Hezekiah- Example #2

Our first example of the king of Judah restoring the covenant relationship between the Lord and his people was Josiah. In the last post we listed the steps taken by Josiah to restore Judah's covenant relationship. Review those steps and then we will look at Hezekiah to see how he seeks to do the same thing in 2 Chronicles 29.

1. Hezekiah does that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. (2 Chronicles 29:2)

2. Hezekiah opens the doors to the Temple and repairs them. (vs.3)

3. Hezekiah gathers the priests and Levite's and commands them to sanctify themselves. (vs.4-9)

4. Hezekiah seeks to renew the covenant with the Lord and turn away his wrath from Judah. (vs.10)

5. Hezekiah calls the priests and Levite's "my sons" and exhorts them to perform their responsibilities with all diligence so the covenant relationship with the Lord may be renewed. (vs.11)

6. Under Hezekiah's direction the priests and Levite's sanctify themselves and begin to sanctify the Temple. (vs. 15-19)

7. Hezekiah gathers the rulers of the city and began to offer sacrifice in the Temple. (vs.21-25)

8. Hezekiah follows the ordinances in accordance with the commandment of David, Gad, the kings seer and Nathan the prophet. (vs.25-27)

9. "So the service of the the house of the Lord was set in order. (vs.35)

10. "And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly." (vs.36)

11. Hezekiah sends letters to all tribes of Israel, (including Ephraim and Manasseh) inviting them to the house of the Lord to keep the passover. (2 Chronicles 30)

12. Hezekiah's exhortation to Israel:
"Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the land of the kings of Assyria. and be no ye like your fatherrs, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him." (vs.6-9)

13. Responses to Hezekiah's letter:
A. Ephraim, Manasseh to Zebulun, "laughed them to scorn, and mocked them." (vs.10)
B. Some of Asher,Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. (vs.11)
C. Much people came to Jerusalam. (vs.13)

14. The remove all the alters for worshiping idol gods and threw them in the brook at Kidron. (vs.14)

15. Priests and Levite's sanctify themselves and people. (vs.15-18)

16. Hezekiah intercedes with the Lord on behalf of Israel saying, "The good Lord pardon everyone that prepareth 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." (vs.19)

17. Hezekiah encourages the Levite's in their teaching Israel of the good knowledge of the Lord. (vs. 22)

18. "And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced. 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. Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people" and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven." (vs.25-27)

We will finish the rest tomorrow and demonstrate how you have just read the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1-3.