Hezekiah-The King who cleaned house (Part A)

Relevance of God's word is up to men. If God's word is not the same yesterday today and forever, then how can we trust it was the one that gets to say what is this relevant or it's not. Evidently the one who can write the book that gets the most people to buy, they become the authority and then people boast about it with a straight face that they read the book and the try to quote "Scripture, this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Genesis. Please stay with us after today's message more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of second Chronicles chapter 30 as he begins his message the king who cleaned house. We continue our series on the life and times of people in the Bible. Hezekiah is the person who we are going to consider messages entitled the king who cleaned house now. Coincidently, we have a housecleaning coming up for the church but when I chose the verse to associate with that event. I was careful not to associate it with Hezekiah because you see, Hezekiah is cleaning out the damage left behind by apostates.

Where is David the verse that we reference from first Chronicle is speaking about instituting caretakers for the house of God. Very significant. While our text is second Chronicles chapter 30 and if everything goes as planned. We will be spending all of our time. Somewhere between oh second Chronicles 28 and second Chronicles 32 how text is second Chronicles chapter 31st 22 and there we read in verse 22, and Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught good knowledge of the Lord in the eight throughout the feast seven days offering peace offerings and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers.

This is knowing the whole story sis is in the midst of it in this very, very significant, very powerful, very wonderful. He encouraged the Levites who taught the good knowledge of Jehovah. How many pastors are encouraged today to preach the good word of God.

How many are discouraged from preaching the good word of God. How many have their handlers tell them that they've got 20 minutes to get to it is not what the Bible teaches anywhere. Quite the contrary.

As I mentioned, this text brings us into the midst of this great revival by Hezekiah's zeal for God's disdain for the false gods of his father. His own father and the people who helped him ruin the nation.

He is another yet another hero of our faith, though, is not a hero by many today by their standards mainly at right now. The flavor of choice is the emergent church is not a single church.

It is a collection of churches who really don't want to hear what God has to say what they want to feel good about themselves. They want you to feel good about yourself with a really don't care what God feels they are more concerned with how they feel. My outline is to briefly discuss the texts are text the relevance of it.

The refusal of Hezekiah to settle for less. And the reality of God to the king. The idea being that we Christians, we observe such a man from Scripture or characters from Scripture and we learn from them. We are encouraged by them. We get flashbacks of it during the week commanders enough things to have that are negative when it comes to flashbacks. How about some righteous ones. How about a point from the pulpit is made and in you doing something and it comes back and you are invigorated and strengthened by he encouraged the spiritual leaders so that the faith within the land would prevail through the Reformation, not the Reformation of the reformers of your mother, Martin Luther's and such, but the reforms that he had instituted to bring back true worship to the people of God in the land that God had given them. In other words, he was sick of the treatment that God's name receive by apostates and their supporters and he decided now that he was king.

He was going to do something about it right away and he did to me these lessons. They do not get old because not only are they always relevant. But they are becoming increasingly relevant thinking about the Valley of Megiddo.

From Mount Megiddo looking at the Valley and looking at it from Mount Carmel, the Jews. Their strategy today. The idea Israeli Defense force. It is a defense force because they have no plan for the invasion of other countries.

However their defense strategy is to invade the other countries very very wise very shrewd essay. Look, we've only got the little piece of land and was going to be attacked with him to take the fight to the other guy and fight on his back in a fight here and they pulled it off very successful. I love it is God giving them not only the wisdom but the ability to pull it off there been setbacks. Of course, but in the end they prevail, but looking at that Valley. The day is coming when they will not be able to take the fight to the enemy.

The enemy will storm into their land and had it not been for Jesus Christ return the Mount of olives, they would be wiped out. My point is that Valley is becoming increasingly relevant in the prophetic clock so is apostasy.

It is becoming increasingly relevant because of all of the vehicles to communicate which is the very thing the apostates are spinning around God missing we have better understanding of each other now. Wish you could just get out of the way which Scripture we still want your salvation.

By the way, reducing God to being a slave is what it ends up being at 25 years of age. Hezekiah becomes King and the restoration begins verse one of second Chronicles 29 Hezekiah became king when he was 25 years old and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem and right away as I mentioned, he goes to work on this. I'm sure he lines up. The people that are on his side and he begins to institute that which God wanted him to do what God wanted his father to do. Listen to this from second Kings chapter 18 which is a parallel account of these events and Chronicles 2nd Kings 18 verses four and six he Hezekiah removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars cut down the wooden image and broken pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it. No question brass thing lightly me was saying this is nothing he trusted in Jehovah God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, all who were born before him, for he held fast to the Lord.

He did not depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord God commanded Moses. Moses word never became irrelevant to this king, regardless of all of the years that had passed the word of Moses was the word of God and it was relevant).

