It’s TIME to REPAIR our broken WORSHIP
May 11
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles Chapters 28-30
It’s TIME to REPAIR our broken WORSHIP
"Hezekiah became king when he
was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His
mother's name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all
that his father David had done. 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 Chron. 29:1-3)
When
Hezekiah had ascended to the throne of Judah, the spiritual condition was very
bad. His father Ahaz had “gathered 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 altars in
every corner of Jerusalem. And in every single city of Judah he made high
places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his
fathers.” (2 Chron. 28:24-25) In order to make a new start that was right
in the sight of God, Hezekiah had to repair and reinstate the worship back in
the temple in Jerusalem, which he did as follows:
- He opened the closed doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them (2 Chron. 29:3)
- He gathered the priests together, who sanctified themselves for worship as well as sanctified the house of God along with all the articles in the temple (vv. 4-19)
- He rose early in the morning, gathered the rulers of the city and went into the house of God (v. 20)
- On their behalf, the priests sacrificed burnt offering and sin offering to God (vv. 21-24)
- As the burnt offerings were offered, the Levites started worshiping God with songs of praise accompanied by musical instruments (vv. 25-30)
- Finally, King Hezekiah reinstated the Passover celebrations, even though it was delayed from the time set by God.
- "So, the service of the house of
the Lord was set in order. Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God
had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly." (2 Chron. 29:35-36)
- "And the Lord listened to
Hezekiah and healed the people." (2 Chron. 30:20)
- “So, there was great joy in Jerusalem,
for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been
nothing like this in Jerusalem.” (2 Chron. 30:26)
- “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, to heaven.” (2 Chron. 30:27)
It is high time that we also repair our broken worship altar in order to experience the blessings of God. "Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land" (Isaiah 1:18-19)
