Hezekiah's National Revival

Today we examine the intriguing and instructive Old Testament passage found in second Chronicles chapter 30 passage that I actually tag 10 years ago as a potentially profitable sermon and dropped from notes in the file and pulled that out this week. It is an account of an usual spiritual revival in the nation of Israel, which occurred during the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah.

After many many many years of spiritual decline. Today I'm endeavoring to examine the elements that God used to bring about this wonderful event and to apply some of those lessons to our own day for guidelines for what we all pray may in the goodness of God be a similar result in our nation. So we're going to look first of all, at the record. Second, the restoration and third, the results by the record, I mean the history that leads up to the event in chapter 30, and for that you have to reach back a few chapters in just skim the surface but get on our minds exactly what the conditions were like when Hezekiah endeavored to bring about these changes that we read about in chapter 30 and this was a time for more than 200 years of the nation of Israel have been divided between northern and southern kingdom.

The northern kingdom had been generally and universally in spiritual decline. The entire time they were wayward was not a single king that rained upon the throne of the northern the northern section of Israel that faithfully served the Lord in the South. It was a different story.

But it was a very mixed record as you go through the kings of the southern kingdom of Judah, you find that some of them were godly men and endeavored to serve the Lord to lead God's people in the in the ways of God and than others of them were careless and did not do so and so you have universal decline in the north and what I would probably call fair to middling spirituality in the South wasn't great but it wasn't as bad as it was in the North, but it was a mixed record and there was over this time. General decline going further down down down further away from God.

Let me give you a few details of what I just described an overview we could put our finger back on almost any of the kings preceding Hezekiah, but will start with King Messiah. The fifth King back from Hezekiah. His reign as described in chapter 25 and it was I would say described as a wavering rain started out well that was I we read was 25 years old when he became king in the rain 25 years in Jerusalem verse two and did what was right in the side of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.

The description of one who endeavored to do the external things that God had commanded, but whose heart really wasn't in it. And of course that always leads to declension. So we read in verse 14 of chapter 25 note was so after Messiah came from the slaughter of the Edomites that he brought the gods of the people of Cedar set them up to be his God's bow down before them and burned incense to them. He brought idolatry intentionally and deliberately into the land of Judah and encouraged his people to worship idols so were not surprised. We read in verse 22 and Judah was defeated by Israel and every man fled to his tent was military defeat by the northern kingdom that was actually more spiritually than the South. God used the northern kingdom to chasten the waywardness of the southern kingdom. That's kingdom is I he was followed by King Uzziah who rained a long time King Uzziah is the one that we know of from the words of Isaiah. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and lifted up in his train filled the temple and so forth. That's King Uzziah king is I had a good beginning and a decent rain but before was over. He had a prideful destruction. Chapter 26 we read in verse four and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father, M Uzziah had done verse 16. But when he was strong. His heart was lifted up to his destruction. For he transgressed against the Lord is God by entering the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Verse 21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in an isolated house because he was a leper, for he was cut off from the house of the Lord.

That's King Uzziah, a good beginning, prideful destruction that was followed by King Joe Thornton who was exemplary very short description of his reign. Chapter 27 it's only nine versus but he would be rained admirably. We read in verse two and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah had done although he did not enter the temple of the Lord like Uzziah did sinful, but still the people acted corruptly is not much spiritual faithfulness going on among the general population. Verse six of Joseph and became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord is God.

And then we come to chapter 28 the last king before Hezekiah King Ahaz and his reign, and I don't think I'll read any of these verses, but I'll just described them. His reign is described as blatant disobedience which resulted in shameful and humiliating military defeat. First of all by Syria and then by the northern kingdom of Israel.

He attempted to make political alliances with with stronger nations around him and they fail the ones that he he bribed the ones that he paid to be his his allies paid them with treasures out of the temple. They didn't keep their word and they became his enemy. Anyway, failed military alliances, spiritual decline of the greatest measures described in this chapter the fact we read in verse 24 so Asa Ahaz rather gather the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles of the house of God, shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and made for himself alters in every corner of Jerusalem and therefore we are not terribly surprised. In fact, maybe even a little bit encouraged to realize that when he died. He was so unpopular with his people that they didn't even bury him with the other King that's described in verses 26 and 27. He died in political disgrace.