Right now, and of all the kings of Judah since the kingdom split none lived up to this name just I had not enough time, I think, is part of the idea of social needs site was an exemplary king but looking at the life of these men of God in Scripture we say when anyone can start the race, but can they finish the answer is yes absolutely they can finish but the apostate does not finish the apostate, the one who falls from the faith or the heretic who doesn't fall out of the faith stays into but has fallen. Nonetheless still wants to be counted amongst the righteous.

Oftentimes they fail in the race because it's their choice. Deuteronomy 2814 so you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day to the right to the left to go after other gods to serve them on this.

What we see Hezekiah doing and grabbing the people and their going with him. They could've assassinated him.

But thank God they were sick of the years of Ahaz. Proverbs 427 do not turn to the right or to the left remove your foot from evil.

That's how you stay the course that you finish the race. One of the things that Hezekiah had for him and this is one of those bullet points in the life and times the people of the Bible. What did he have going for him.

David was his hero.

He had a man in his life from Scripture who he held in high esteem. We could identify with and who he followed because that man followed the Lord, we don't have anywhere near the time it would take to bring all of the cell you have to pour over the Scriptures in Isaiah and Chronicles in the kings to get that from Hezekiah. But there is one track here in second Chronicles it talks about how he reinstituted the Levites in temple worship. After they cleaned out the house. They brought the musicians and it says they gave them loud instruments they wanted to feel the worship and he mentions David's name here. Time and time again it says any station, the Levites in the house of the Lord with symbols and stringed instruments with harps, according to the commandment of David of Gad, the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet thus was the commandment of Jehovah by his prophet to see he puts David's name there and he brings right there with him.

The men of God and in the life of King hasn't Kia. What profit was right there holding his hand at the doorstep of death.

Isaiah so that he got 15 years extensions life. It says Levites stood with the instruments of David and the priest with the trumpets and then it goes on in the says and when the burnt offering begin the song of Jehovah were also began with the trumpets and with the instruments of King David of Israel that it continues. So all the assembly worship the singers saying the trumpeter sounded.

All this continued until the burnt offering was finished when they had finished offering the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped that. Moreover, King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph, the seer, so they sing with praises with gladness. The bow their heads and they worshiped in the midst of this, they get the temple right they missed the time of the Passover. So they asked celebrate the Passover. The next month, a violation of the law of Moses. In addition to that the priest weren't ready to offer the sacrifices of the Levites had to be brought in and the people weren't yet ceremonially clean. So Hezekiah goes to the Lord and asked permission and goddesses okay do it contrary to the law. These are all pictures of grace and that Hezekiah is a type of Jesus Christ became another time when the Passover when price was dying for us today were sticklers of the insignificant things we won't tear going to pilot's house on the Sabbath will kill an innocent man on the cross in front of everybody swallowing camels gagging on next something that all of us are susceptible to S&S the text that some of what's surrounding this. He encouraged all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of Jehovah.

Now the relevance issue to you who attend this church and many others who we know, listen to the CDs and the messages on the Internet or wherever we are able to broadcast them. These sorts of messages are common, they may be so common that you may get a little dull.

If you're not careful not remain in the spirit I heard that I knew that you know that if we got here. Some of you but now you've got it is a getting dull to you and if it is you have to consider what's going on, but there are other churches where they do not have the word of God held high at all. Some in that group may say they do what they don't. They returned from God's word, the teaching of the good knowledge is not something so good to them if they want to always hear about themselves from the pulpit rather than God. You know, there are those sick may singers they can only sing songs about their hurt when it comes to worshiping full out the magnificent of the Lord, the magnification of the law of the exaltation of the Lord they really don't buy that so much they want to hear how God loves them no matter what. Naturally, the extent of what they want to hear your son like that when it comes to the pulpit to the only want to hear about the things that are going to make them the promise them green pastures don't want to hear about them having to pick up their cross to find Jesus being on those under the spell of such polished heretics and apostates such as Rick Warren and Rob Bell. If you don't know who they are good if you do know who they are. Keep your sword sharp because they have exchanged and they are very verbal. On this day I put it in writing have put it on video. They have put it on audio. They are very clear with this statement.

I'll tell you in a minute wife. They don't seem to be clear, but they are clear that cultural prevalence is what matters not Scripture alone. Not so Scripture not thus saith the Lord, what cultural relevance. I have a quote here from Rob Bell who does not believe in hell. Oh well, I don't believe they'll exist held responses.

I mean it's like you gotta be kidding me. But anyway, in a recent YouTube video. I grabbed the slope of the site commenting on his YouTube video I could not watch the video in a recent YouTube video promoting his new book title omitted by me begins the video by describing the car. He had when he was 20.

