2 Chronicles 28:1-30:27

Memory Verse: 30:27

Questions

Outline

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I. Ahaz King of Judah (28:1-16)

* The engraving to the right is in the Latin Vulgate Bible (1702) It depicts King Ahaz of Judah sacrificing his son in a fire. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>1. What detestable act did Ahaz king of Judah commit? (1-4)

* 2 Chronicles 28:1-4 "Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD. 2 He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and also made cast idols for worshiping the Baals. 3 He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his sons in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. 4 He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

* Isaiah 7, 2 Kings 16, and 2 Chronicles 28 are about Aram's attack. 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28 only have their introduction and conclusion strictly parrallel. Isaiah records the Lord sending the prophet to King Ahaz with special messages. Isaiah 8 is a prophecy of Assyria's soon to come victory over Damascus and Samaria, each capital cities that had lasted for centuries.

* 2 Kings 17:1-24 is about the end of the ten tribe nation called Israel in 722 BC. 2 Chronicles does not record the fall of Israel for it records events pertaining to Judah.

Hoshea was the last king of Israel while Ahaz and then Ahaz's son were kings of Judah.

* Micah, Hosea and Isaiah were prophets during Ahaz's reign.

* 1 Kings 16:1 states, "In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign." This would be around 735 B.C. The reign of Ahaz apparently overlapped that of Jotham, with Ahaz serving as a senior partner beginning in around 735 B.C.

* "Pekah son of Remaliah" -Pekah seems to have established his reign in Transjordan virtually a rival government to that of Menahem when Menahem assassinated Shallum.

* "Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king" -Perhaps the age at which Ahaz became a senior co-regent with his father Jotham in 735 B.C. Otherwise, according to the ages and dates provided, Ahaz would have been 11 or 12 instead of 14 or 15 years old when his son Hezekiah was born (18:1-2).

* "sixteen years" -The synchronizations of the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah with those of Pekah and Hoshea of the northern kingdom present some apparent chronological difficulties (17:1, 18:1,9,10) It seems best to take the 16 years specified here as the number of years Ahaz reigned after the death of Jotham, thus 732-715 B.C. The beginning of his reign appears to be dated in a variety of ways in the Biblical text:
    1. in 744/743 B.C., which presupposes a co-regency with his grandfather Azariah at the tender age of 11 or 12
    2. in 735 B.C., when he became senior co-regent with Jotham
    3. in 732, when he began his sole reign after the death of Jotham.

* "he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD" -The reign of Ahaz is the only one for which the Chronicler(s) do not mention one good aspect. In his account the Chronicler(s) appear to adopt explicit parallels from the speek of Abijah condemning the northern kingdom (chapter 13) in order to show that under Ahaz the southern kingdom had sunk to the same depths of apostasy. Judah's religious fidelity, of which Abijah had boasted, was conpletely overthrown under Ahaz.

* Ahaz, the son of Jotham, became king of Judah in 736 BC. He did evil, even sacrificing his own son on the fire, a practice of Baal worship. He practiced other detestable acts just like the nations that the Lord drove out of Canaan because their sin was also great, and so God gave the land to Israel occupying the land up till Ahaz. The same was going to be for Judah.

Pekah became king of Israel the same year that Ahaz became king of Judah. Pekah also did evil. Israel's boarders had grown to the size when David was king because the Assyrians from Nineveh, whom Jonah had preached to a few years earlier invaded and desroyed Damascus just to the north of Israel and then left. And so Israel grew even though they did nothing.

Pekah in pride and self confidence attacked Judah with Aram at their side. They took almost all Judah except Jerusalem.

Ahaz did a terrible thing, he asked Assyria to help him by taking silver and gold from the Lord in his temple. Assyria only gave him trouble. Why? Because Ahaz sinned even more.

I learn to always examine my motives and actions. Am I right with the Lord? Do I love him and others? Do I have faith? Is my hope in him? Or do I practice false religious practices?

* Israel did not calculated a king's ascension and reign as other nations. After Israel and Judah split Judah kept calculating to "old way" and Israel switched and started calculating the way other nations did around them. Read "The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings" by Edwin Richard Thiele for more understanding on how Israel and Judah calculated the dates of their king's ascension and reign.

>Who attacked Judah? (5-8)

* 2 Chronicles 28:5-8 "Therefore the LORD his God handed him over to the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people as prisoners and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. 6 In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah--because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. 7 Zicri, an Ephraimite warrior, killed Maaseiah the king's son, Azrikam the officer in charge of the palace, and Elkanah, second to the king. 8 The Israelites took captive from their kinsmen two hundred thousand wives, sons and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder, which they carried back to Samaria."

