Hezekiah and the Judean Revival

II Chronicles 29-30

Hezekiah begins a revival within the nation of Judah.  He begins by cleansing the Temple of God.  Of course, the priests needed to be consecrated before they could even enter the Temple.  Those who were, initially, began the cleansing.  Apparently there were many “unclean” things in the temple.  These thing were most likely idols of every sort.  It took them 16 days to cleanse the Temple.  After the cleansing, Hezekiah led the people to worship the LORD before the Temple.  Not many of the worshippers were consecrated because at Hezekiah’s invitation to bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the LORD, only 70 bulls, 100 rams and 200 lambs were brought.

Check out 29:36 – “Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.”  God provided the means to sacrifice and worship Him.  God will always provide the means, now in our heart, to worship Him in faith and in love.  This can happen even in the midst of trouble in our lives.

Next, Hezekiah invites all of Judah and the remnant left of Israel (the other 10 tribes had been taken away in exile by the Assyrians at this time) to worship the LORD at the Temple.  He sends couriers with a letter.  Hezekiah admonishes them not to be stubborn, but to turn back to the LORD.  Unfortunately, many of the remnant of Israel were still too far gone:  “…they laughed them to scorn and mocked them.”  Some, though, did come. 

The people worshipped the LORD.  The celebrated Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  They had to do this not on the appointed time.  But the LORD honored them for this.  Here we see a glimpse that it is what is in our hearts that matters to God.  God did not force them to wait to the appointed times.  Nor did He punish them.  He knew their hearts were right and He honored their worship and sacrifices.