A four-door Delta 88 symbols will be penis friends called the sled he goes on to explain that Oldsmobile factories had to shut down because the car company couldn't keep up with the times he continues.

I tell you about the sled that's that Oldsmobile for growing number of people in our modern world. God is a bit like the Oldsmobile things have changed. We have more information and technology than ever. We are interacting with a broader, more diverse range of people than ever and the tribal God the only one. Many people have ever heard of appears more and more small and narrow and irrelevant and in some cases, just plain mean and other times not that intelligent. Bell then goes on to give examples of influential Christian leaders teaching on controversial topics such as belief that women should not be leaders in the church all homosexual people go to hell, which we don't believe we don't believe all homosexuals go to hell. We believe impenitent homosexuals go to hell just like impenitent car thieves or decent people or anybody else continues, and that God created the earth in a literal six days. We shouldn't preach that God couldn't create the world in six days probably did like 5 1/2 just rounded off to six anyway but anyway this is a problem. He argues that over the last 20 years of being a pastor big deal I could pastor longer than that. So I outrank you continues to continually have seen people with a growing sense that their spirituality is in some vital and yet mysterious way central to who they are as a person that if you can cut through all this nonsense, but I'm sure many of you will go look at the video on this fine them and do your research.

Get your ducks in a row trust but verify what he's saying is the church in the Scripture is not relevant. It needs to be rethought were smarter. After all, than the people of the Bible Scripture doesn't change. Isaiah 48 the grass whether the flowers fade, the word of God is forever. This on the heels of insane flesh is like grass and parishes what you know Jesus, heaven and earth will pass away, but in no way will my words pass away, not a shot or until go away. Then they enjoy reputations of being Christian pastors by a single declaration.

That's why they get away with it.

They make this declaration. At some point or another.

Not in this guys case ballistic Rick Warren.

For example, I believe that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ still say, then he will proceed to contradict everything he just said. With that statement, but he's already got the crowd they check the box all his Okies.

One of us who is one of us does matter what he says now these are the kind of smoke and mirrors. They are using to lead the church into apostasy at a rate unprecedented in a getting away with it. Where the pastors ready to clean house where other Christians ready to stand up and keep their house clean from such things as this. These men should never be consulted as men of God going by their own words, which I don't have time or desire to waste anymore telling you about. That's what you gotta watch out for. They make these declarations that are central to our faith. We then fall asleep. They then continued from that point forward without honoring the Scripture's demand prohibitions cause others to drink the Kool-Aid if relevance of God's word is up to men who needs God is God's word is not the same yesterday today and forever, then how can we trust it was the one that gets to say what is that it's relevant or it's not will.

Evidently the one who can write the book that gets the most people to buy, they become the authority and then people boast about it with a straight face that they read the book and the product quote "Scripture, when you give a message like this and you name names run the risk of people accusing you. I got the whole of Scripture on my side and second Chronicles 29 verses four and five we read about the reestablished leadership second Chronicles chapter 29 verses four and five Hezekiah in the beginning of his cleansing of the house of God, he says. Then he brought in the priest and the Levites and gather them in the East where and said to them, hear me, Levites now sanctify yourselves sanctify the house of the Lord, the Lord God of your fathers and carry out the rubbish from the holy place, take the junk out of God's house. Okay, so if you can see men physically doing this you're fine with that. Were all fine with that. But what about when they stand in the pulpit and they spiritually take the rubbish out what happens when they fortify their people to not put up with this.

I don't care if it's a loved one or not.

If you love them stand up to them if you hate them, then lied to them.

Isn't that what the proverb means when it says faithful are the wounds of a friend deceitful of the kisses of an enemy. The enemy will lie to you.

Good lie bad lives, going to tell you the truth is not a child of truth. You see, Hezekiah had analyze the state of the nation with David had built for the glory of God to what his father and other kings had stripped away in the northern kingdom being gone by this time he analyze the same of the nation and he said about how to fix it.

Look at a second Chronicles chapter 29 verses six will take verses maybe six through nine. This is where our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord and turn their backs on him.

They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule put out the lamps and have not burned incense offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel, therefore, listen to this. Therefore, the wrath of the Lord fell upon Judah and Jerusalem.

And he has given them up to trouble to desolation to jeering and you see it with your eyes there mocking they are laughing at. They are his thing at the people of God to have his sins were indeed because of this, our fathers have fallen by the sword in our sons or daughters, wives in captivity. You've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Pastor Rick is teaching from God's Word each time you tune as we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. This teaching is available free of charge at our website. Just visit cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick you can do so@crossreferenceradio.com or search for cross reference in your favorite podcast app store. That's all for today.

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