* "the LORD his God handed him over" -The author clearly states the cause of the calamity. Isaiah 7 presents in detail the LORD's judgement was the cause.

* "king of Aram" -Rezin was King of Syria about 735 B.C. during the reigns of Pekah in Israel and Ahaz in Judah. When Ahaz refused to join Rezin and Pekah in fighting against Assyria, Rezin pursuaded Pekah to ally with him against the Judean king (2 Kings 15:37; 16:5). Ahaz appealed for help to Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, who came against Rezin and Pekah and destroyed their kingdoms. Rezin died in 732 B.C. when Damascus fell to the Assyrians.

* "king of Israel" -Pekah was king of Israel from 752 to 732 B.C.

* "fight against Jerusalem and besieged Ahaz" -The author ascribes the attack on Jerusalem as a personal attack on King Ahaz.

* 2 Kings and Isaiah records that "they could not overpower him". Though most of Judah fell, Jerusalem did not.

* 2 Kings records that "Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath". King Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah extended the subjection of the Edomites begun by his father. He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah. (2 Kings 14:22)

* The engraving to the right titled "Judeo-Israelite War" is by Fontaine, Nicolas (1625-1709). It depicts Remaliah, King of Aram, and Pekah, King of Israel, unite in battle against King Ahaz, causing him to seek aid from Tiglath-Pilesar III. It was in the book " L'Histoire du Vieux et du Nouveau Testament" now in public domain. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>What did the prophet of the Lord tell Israel?

* 2 Chronicles 28:9-11 "But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, "Because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. 10 And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren't you also guilty of sins against the LORD your God? 11 Now listen to me! Send back your fellow countrymen you have taken as prisoners, for the LORD's fierce anger rests on you."

* "prophet of the LORD named Oded" -Oded, the prophet is only mentioned here. 2 Kings does not record this. Oded is not to be confused with the father of the prophet Azariah in 2 Chronicles 15.

* "But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven" -Judah was being punished by the LORD God. However, Israel took it to far. Israel seems to know that they were an instrument of the Lord. Sometimes while obeying God people can also sin in obedience.

* "fellow countrymen" -Israelites enslaving fellow Israelites was illegal according to the law of Moses.

* "fierce anger rests on you" -The prophet makes it clear that their actions was not a small thing.

* 2 Chronicles reveals that the Lord sent the prophet Oded to Sameria (Israel) and Isaiah reveals that the Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to Judah during this encounter. The Lord had not abandoned his people in spit of their continual sins.

>How did they respond? (12-15)

* 2 Chronicles 28:12-15 "Then some of the leaders in Ephraim--Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berekiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai--confronted those who were arriving from the war. 13 "You must not bring those prisoners here," they said, "or we will be guilty before the LORD. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel." 14 So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and all the assembly. 15 The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow countrymen at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria."

* "we will be guilty before the LORD" -Some of the Israelites had the fear of the LORD.

* "add to our sin and guilt" -The leaders knew that they had been sinning against the LORD. Yet, this was to grievous.

* "took them back to their fellow countrymen at Jericho" -Whether Jericho fell in the battles is not clear. Yet, it doesn't make sense that the released countrymen would be taken to a devistated town.

* The Samaritans are presented as more righteous in this event than the Judeans.

* The engraving to the right titled "Prophecy of Oded" is by Luiken, Caspar (1672-1708.). It depicts Israel returning from looting Judah. Oded confronts Israel and tells them why they won and that God is angry with them as well. It was in the book "Historiae celebriores Veteris Testamenti Iconibus representatae" now in public domain. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>2. Who did Ahaz seek for help? (16-21)

* 2 Chronicles 28:16-21 "At that time King Ahaz sent to the king of Assyria for help. 17 The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, 18 while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. 19 The LORD had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help. 21 Ahaz took some of the things from the temple of the LORD and from the royal palace and from the princes and presented them to the king of Assyria, but that did not help him.

* 2 Kings 16:7-9 is similar to these verses.

* "the king of Assyria" -Verse 20 reveals his name, Tiglath-Pileser.

* "took some of the things from the temple of the LORD" -The temple treasure must have been restored to some degree by King Jotham (12:18, 14:14). The name "Jehoahaz of Judah" (Ahaz) appears on a list of rulers (including those of the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites) who brough tribute to Tiglath-Pileser in 734 B.C. (NIV Study Bible and other books)

* "but it did not help him" -Tiglath-Pileser did not come to his aid. Eventualy Assyria would attack Damascus according to 2 Kings.

