At the time of Hezekiah's accession to the throne, the worship of God had fallen into sad decay in the land of Judah. The king's father, Ahaz, during a reign of sixteen years, had gradually made up his mind that there was no profit in serving Jehovah or maintaining His worship. The treasures of the temple had been used to purchase the alliance of heathen kings, "For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the Lord, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not." (2 Chronicles 28:21)
The reign of Ahaz was filled with disaster, but although the prophets Micah, Hosea, and Isaiah, proclaimed faithfully the cause of the evils, and exhorted the people to return to the Lord, to find in quietness and confidence the needed strength, they would not hearken. (Isaiah 30:15; For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall you be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength: and you would not) Instead they leaned upon those who smote them, for Ahaz said, "Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel." (2 Chronicles 28:23)
At last Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut them in pieces, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
Re-Opening the Temple
As a consequence, when Hezekiah was made king, at the age of twenty-five, the house of God was in a deplorable condition. Before he had been on the throne a month he opened the doors of the temple and repaired them. Although the father of Hezekiah had been an infidel, his mother was the daughter of a prophet, and to her training of him was doubtless due the stand he took on the side of the Lord.
He gathered the priests and Levites together, and exhorted them to sanctify themselves, and then cleanse the temple, removing all the filth that had accumulated. In eight days this work was accomplished, and sin-offerings were made on behalf of all the people.
By His prophets God gave directions concerning the order of the proceedings. As the people joined in the solemn service of confession and re-consecration of themselves and the temple to God, their hearts were filled with gladness and thanksgiving. "And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly." (2 Chronicles 29:36)
A Short Work
It was a marvelous change. A month before the worship of God had seemed dead and forgotten, Now it had revived and all the congregation was rejoicing in the Lord. No man would have dared to predict such a reformation, and if anyone had proposed it, the general expectation would have been that it would take a long time to accomplish.
But God's arm was not shortened. All through the years of the reign of Ahaz one disaster after another had fallen upon the nation, and its enemies had triumphed over it, because Judah had not leaned upon the strong arm of their ever-present Deliverer. Now the first recognition of His presence was meeting with such a response of spiritual power and blessing that their hearts were filled with rejoicing.
The barren years of the past might all have been as full of blessing as this week was proving, and it was not God's fault that they had been so different. We may learn from this that when we come to God sinful and unworthy, His temple polluted and abandoned to filth, "which temple you are," (1 Corinthians 3:17) our past lives but a record of idolatry and abominable deeds, God does not turn away from us. He gladly takes such people and prepares them suddenly.
Unfaithful Shepherds
There is one feature of the history which demands attention, because it is ever present in a work of reform. At the preparation of the burnt offerings, not all the priests had sanctified themselves, "for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests." (2 Chronicles 29:34)
In Christ's day, the question was asked, "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him?" (John 7:48)
And there were many who did not dare to confess Him for fear of being put out of the synagogue. It was not until many days after Christ's ascension that we read, "A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." (Acts 6:7)
So in Hezekiah's reformation it was not until all the people had come in, even from the provinces of apostate Israel, that the priests and Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves. "Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord." (2 Chronicles 30:15)
Yet, in spite of the truth which is repeated so often in the Scriptures, that God alone is the head of every man, (1 Corinthians 11:3) and that no one is to be conscience for another, we find men today asking what the ministers and church leaders believe. When an old truth shines anew from the sacred Word, men who profess to be God's servants, excuse themselves from accepting or obeying it, because the ministers have not done so. Many who learn that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, ask, "Why do not the ministers preach it then?"
If the people had waited for the priests, Judah would never have seen the reformation, and those who wait now for others to obey before they receive the word, may wait for ever. When God prepared the hearts of the people they waited for no man, and the thing was done suddenly. So the prophets of Hezekiah's day tell us that the remnant of Jacob, in the last days, shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, "that tarries not for man, nor waits for the sons of men." (Micah 5:7) "You have eaten the fruit of lies: because you did trust in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men." (Hosea 10:13)
Observing the Passover
While the people were assembled at the re-dedication services, it was decided among them that the Passover should be observed. The proper time for this was the first month, but rather than wait a whole year for the privilege, they agreed, and the Lord approved their decision, that the Passover should be kept in the second month. Letters were sent throughout Judah and Israel calling all the people to Jerusalem to join in the service.
The promise was given, perhaps through Isaiah, that if the people would yield themselves unto the Lord, and come once more to His sanctuary, the fierceness of His wrath should be turned away from them, and those of them that had already been carried away captive should return to the land. Even then, on the very eve of Israel's captivity and dispersion, Jehovah's love for them was as strong as ever. He was still ready to do for them all the good things that were promised to the obedient, if they would turn to Him with all their hearts. "So the posts passed from city to city...but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers...humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem." (2 Chronicles 30:10-11)
Rejoicing in the Lord
All Judah joined with one heart in the celebration of the Passover, and a great company assembled at Jerusalem. They broke down all the idolatrous altars in Jerusalem and cast them into the brook Kidron. Many of the people were ignorant of the cleansing that God had prescribed for those who should eat the Passover, "yet did they eat the Passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one That prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people." (2 Chronicles 30:18-20)
So there was great gladness among all the people, and they made the air ring with their songs of praise, "singing with loud instruments unto the Lord." (2 Chronicles 30:21)
The Levites taught the good knowledge of the Lord, and the people had such a joyful time together, that it was unanimously decided to keep another seven days in the same way. "So 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. ... and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to God's holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven." (2 Chronicles 30:26-27)
Praise is Comely
"Praise waits for You, O God, in Zion!" (Psalm 65:1) "Praise the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely." (Psalm 147:1)
God inhabits the praises of Israel, but too often, instead of building Him a glorious habitation of praise and thanksgiving, His people cause Him to dwell in a silent, deserted house, in sad need of cleansing and repair. God loves to be praised by His children, not for the sake of being praised, but because He delights to fill their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing over the great things He has done for them. "He puts gladness in men's hearts, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." (Psalm 4:7)
When men praise God with their whole heart it means that they are waking up to some appreciation of His everlasting love for them by proving it in their own lives. When Israel could be persuaded for awhile to fix their eyes on the Lord, it always let in a flood of rejoicing. If it were not that we are equally blameworthy, we would wonder that men could ever be so foolish as to drop back again into the chilly darkness of despair. Yet they did, and their history is written for us that we should not "fall after the same example of unbelief." (Hebrews 4:11)--Present Truth, October 27, 1898--Notes on the International Sunday-School Lessons, November 6--2 Chronicles 30:1-13
E.J. Waggoner