But I get a picture of what's going on. We come to chapter 29 and one King Hezekiah comes to the throne.

This is what is facing many years of spiritual decline, many years of disobedience many years of idolatry, idolatrous worship. Many years of disobedience to the Lord God in your King Hezekiah comes to the throne, and that that is sent to the throne as described in chapter 29 and he was a man of godly commitment and he was determined to restore faithful worship to God. Obedience to the word of God to the nation read about in verse 29 Yvette verses one to chapter 29 Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem.

Verse two and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done. In chapter 29 goes on to describe the many reform that he instituted very quickly upon ascending the throne. He started out in verses three and four by opening the temple doors that had been close no worship was going on in the temple. He reversed that he opened the temple and began public worship once again.

He regathered the priests and the Levites so that they could serve the Lord in the temple. That's verses 14 to 15. He cleansed the temple in verses 16 through 19, which was filled with all kinds of junk and become basically a storehouse they work. Doors were shut. Nobody was worshiping nobody was using it. It was filled with all kinds of junk and with various idols and objects of ungodly worship in the temple to Jehovah, so he cleansed the temple. He restored animal sacrifices to their proper place.

Verses 20 through 24 of chapter 29 and as we mentioned reinstituted public worship as described in verses 25 through 2036 with the priest and the Levites in the animal sacrifices and the choirs and the orchestras full restoration of public worship with all of the things that that added to the worship of Jehovah. They are all reinstituted by King Hezekiah but he's not done. Now we come to chapter 30 a chapter for today and he recognizes that the annual feast days have not yet been restored and there are three in the first one on the calendar is the feast of Passover that takes place in the first month of the year. That's the feast that celebrates God's redemption of his people from Egypt. It is a symbol of redemption by blood.

Remember, the lambs were slain.

The blood was put up on the doorpost in roughly the shape of a cross.

The cross of Calvary.

The young people salute lambs for every household and then ate those lambs in their household element by element, remembering of various acts of God's mercy and power in rescuing them out of Egypt and in bringing them salvation because all of this pointed to salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Passover, some would say that was the most important of the three annual festivals, religious festivals, I don't know if that's necessarily a right assessment of not but Hezekiah wanted to get them all going anywhere.

Describe the first one, and so the Passover was first put into problem because the Passover is supposed to be celebrated in the first month of the year and the first month it already past without proper preparation with without proper gathering of the people and if they didn't do it. Now they have to wait a whole year to get started and he didn't think that would be honored to the Lord and so he prescribed that they would celebrated in the second month on the properly prescribed day of the month and there is. That wasn't an arbitrary decision on his part. If you read in Numbers chapter 9 you'll find the godly provision regarding the Passover. If anyone was out of the country during the time it was. Norman is normally celebrated in the first month that he should celebrated on the second month. If anyone was unclean during the first month because he touched a dead animal or a or dead person a dead body then if he couldn't celebrated in the first month he was to celebrated in the second month is a provision was made for a second month celebration. If people were not qualified to participate in the first month and the king in constant counsel with his counselors with his cabinet decided that this situation warranted that exception, they authorized the celebration in the second month but we learn as we go through this chapter particulars, we come to the conclusion that the Passover had not been properly celebrated since the days of Solomon. There had been some times when there had been something of a what should I say a minimal observance, but it wasn't one that was prescribed by God. It fell short.

No doubt in many different areas but one in particular in that the whole nation didn't gather as was prescribed by the law of God because what happened after the death of Solomon. The kingdom was divided North and South and in the north, but Jeroboam made certain that the people would not go to Jerusalem to worship God.

He was afraid that might result in political reunification and so he took steps to to discourage it even prohibit people from going to Jerusalem to worship and so since the days of Solomon 215 years have now passed since the Passover had been observed. According to the law of God, 215 years. How long would that be in our nations history that would take us back 215 years would take us back to 1805.