>How was this a poor spiritual and political decision? (Gen. 15:1; Deut. 33:29; Psalm 119:113-115)

* Genesis 15:1 "After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

* Deuteronomy 33:29 "Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places."

* Psalm 119:113-115 "I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!"

* Trusting in God when peril is at hand is a very hard thing to do. Peter, when walking on water eventually sank and would have drown if the Lord Jesus had not pulled him out of the sea.

* The engraving to the right titled "Ahaz's Sacrifice on an Assyrian Altar" is by Edel, Josef Samuel. King Ahaz sets fire to the wood and the lamb on an Assyrian altar. It was in the book "Historien Alten Testamente[s]" now in public domain. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>3. What did Ahaz do that was against the covenant with the Lord? (22-23)

* 2 Chronicles 28:22-23 "In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. 23 He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.

* 2 Kings 16:10-14 is about the same event, but with more detail included words of a prophet against the king.

* "He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus" -King Ahaz building the altar would have been showing submission to Assyria. Basically, Ahaz is publically saying that the gods of Assyria are better and more powerful than the God of Israel and Judah.

* When problems come people often lose faith in God and turn to faith in something else. Usually, we do not want to accept that we are the one's in the wrong.

>How else did Ahaz desecrate the temple of the Lord? (24-25)

* 2 Chronicles 28:24-27 "Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the LORD's temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every town in Judah he built high places to burn sacrifices to other gods and provoked the LORD, the God of his fathers, to anger. 26 The other events of his reign and all his ways, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king."

* 2 Kings 16:15-20 is similar, but goes into more detail.

* King Ahaz combined worship of idols with worship of the Lord as prescribed in the law of Moses and according to the direction of David and Solomon.

* 2 Kings includes that "Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered". The high priest was also guilty of this sin.

* "burn sacrifices to other gods" -2 Kings explains that all the offerings that was in the law of Moses was changed from worship of the Lord God to the worship of gods of Assyria.

>Why is it important to worship the Lord in his way alone? (John 4:23-24; Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:15-17)

* John 4:23-24 "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

* Ephesians 5:19-20 "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

* Colossians 3:15-17 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

* Jesus' teachings have been often been changed and altered to match the kind of life we want to live. Many people, including myself at times have changed the meaning of a passage to justify sin.

II. Hezekiah King of Judah (29:1-36)

* The engraving to the right is by Klauber, Joseph Sebastian (1700-1768). This image depicts the angel of death flying above the Assyrian army, slaying thousands of them with his sword, in response to King Hezekiah's prayer. In the top-left corner Hezekiah supervises the work to rebuild the walls and towers protecting Jerusalem. In the bottom-left King Uzziah of Judah is given leprosy by God for being unfaithful, and thus is rushed out of the temple by the priest Azariah. To the right Ahaz the King of Judah sacrifices his son in the fire. In the background he is shown offering sacrifices and burning incense at a high place, as lions ravage Samaria after the new residents placed there by the King of Assyria fail to worship God. To the left King Hoshea of Israel is imprisoned by the King of Assyria. In the top-right King Hezekiah orders that the bronze serpent made by Moses in the wilderness be destroyed, because of its being treated as an idol by the Israelites. At the top the prophet Isaiah prophecies that Hezekiah will recover from his illness. In the bottom-right corner Hezekiah shows the envoys from Babylon his treasure. Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.

>4. How was Hezekiah's life described? (1-2)

* 2 Chronicles 29:1-2 "Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.

* 2 Kings 18-20, 2 Chronicles 29-32, and Isaiah 36-37 records Hezekiah's life and reign. 2 Chronicles 29:3-30:27 is not found elsewhere in the Bible including 2 Kings.

* 2 Kings 18:4 adds reforms done throughout the nation. Chronicles only mentions the temple reforms.

* "Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king" -Hezekiah reigned from 715-686 B.C. (29 years) including a 15-year extension of life granted by God (2 Kings 20:6 but not mentioned in Chroniclers). Hezekiah ruled as sole king for these years but was a co-regent from around 729 B.C.

* "did right in the eyes of the LORD" -Not many kings of Judah and no king of Israel was described this way. Hezekiah is equated with David in piety, the highest given any king.

* "David" -All authors of the Bible use David as the bar to measure all the kings that followed him.

* "his father David" -King David was not him immediate father. He was King Hezekiah's great ancestor. Ancient Hebrew writer did not differentiate father, grandfather, great grandfather, etc.

