May 30th 2
Chronicles 28 Ahaz rules Judah
1: Ahaz was twenty
years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in
Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the
LORD, like David his father: 2: For he walked in the ways of the
kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. 3: Moreover
he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his
children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the
LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 4: He sacrificed
also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and
under every green tree. 5: Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him
into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried
away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to
Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of
Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter. 6: For Pekah the son of
Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day,
which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of
their fathers. 7: And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah
the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah
that was next to the king. 8: And the children of Israel carried away
captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and
daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the
spoil to Samaria. 9: But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name
was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and
said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was
wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have
slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. 10: And now ye
purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen
and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you,
sins against the LORD your God? 11: Now hear me therefore, and
deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your
brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. 12: Then
certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of
Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of
Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came
from the war, 13: And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the
captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD
already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for
our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14:
So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes
and all the congregation. 15: And the men which were expressed by
name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all
that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave
them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the
feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of
palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria. 16: At
that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him.
17: For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried
away captives. 18: The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the
low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh,
and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and
Timnah with the villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages
thereof: and they dwelt there. 19: For the LORD brought Judah low
because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and
transgressed sore against the LORD. 20: And Tilgath-pilneser king of
Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.
21: For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and
out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto
the king of Assyria: but he helped him not. 22: And in the time of
his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that
king Ahaz. 23: For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which
smote him: and he 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. 24: And Ahaz gathered
together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the
vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of
the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25:
And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn
incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his
fathers. 26: Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and
last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and
Israel. 27: And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in
the city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the
sepulchres of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in
his stead.
2 Chronicles
29 Hezekiah rules Judah
1: Hezekiah began
to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine
and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the
daughter of Zechariah. 2: And he did that which was right in the
sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done.
Hezekiah’s
Temple reforms
3: He in the first
year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house
of the LORD, and repaired them. 4: And he brought in the priests and
the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5: And
said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and
sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth
the filthiness out of the holy place. 6: For our fathers have
trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our
God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the
habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. 7: Also they have
shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not
burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the
God of Israel. 8: Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and
Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment,
and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. 9: For, lo, our fathers
have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our
wives are in captivity for this. 10: Now it is in mine heart to make
a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may
turn away from us. 11: My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD
hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should
minister unto him, and burn incense. 12: Then the Levites arose,
Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of
the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and
Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of
Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah: 13: And of the sons of Elizaphan;
Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons of Asaph; Zechariah, and
Mattaniah: 14: And of the sons of Heman; Jehiel, and Shimei: and of
the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel. 15: And they gathered
their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and came, according to the
commandment of the king, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the
house of the LORD. 16: And the priests went into the inner part of
the house of the LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the
uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court
of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out
abroad into the brook Kidron. 17: Now they began on the first day of
the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came
they to the porch of the LORD: so they sanctified the house of the
LORD in eight days; and in the sixteenth day of the first month they
made an end. 18: Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We
have cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt
offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with
all the vessels thereof. 19: Moreover all the vessels, which king
Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we
prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of
the LORD. 20: Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the
rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21: And
they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and
seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the
sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of
Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22: So they killed the
bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the
altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the
blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled
the blood upon the altar. 23: And they brought forth the he goats for
the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid
their hands upon them: 24: And the priests killed them, and they made
reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement
for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and
the sin offering should be made for all Israel. 25: And he set the
Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and
with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the
king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of
the LORD by his prophets. 26: And the Levites stood with the
instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27: And
Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And
when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with
the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of
Israel. 28: And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers
sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the
burnt offering was finished. 29: And when they had made an end of
offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed
themselves, and worshipped. 30: Moreover Hezekiah the king and the
princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the
words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with
gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped. 31: Then
Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto
the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the
house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and
thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.
32: And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation
brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two
hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33:
And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand
sheep. 34: But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay
all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did
help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had
sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to
sanctify themselves than the priests. 35: And also the burnt
offerings were in abundance,with the fat of the peace offerings, and
the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the
house of the LORD was set in order. 36: And Hezekiah rejoiced, and
all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was
done suddenly.
2 Chronicles
30 Hezekiah’s Passover
1: And Hezekiah
sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and
Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at
Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel. 2: For
the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation
in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3: For they
could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not
sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered
themselves together to Jerusalem. 4: And the thing pleased the king
and all the congregation. 5: So they established a decree to make
proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that
they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at
Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it
was written. 6: So the posts went with the letters from the king and
his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the
commandment of the king, saying, 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 hand of the kings
of Assyria. 7: And be not ye like your fathers, and like your
brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who
therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. 8: 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. 9: 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. 10: So the posts passed
from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even
unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. 11:
Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 12: Also in Judah the hand of God
was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of
the princes, by the word of the LORD. 13: And there assembled at
Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the
second month, a very great congregation. 14: And they arose and took
away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for
incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15: 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. 16: And they stood in their place after their manner, according
to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood,
which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17: For there were
many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the
Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one
that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD. 18: For a
multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh,
Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat
the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for
them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one 19: 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. 20: And the
LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. 21: And the
children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of
unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and
the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud
instruments unto the LORD. 22: And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto
all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they
did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings,
and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers. 23: And the
whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept
other seven days with gladness. 24: For Hezekiah king of Judah did
give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand
sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks
and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified
themselves. 25: 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. 26: 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. 27: 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.
In Chapters 28-30
we have the record of the lives of King Ahaz and King Hezekiah, both
Kings of Judah. The first was a bad king but the second a good king.
Ahaz was just 20 when he began his reign and he reigned for only 16
years in Jerusalem. He did not follow in his father David’s example
but he was like the kings of Israel who worshipped Baalim. He
sacrificed his own children to his god, burning them in the fire like
the heathen nations that were driven out of the Land before Israel.
