What was important to Hezekiah? After the reign of Ahaz the kingdom of Judah is left in complete disarray. The temple is defiled and the people are worshiping idols and sacrificing their children. What would you do if you were Hezekiah? “In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.” 2 Chronicles 29:3 The greatest concern of Hezekiah when he took over the reign of Judah was to restore the people’s dependance on God. What effect did Ahaz’s damage to the Temple have on the people when they were barred from entry? How should leader handle a situation where people have lost all regard for God?
It was vitally important for Hezekiah to tell the people of Judah how they strayed from God as seen in 2 Chronicles 29:6-11. The heart of Hezekiah is laid bare before the priests and Levites of Judah, “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.” 2 Chronicles 29:10,11 Why is a tenderhearted leader so important? Hezekiah needed the priests and Levites to help point the people of Judah back to God. His openness before the people shows how sincerely he desired that all of Judah seek after God. If you are a leader do you openly share your heart with those you lead? What effect does that openness have?
The exhortation of Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29 motivates the Levites to rise and take action. They entered back into the Temple to minister before God. Were these men filled with a fear of God as they reentered the Temple? Within sixteen days of the start of Hezekiah’s rule the Temple was cleansed and restored. What did resuming worship of God in the Temple mean for Judah? How was a personal relationship with God maintained without the indwelling Holy Spirit? The Temple was where the people of God went to worship Him and atone for their sins.
The beauty of Hezekiah’s devotion to God was experienced outside of the borders of Judah. In 2 Chronicles 30 the people of Judah and Israel are invited to celebrate the Passover again. What was it like to receive a message that the Temple was restored and the Passover celebration was being held? Some people who received the invitation to the Passover celebration laughed and ridiculed the messengers but all Judah and many from Israel came to the celebration. The hearts of these people were being drawn back to God and they were again seeking to maintain their relationship with Him. What was it like for these people who were living in a spiritual drought to worship God in the Temple again as they celebrated the Passover? “So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people and their voice was heard and their prayer came to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.” 2 Chronicles 30:26,27 Do you see the beauty of the devotion of these people of God?
God was glorified by these wayward children returning to worship Him wholeheartedly. What does this mean for us today? Leaders be passionate about seeking God and exhort those you lead to seek God. If you have strayed from God and defiled yourself with the idols arise, cleanse, and restore. Your hope for tomorrow starts today as you set your heart toward God.