* 2 Kings 18:5 adds, "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah." This would make him even greater than King David and King Solomon who wrote mucn of the old Testament.

* Chronicles begins to record Judah's last kings and its eventual end. The author(s) records more about Hezekiah king of Judah than any other king of Judah since David and Solomon.

To Judah's North was the poor Israelites left there by Assyria, and newly arrived Israelites, brought in by Assyria. They were subjects of Assyria, but freely travel to Jerusalem and worship at the temple, which Hezekiah reopened and restored.

Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of God more than any other king of Judah. This does not include David and Solomon who were kings of Israel when Judah was part of that nation. Judah as a nation did not exist during David and Solomon's reigns.

Hezekiah watched Assyria besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, early in his reign. He watch a long 3 year siege and must have heard of the horrible acts of the starving Samaritans during the 3 years.

Then eight years later Assyria came to do the same to Judah, Jerusalem, and the king. Jerusalem was under siege. Assyria threatened to destroy them.

We ask, "Why would a man like Hezekiah, who was so righteous in the eyes of God be threatened like this?" We ask, "Why am I seeing trouble? Where is my God? Why does bad happen to good people?" These are the questions all who have decided to live by faith in Jesus eventually ask. Perhaps we ask these questions for days, weeks, years or decades.

Many answers exist to these type of questions. Still, those questions may not be answered. Perhaps they will. Each person's situation is unique.

These questions maybe important ones to ask. They may not. Yet the one that question that must be asked and will be answered every time is, how am I going to respond even though all is gloom, terror, hopeless, and endless lonely misery? That is the one question I cannot avoid.

We can ask, "What would Jesus do?" That's OK. Perhaps even better I should ask, "What does Jesus want me to do?"

* See the beginning of the study 14 for more information on what was happening in the world and there timing and influence to Hezekiah.

>What temple reforms did he order and what did he have to say about their fathers? (3-14)

* 2 Chronicles 29:3-14 "In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side 5 and said: "Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. 6 Our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD's dwelling place and turned their backs on him. 7 They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore, the anger of the LORD has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes. 9 This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. 10 Now I intend to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense." 12 Then these Levites set to work: from the Kohathites, Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah; from the Merarites, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; from the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah; 13 from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; from the descendants of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 from the descendants of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; from the descendants of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel."

* "In the first month of the first year of his reign" -The first year would be 715 B.C. Hezekiah wasted no time in making religious reforms in Judah.

* "he opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them" -Indicating his father, Ahaz or grandfather closed the temple doors to stop worship of the Lord God of Israel. (28:24) The repairs to the doors included new gold overlay. (2 Kings 18:16)

* Hezekiah reinstatd all the temple arranements set up by David and especially Solomon. (2:4, 4:7)

* "fallen by the sword" -Judah's many enemies continually attacked Judah and defeated Judah's cities. See the beginning of the next study for more on this.

* "he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn" -The prophets used similar words. Hezekiah uses them to make him point.

* "our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity" -the Assyrian devastations of the northern kingndom and Judah included many taking into captivity.

* "Kohathites... Merarites... Gershonites" -These are the three clans of Levi. (1 Chron. 6:1) Each had specificly defined tasks.

* "Asaph... Heman... Jeduthun" -Solomon appointed these three Levitical muscians. (1 Chrom. 6:31-48, 25:1-31).

>How did the priests respond?

* 2 Chronicles 29:15-19 "When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify the temple of the LORD, as the king had ordered, following the word of the LORD. 16 The priests went into the sanctuary of the LORD to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the LORD's temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the LORD. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. 17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the LORD. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the LORD itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: "We have purified the entire temple of the LORD, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles. 19 We have prepared and consecrated all the articles that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the LORD's altar."

* "Kidron Valley" -Kindron Valley became Jerusalem's trash heap. Place name meaning "turbid, dusky, gloomy." The deep ravine beside Jerusalem separating the Temple mount and the city of David on the west from the Mount of Olives on the east. The Spring of Gihon lies on the western slope. The Garden of Gethsemane would have been above the valley on the eastern side. Cemeteries have been located in this area since the Middle Bronze Age (before 1500 B.C.). David crossed the brook when he fled Jerusalem to escape from Absalom (2 Sam. 15:23). Solomon warned Shimei not to cross it or he would die (1 Kings 2:37). Here certain kings of Judah destroyed idols and other pagan objects removed from the Temple area (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Kings 23:4,6,12; 2 Chron. 29:16; 30:14). After the Last Supper, Jesus went through the Kidron Valley on his way to the Mount of Olives (John 18:1).