That's a long time ago. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since 1805, or a lot of water has gone over the dam whenever you want to say it, and a lot of water had gone over the dam in the nation of Israel. The last 215 years since they had celebrated the Passover. According to the word of God. So Hezekiah sent out a what I call the courageous proclamation sent out to all of Israel, North and South. Now some things that happened in the north to make it more what should I say more more likely that they might respond because they were now already under military siege. They had already had one invasion of the North and some of their people had already been carried away captive by Assyria.

So now they were definitely under the judging hand of God. They were crumbling they were vulnerable.

They worked a strong and mighty Israel that invaded Judah on more than one occasion prevailed. Now they were terribly weakened, militarily and in every other way and so from that standpoint. From a human standpoint. It looks like this might be a more likely time to be able to reunite the nation in observing the Passover, something that had not been done for 215 years and so Hezekiah sends out messengers to all of the nation North to South Dan to Beersheba, all the way from the farther south to the farthest north and everyplace in between, and his message is basically this and you can read about. I read it to you earlier returned to the Lord God and he will return to you replant acknowledge your sales turn from your idolatry, turn from your disobedience, turn from your neglect turned back to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel.

The court is called in this chapter, not not Jacob. Of course, that's the same person and the FPD.

If you do that he will return to you. Now the question is how did Hezekiah know the God return to them if they did that.

How could he be so certain.

God is sovereign. How could they could he say if you will do this if you will turn to the Lord God, he will return to you. Well in the first place. That's a general principle of the word of God that God is merciful and certainly not obligated, but is merciful and if people will come to him in a repentant, humble frame of mind. He will come to them. But there's more than that. This is based upon the prayer of Solomon of the dedication of the temple in second Chronicles chapter 6 and Solomon there prayed for God to do certain things when the people strayed when they disobeyed when they were defeated militarily and so forth and so on. The whole prayers filled with things like this and Solomon had prayed to God when the people astray and they returned to you. Please return to them. That was his petition and at the end of the prayer. God answered that prayer with fire from heaven to indicate that he heard and approved, so Hezekiah is making this promise on the basis of God's word. That's pretty strong ground to make the promise if you will return God will return to you.

So he calls upon them to humble themselves before God, reminding them to God is gracious, the God will restore.

I can't help but notice how often in the Bible God uses hardships to humble people and to awaken them to their spiritual need. That's what he did to northern Israel. That's what he's done many other times throughout biblical history.

That's what we have seen him do throughout church history over the last 2000 years or so and I pray I pray I pray that that's what God is doing today in America.

I don't know what he's doing, but if he is bringing these things to humble us to our knees and to return us to himself, bringing bring on the cove. I don't like it would bring it on. If you have that result you know what's best. You know what's needed. Bring on the civil unrest I don't like that either. If that's what's needed to humble America to awaken America to bring America to its knees and bring it on, Lord God we need revival.

We desperately need revival.

While this message went out and it produced a very mixed response. You can read about in verses 10 through 12, the majority of those throughout the northern tribes, the 10 northern tribes who heard this invitation mocked the messages they paid no attention whatsoever. However, some that's verse 10. However, some verse 11 obey some humbled themselves and accepted the invitation. They were a minority, but some did. Even if most did not. Some would come even if most would not, and the result is that God uses that small response to bring about a great national awakening that should be encouraging doesn't require a majority God delights to use small numbers small minorities to accomplish his eternal purposes, so most mocked with some obeyed, but the tribe of Judah, the southern kingdom almost universally obey. There was a different response. They are you can read about that in verse 12, so that is a description of Hezekiah's ambitious plan in verses one through 12. The second part of chapter 30 that I call the restoration details the amazing accomplishment that unfolded in verses 13 to 22 and I will describe that we've already read these verses. It begins by making note of the large assembly in Jerusalem.

Passive it wasn't. The majority of the nation, but it was a huge assembly. It was nearly everybody.

I suppose in Judah that was able-bodied to be there and this remnant these some few, but the sum that came from the other tribes. And when you put them all together. It was a large gathering of the nation of Israel. But before they could begin, it was necessary that there be another cleansing of the temple. They had cleansed it once, but apparently there were still some things were not done. We all relate to that.