He sacrificed in the hills and groves and under every green tree. It
seems that trees were a place of worship for the cult of Baalim. The
Lord gave him up to the Syrians and they beat him in battle and took
away the people in great numbers captive and took them to Damascus.
There was a great slaughter of his army. 120,000 died in one day
alone. They were all strong fighters but they had forsaken the LORD
their God. 200,000 people were taken captive both men, women and
children. And they took away a great deal of the wealth of Judah. The
prophet Oded confronted the people of Samaria and said, you have
destroyed Judah and carried away the people to make them slaves. But
are there not among you those who sin against the LORD? Send all the
captives home because the fierce wrath of the LORD is on you and so
all the captives were set free. In those days the Edomites fought
against Judah so Ahaz sent a message to Assyria asking for help. The
Philistines also invaded from the south west. The LORD humbled Judah
because of the unrighteousness of the king. The king of Assyria
Tiglath-pileser came to Judah and invaded the land. Ahaz tried to pay
them off. Yet in this time of distress he did not seek the LORD his
God. He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus because he thought they
are helping the Syrians so l might as well sacrifice to them –
perhaps they will help me. But this brought complete ruin on all
Israel. So he destroyed the temple and cut into bits the holy vessels
and sealed the doors of the Temple. And he erected altars all over
Jerusalem. He went mad in his devotion to the gods but this increased
the Lords displeasure. He died and was buried in a place but not with
the kings. His son Hezekiah reigned in his place. Hezekiah was 25
when he began to reign and he reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. He
was a good king like his father David. When he began to reign he
opened the doors of the Temple and repaired them. He gathered the
priests and Levites and addressed them saying,
Sanctify
yourselves and sanctify this house of the LORD God of your fathers
and carry out all of the filth and rubbish out of this Holy Place.
Because our fathers have trespassed against the LORD and done that
which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God. They forsook the Lord
and turned away their faces from this place. They turned their backs
on him. (The LORD ordained that worship was to be toward the west but
they turned toward the east turning their backs on the Lord) They
shut the doors and put out the lights. And they did not burn incense
to the Lord or offer burnt offerings. Therefore the wrath of the LORD
was on Judah and Jerusalem and he delivered them to trouble, to
astonishment, and to hissing (The expression of disgust and sharp
intake of breath through the teeth) you can see all this with your
eyes. Our fathers were killed in battle and some of our sons,
daughters and wives are in captivity because of this. Today it is in
my mind to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, so that his
fierce wrath may turn away from us. So, my sons be diligent because
the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve and minister to
him burning incense.
Then the Levites
responded, Mahath, Joel, Kish, Azariah, Joah, Eden, Zechariah,
Mattaniah, Jehiel, Shimei, Shemaiah, Uzziel and they gathered their
brothers and washed themselves setting themselves apart to the Lord.
And they came to clean up the house of the LORD. The priests went
into the inner part of the house of the LORD to clean it and they
brought out all the filthiness that they found in the temple of the
LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. Then the Levites took
the rubbish and carried it out the the brook Kidron.
This began on the
first day on the year. It took them 8 days to clear it up. On the
16th
day everything was finished. Then the Levites went to tell Hezekiah
saying, we have cleansed all the house of the LORD and the altar of
burnt offering with all the vessels and the table of shewbread. All
of the vessels which Ahaz destroyed have been repaired. Then Hezekiah
went up early to the House of the LORD. And the Levites brought seven
bullocks, rams, lambs, goats for a sin offering. It was a sin
offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary and for Judah. And when the
offerings were begun the Children of Israel sang praises to the Lord
and worshipped the LORD. The music joined in, with the trumpeters.
Hezekiah told the singers to sing the Psalms of David. Then the
people gathered to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving. There was so
much given that the Levites had to assist the priests. This was
nothing short of Revival. It happened suddenly and was a complete
restoration of the spiritual life of Judah. After the hearts of all
the people were put right Hezekiah sent letters to all Israel and
Judah that they should come to the temple to worship the Lord.
Because it was his intension to celebrate the Passover once again.
The celebration of the Passover was the litmus test of Israel when
ever they forsook the Lord they ceased the Passover but whenever they
returned to the LORD their God the Passover was reinstituted. The
letter read…
You children of
Israel turn again to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel and
he will return to the remnant of you who escaped from the kings of
Assyria. And do not be like your fathers and brothers who sinned
against the LORD God of their fathers, who gave you up to desolation.
So now do not be rebellious like your fathers were but yield
yourselves to the LORD and enter to his sanctuary and serve the LORD
your God, so that the fierceness of his wrath may be turned away from
you. Because if you turn again to the LORD your brothers and your
children will find compassion in the eyes of their captors. And they
will return to this land because the Lord is full of grace and mercy
and he will not turn away his face from you.
This letter past
from city to city throughout the land. And there were some that
humbled themselves before the Lord. But others laughed and mocked
them. The people of Judah responded well to the message of the Lord
sent by the King. In Jerusalem a great number of the people assembled
to the feast of unleavened bread. They rose up in one body to destroy
the idolatrous altars in the land. They kept the Passover but some of
the people were unclean so Hezekiah prayed that the Lord would
forgive them saying may the Good Lord pardon everyone who prepared
himself to seek the Lord and the Lord healed them. (Why did they need
healing? Because the judgment of God was going out to the unclean who
celebrated the Passover in an unclean state) there was great
rejoicing before the Lord and the LORD filled their hearts with joy.
There had never been such great joy since David’s and Solomon’s
time. The priests blessed the people and their prayers went up into
heaven itself.
- What sort of Person was king Ahaz?
- What sort of Person was Hezekiah?
- What were some of his reforms?
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