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>5. What did the king and officials do as soom as the temple was properly purified? (20-24)

* 2 Chronicles 29:20-24 "Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the LORD. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar; next they slaughtered the rams and sprinkled their blood on the altar; then they slaughtered the lambs and sprinkled their blood on the altar. 23 The goats for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. 24 The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel."

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>What can we learn to do to start anew?

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>How is music always a part of worship in the Bible and in our lives? (25-28)

* 2 Chronicles 29:25-28 He stationed the Levites in the temple of the LORD with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king's seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the LORD through his prophets. 26 So the Levites stood ready with David's instruments, and the priests with their trumpets. 27 Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the LORD began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the singers sang and the trumpeters played. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed."

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>Where the offerings forced? (31)

* 2 Chronicles 29:29-36 "When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped. 30 King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped. 31 Then Hezekiah said, "You have now dedicated yourselves to the LORD. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the LORD." So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs--all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD. 33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats. 34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their kinsmen the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 35 There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings. So the service of the temple of the LORD was reestablished. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly."

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>How were the offerings presented?

* 2 Chronicles 29:29-36 "When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped. 30 King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed their heads and worshiped. 31 Then Hezekiah said, "You have now dedicated yourselves to the LORD. Come and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the temple of the LORD." So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of burnt offerings the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs--all of them for burnt offerings to the LORD. 33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats. 34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings; so their kinsmen the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated, for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 35 There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat of the fellowship offerings and the drink offerings that accompanied the burnt offerings. So the service of the temple of the LORD was reestablished. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly."

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III. Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover (30:1-27)

>6. What is the Passover and way was it important to Israel?

* 2 Chronicles 30:1-5 "Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. 2 The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. 3 They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 4 The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. 5 They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written."

* 2 Chronicles is the only book of the Bible to record this Passover.

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>How did Jesus change the Passover?

* When Hezekiah becoming king the first thing he did was open and clean and sanctified the temple of the Lord. Then he told everyone in Judah and Israel to come and worship Passover.

The Passover was ordered by the Lord while Israel was slaves in Egypt to prepare them for the Lord taking them out of Egypt to Mount Sinai. At Mount Sinai the Lord changed it saying when they enter the promise land they were to celebrate it once a year to commemorate being lead out of Egypt. When the Lord came to Earth and became man he fulfilled in by becoming the innocent, spotless sacrificial lamb. During the last Passover, the Last Supper Jesus made a new covenant in his blood. He said the blood and the bread were to become his blood and body which were shed for the forgiveness of my sins. When I celebrate it I am to remember him.

When Hezekiah and all Judah and Israel celebrated the Passover after decades of not doing so they were filled with great joy and they destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin , Ephraim, and Manasseh.

When I celebrate communion with others is there joy? Do I tear down false religion in my heart and mind? Jesus cleanse my heart. Make me new.

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>7. What was the king's approach to presenting repentance to all those who were left in the land that use to be part of Solomon's kingdom? (6-9)

* 2 Chronicles 30:6-9 "At the king's command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read: "People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. 8 Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9 If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."

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>What does Hezekiah sending couriers into both Judah and what use to be Israel show about his faith?

* 2 Chronicles 30:10-12 "The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and ridiculed them. 11 Nevertheless, some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. 12 Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD."

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>8. What is the Feast of Unleavened Bread? (13; Ex. 12:17-20, 2:15, 34:18; Lev. 23:4-8; Duet. 16:16-17

* 2 Chronicles 30:13-14 "A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month."

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>How did they prepare for it? (14)

* 2 Chronicles 30:14 "They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley."

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>9. When they celebrated the Passover properly how did the Lord respond? (15-20)

* 2 Chronicles 30:15-20 "They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the LORD. 16 Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood handed to them by the Levites. 17 Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate [their lambs] to the LORD. 18 Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart on seeking God--the LORD, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." 20 And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people."

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>What was the atmosphere during the Feast of Unleavened Bread? (21)

* 2 Chronicles 30:21 "The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD's instruments of praise."

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>10. How did the king respond to those who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord? (22)

* 2 Chronicles 30:22 "Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the LORD. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the LORD, the God of their fathers."

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>Did the king come to the worship service empty handed? (23-27)

* 2 Chronicles 30:23-27 "The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. 24 Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the aliens who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah. 26 There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place."

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>What can we learn how to please God in our worship?

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