You can clean your addict, but maybe have to go back and clean it again to get a completely done right and your basement you get get it partially done. Clean your office clean anything so that they had started to clean that cleansed the temple, but they still have a ways to go and before they could observe the Passover properly and worship God. They had to make a thorough and to this work of cleansing the temple so we learned that they did that in verse 14. They took the altars, the incense altars and other things out of the temple and throughout Jerusalem and through them all in the brook Kedron outside which was the the dump for the city of Jerusalem, which reminds me that if were going to have revival in America. It's going to require what we might call both positive and negative elements. Some people only want to deal with the positives. Let's do this good thing.

Let's do this nice thing. Let's do this lovely thing, but there are some hard things to do that. There are some changes that need to be made.

There are some areas of disobedience would have to be addressed. Let's not worry about those.

Let's just do the nice things. If you're only willing to do the nice things and are not willing to do the nasty things the hard things that it's not likely that God will send revival got to deal with the negatives as well as the positives you have to be obedient to all of God's word, not just the parts that are sweet and lovely you have to realize that God's commandments at both negatives and positives, there are thou shouts thou shalt honor thy father and mother and so forth.

And there are shalt not's.

Thou shalt not admit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill. There are the negatives there are the positives they all have to be dealt with if were going to please the Lord.

So there was a large assembly, there was a necessary cleansing. There was an exemplary due obedience. Interestingly, according to verse 15 the most wholehearted obedience actually occurred among what we would call the dedicated layman and then spread its positive influence to the spiritual leaders. The priests and the Levites according to the last part of verse 15 in verse 16 is not interested. Sometimes we say will nothing good can happen until all the spiritual leaders get right and are leading correctly. Not necessarily so Christians, church members if they will be obedient to God can be used of God to bring conviction to pastors and spiritual leaders who been reluctant God may use the obedience of the layman to bring the leaders to a proper repentance before God and so this exemplary obedience, which had a positive influence upon the spiritual leaders resulted in a pardoning mercy. God mercifully pardoned them.

There were a number of people were told who were not ceremonially cleansed to be qualified to observe the Passover. We don't know what exactly had disqualified them were not told, but they were not ceremonially cleansed a touch dead bodies.

We just don't know and Hezekiah basically said look, Levites, you just go ahead and make offerings for these people and offer sacrifices for their sins, and I pray to God to pardon them in working to tell them the go-ahead on the basis of God's pardoning mercy and that's what they did and God was pleased though they didn't observe things meticulously according to every detail of the law. But though the law was given for us to endeavor to keep it's also given. More importantly to show us they were unable to keep it and what is really given for this to show us our weakness, arsenic are in need of God's mercy, to cause us to see our sins and to repent of them, and the cry out to a gracious and pardoning God and when we do that God is gracious and will part and that's exactly what happened. The pardoning mercy of God as the Levites told slaughtered many of the Passover lambs because many of the people were not ceremonially cleansed and went qualified to slaughter their own. It's not real clear the Old Testament times, it looks like the, the father, the head of each household slot of the land for his household is another reference to the elders slaughtering the lambs that word elder may refer to the head of each household or it may refer to elders in the nation of Israel, many of which would've been many elders in every community, but in any case, the normal procedure was not followed because many of the people were not cleansed, the, the animal had been slain, the sacrifice had to be made in order for them to be cleansed in order for them to partake and until the animals slink, they couldn't be cleansed and so they couldn't they couldn't slay the animal because they were qualified and so the Levites stepped up and did that job and God was pleased who was a pardoning God like the and who has grace so rich, so free and thus we see there was an enthusiastic participation by everybody involved and were also very very pleased and encouraged and instructed to realize that all of this was very much a word centered event. There was word centered ministry going on in all of this. Notice verse 22, and Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord.

Then it was a result of their teaching. We read some of the other things that took place who talked a good knowledge of the Lord.

That was one of the assignments that was given to the priests and the Levites to be teachers of God's word. Throughout the whole nation of Israel, even though the priests and Levites and we usually think of them as their primary duty being to serve in the temple to make the sacrifices the animal sacrifices to take care of the altar and all the things that are involved in that the truth of the matter is that by the time the number of priests and Levites had grown significantly. They only served in the temple about two weeks out of the year.

