to change it all. He wants to return to the former ways. But first, it must be done as Yehovah would have them do it.
2 Chronicles 29:10-11
10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with Yehovah God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, be not now negligent: for Yehovah has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him, and burn incense.
Hezekiah tells them what is in his heart. Hezekiah wants a revival, but he realizes he cannot do it on his own. So he makes an appeal for the Levites to stand with him in this repentance.
It is interesting that Hezekiah mentions the burning of incense. Possibly, this was to assure them that what his great grandfather did was not going to happen again. Possibly, Hezekiah was giving them the assurance of just how serious Hezekiah was. That Hezekiah put a difference between the king and the Levites.
2 Chronicles 29:12-15
12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: 13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: 14 And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of Yehovah, to cleanse the house of Yehovah.
The Levites did not even discuss this with Hezekiah. They arose and began the work. They were probably waiting for a king to reopen the Temple. During this time, the Levities and Priests did not have the ability to stand against the king. They sanctified themselves and started to cleanse the Temple.
2 Chronicles 29:16
16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of Yehovah, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of Yehovah into the court of the house of Yehovah. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook Kidron.
They performed the sanctification and cleaning in observance of Torah. The priest cleaned out the interior. There was probably a considerable amount of foreign objects considering what Ahaz had done to the Temple for his own benefit.
2 Chronicles 29:17
17 Now they began on the first of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of Yehovah: so they sanctified the house of Yehovah in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.
It took 8 days to cleanse the House of Yehovah and another eight days to finish completely. This would make sense, since most of the desecration was probably in the main Temple parts, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.
They finished on the 16th day of the first month. They completed the work on the Feast of Firstfruits.
2 Chronicles 29:18-19
18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of Yehovah, and the altar of burnt offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19 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 Yehovah.
Next they informed Hezekiah of the cleansing and sanctification. Most of the work probably related to what Ahaz had done. They had made preparations for the dedication.
2 Chronicles 29:20-21
20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of Yehovah. 21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer on the altar of Yehovah.
Hezekiah did not delay. He gathered all the rulers of the city and went to the house of Yehovah. He brought with him 7 bulls, 7 rams, 7 lambs and 7 goats for a sin offering for the people, the Temple and the land. This may not seem much when compared to what Solomon did in 1 Kings 8:5.
5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
There was so many at the original dedication, it could not be numbered. Or, what was done for the peace offerings in 1 Kings 8:63.
63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Yehovah, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Yehovah.
It is not about numbers or quantity. It has to do with the lesson Yeshua was teaching in Mark 12:42-44.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And He called His disciples, and said to them, Verily I say to you, That this poor widow has cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, all her living.
It is not about the amount nor is it the percentage. It has to do with the heart condition of the individual. During the time of Hezekiah, they were taking a stand against what had been occurring for a significant time. They may not have had the resources, but they had the heart for Yehovah.
However, it is interesting that, when David brought back the ark what he had done, 1 Chronicles 15:25-26.
25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of Yehovah out of the house of Obed-edom with joy. 26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the Ark of the Covenant of Yehovah, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.
David offered 7 bulls and 7 rams. The same occurred in Job 42:8.
8 Therefore take to you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and My servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that you have not spoken of Me right, like My servant Job.
2 Chronicles 29:22-24
22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar. 23 And they brought forth the he goats the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: 24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.
The priests killed the animals for dedication and a sin offering. They were making reconciliation for the past sins of Israel. They were doing what was required to repair the breech between Yehovah and his people. One cannot just simply come back after a significant sin. There is always a price to pay and there must be repentance. There must be a change in the heart condition followed by a change in the direction of their life.
2 Chronicles 29:25-26
25 And he set the Levites in the house of Yehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet: for the commandment of Yehovah by His prophets. 26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the silver trumpets.
Of course, there were musical instruments. Music adds so much to worship. It is an expression of the heart and an emotion of the worshipper.
2 Chronicles 29:27-28
27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of Yehovah began with the silver trumpets, and with the instruments by David king of Israel. 28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: all until the burnt offering was finished.
During the entire time of the offerings, there was worship. It should always be this way. All should worship with all their heart and soul for the God of all creation, our Redeemer.
2 Chronicles 29:29-30
29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. 30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise to Yehovah with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with joyfulness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Then there was more worship. They sang with joy, because they were being freed of the former oppression. That was of result of the sins of the nation. They were returning to Yehovah, the only one who would answer them in power and great mercy. It is freeing to repentant and flow with Yehovah in worship.
2 Chronicles 29:31
31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves to Yehovah, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Yehovah. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
After the worship, Hezekiah encouraged the people to bring forth offerings for sacrifices and thanksgiving. It was not to be required, they were to be freewill offerings. These are the best types.
2 Chronicles 29:32-33
32 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 Yehovah. 33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.
There were 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs for burnt offerings and 600 oxen and 3000 sheep for consecration. Far less than other times, but remember it is not the number that is important. It is the heart condition of the people.
2 Chronicles 29:34
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 priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.
This is both exciting and disappointing at the same time. So many offerings, the priests needed help from the Levities. However, the priests had not sanctified themselves in time. Hard to say why this had happened. It may be, because of all the years of the previous lack of concern by the people.
2 Chronicles 29:35
35 And 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 Yehovah was set in order.
For the first time in a long time, the house was set in order. Once again they could worship Yehovah in the acceptable manner. We must learn that this is important. We cannot do whatever were prefer. We must do what is acceptable by Yehovah. Even today there is an acceptable way to worship God, Romans 12:1-2.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
We must be acceptable to God or it is vain worship.
2 Chronicles 29:36
36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was suddenly.
All the people and Hezekiah rejoiced. Many were probably waiting a long time for this. Once the Temple was sanctified, Hezekiah did not delay. He probably was excited to finally do the right thing regardless that others did not. There was very little time for preparations. Time was of the essence. As it is for believers today. Do not delay, time is shorter than you think.
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