What they do for the younger 50 weeks. They were teaching God's word in their communities. It's interesting to note the God by design. Scattered the tribe of Levi. All throughout the 12 tribes.

All the tribes had their territory. But the Levites had homes in towns scattered all throughout the 12 tribes so that they would be in every part of the nation of Israel so that they would be teachers of God's word everywhere. He was their responsibility to faithfully teach God's word throughout the land of Israel. That's what they're doing here. The taught the good knowledge of the Lord and then the people ate the feast seven days as prescribed by God, by Moses, then the people offered peace offerings in their worship to God as prescribed by God, then we read in verse 22. The people were making confession to the Lord God of their fathers is a lot of obedient activity and heart searching activity going on here. This is a description of people getting their hearts right with God. People who are now obeying the commandments of God in regard, regard to proper worship and confessing their sins. Before the Lord and acknowledging that they have been been very sinful and negligent in their relationship with God, and the result is that the Passover was observed as prescribed by God. The Passover was restored and it was observed as intended by God for the first time since the days of cell 215 years before that is an amazing thing.

That's what I have called the restoration. The last part of chapter 30 is what we will call the results and I see four results.

The grew out of all of this. What are the number one is restored spiritual order and that's a reference to what has gone on before the chapter, the temple worship was properly restored. The function of the priests and the Levites were properly restored. Everything was restored as prescribed by God restored spiritual order took place throughout the land.

And that's important. Number two, there was expanded voluntary worship, you heard me reading earlier they observed the Passover seven days as prescribed by Moses then what they observed seven more days. Moses then require that God didn't require that that was their enthusiasm that was there voluntary worship now, folks you think about this for people to leave their homes leave their cities leave their jobs leave their farms leave whatever they're doing and come to Jerusalem and observe one of these annual feast days for seven days is a very significant expenditure of time and resources. It's costly in many ways but obedient Jews did that but they have been doing it since the division of the kingdom. Now they do and they are so filled with a sense of joy and gratitude in worship and onto God.

Their sins had been confessed. They have been returned. They have been turned from disobedience to obedience. They are worshiping God in the way that he prescribed and they are so filled with enthusiasm for the worship of God that they said could we just stay another week and do this for another seven days, and Hezekiah the king encouraged that by donating many many animals to allow this worship to go on for another week of the other leaders tripped and likewise and so there's extra worship which was not required by God is evidence that something genuine is going on here is evidence of genuine revival. The changes that are taking place in the hearts of the people and their enthusiasm for public worship. Even though it be costly, which was politically encouraged and supported by the king and the other leaders because godly leaders can accomplish much good of the nation as God enables them to see that here so result number one restored spiritual order result number two expanded voluntary worship result number three exceeding manifestation of joy exceeding manifestation of joy. Then the whole assembly verse 23 agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept enough of the other seven days with gladness. Verse 25. The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced. Also, the priests and Levites.

While the assembly became together. Verse 26, so there was great joy in Jerusalem for since the time of Solomon the son of David of Israel.

There had been nothing like this in Jerusalem exceeding manifestation of joy and then number four satisfying divine approval.

This is more important than anything else they received the acknowledgment that God was pleased. Verse 27 then the priests, the Levites arose and bless the people undoubtedly the priestly blessing of numbers. Chapter 6 the Lord bless you and keep you Lord causes face to shine upon you, so the priests and Levites arose and bless the people and their voice was heard and their voice came up to his holy dwelling place to have. How did they know that we are not told what they did, they realized that their prayers were heard.

The God received favorably that God was pleased, not because these are sinless people but because they are repentant people because they are believing people because they are newly believing in people. God is pleased they have the satisfaction of divine approval approval, which is most important of all, now could I take some of these lessons and apply them to the United States today. In closing, what is likely to occur if we are going to see spiritual revival in our nation we all long for it but I don't think in many cases we've know what to look for, or specifically how to pray or what it is that God expects of us and what will happen if God brings revival years ago used to sing a song that had thought-provoking theme. I don't know if any of you can remember it or not is clear back probably to the 70s and early 80s we used to sing, do you really really want revival. Do you really want God's power goes on to describe some of the things that take place when revival comes is that what you really want. Do you really want these kinds of changes to take place in your heart and like in your family and your church in your community. Is that what you want your praying for revival are you willing for real heaven sent revival to come and make these changes in your life do you really want revival or are you just mouthing the words what what will we need to see in America.

If God is pleased to bring revival. First of all there is there is the imperative of God ordained worship were going to have to stop playing games with our worship stop are entertainment centered worship stop are emotionally centered worship and get back to God centered worship. If we are serious about wanting God to send revival number two there is not only number one the imperative of God ordained worship of theirs. Number two the importance of right attitudes toward worship. If we reform our worship to make it more God centered and Bible centered. Will you be pleased how you respond to that.

We have a right attitude toward worship because as we see in this passage, revived hearts eagerly desire this kind of worship revived hearts eagerly spend the time paying the cost necessary to give God his biblically prescribed worship we see it here as they wanted to go on for another week we see it throughout history. When we real revival has gone to all the people of God have gathered together in some cases extended meetings night after night after night after night week after week after week after week you said that would wear us out. How would we get our art are necessary things done. Somehow that all takes a backseat does get done, but it isn't first priority anymore. Worshiping God becomes first priority. I'm well aware the gods were doesn't prescribe. For example, the on the Lord's day that we are commanded to gather twice morning and night, or any other time during the week either's nothing is required, demanded, prescribed in that regard. But we do see down through history, is that when there was a real evidence of revival. This is what people wanted to do. They were in St. why do we have to go to church and Sunday night they were saying oh wonderful another opportunity to gather to worship and to hear God's word and fellowship in the praise I take it therefore you can throw stones at me if you like all stand here make a target.

I take it therefore that the modern trend for churches to basically just reduce their public gatherings, down to maybe just one worship, one time a week on Sunday morning because everybody seems to prefer it that way and so much more convenient. I take it that that is probably an evidence of coldness of heart and spiritual decline, and that if we really experience revival organist see things going back in the other direction. Again, just an opinion but I offered what may be when hearts are warm toward God. They desire and delight together with God's people in the worship of God number three. The significance of joyful participation in worship that we try to accomplish that artificially by jazzy music. Artificial ways to jacked people up emotionally folks we don't need the artificial we desperately desire the genuine and only God can give it. We can't, we can drum up joy if it's not there when hearts are clans when hearts are right when God draws near.

When we draw near to him and he draws near to us. When God becomes more real in our souls. Joy is the automatic result and enjoy full participation in worship that doesn't require a lot of artificial stimulation to make it sound joyful is an evidence the genuine revival is at work in lesson number four is the priority of God's approval not man's need to seek that above all else. The main thing is not what will make the community want to come to church, not what will make unchurched people want to come to church, not what will make loss.

People want to come to church, not what will make people who grew up in church and have gotten gotten the gotten negative about church. What we can do to change church to like it. Want to come folks. The only thing that really matters is that when God's people assemble to worship their God, and that by the way, is the primary purpose for the church gathering.

It is for the people of God to assemble to worship the Lord Jesus Christ to worship our God that when God's people gather to worship God. They do it for the approval of God and let God take care of the rest. Let God take care of changing hearts and giving people a taste for God honoring worship we got it backwards were trying to get people into church by man's centered entertainment and then wonder why are we not changing our nation. Why are we not impacting our society does let that question linger in the air and then think about it for a while and realize the answer is because we have lost the main thing which is God's approval not man's approve.

I close with two statements number one God is more eager to extend mercy than we are to render obedient devotion.

God is more eager to extend mercy than we are to render obedient devotion.

All let us render obedient devotion and claim and receive God's wonderful mercy and the second that was my statement.

The second one is by Matthew Henry, who said if you return to God in the way of duty. He will return to you in the way of mercy if you will return to God in the way of duty. He will return to you in the way of mercy. It's about for prayer father take your word instruct our hearts work in our hearts cause us to design or you and obedience to your word more than anything else. We pray in Jesus name, amen