Worship Restored
Comments for Study 13
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MAPS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
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I. Judah Smashed the Idols (31:1)
* 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.
>1. What did the Israelites do after the first Passover celebrated by most in this generation?
* 2 Chronicles 31:1 "When all this had ended, the Israelites who were there went out to the towns of Judah, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars throughout Judah and Benjamin and in Ephraim and Manasseh. After they had destroyed all of them, the Israelites returned to their own towns and to their own property."
* 2 Chronicles 31 is unique to the Bible, not found anywhere else.
* 2 Kings 18:4 adds reforms done throughout the nation. Other than this verse Chronicles only mentions the temple reforms.
* "the sacred stones"
* "cut down the Asherah poles"
* "throughout Judah and Benjamin"
* "Ephraim and Manasseh"
>What does this say about the relationship between faith, obedience, and worship?
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>Did anything like this happen in the lives of the apostles? (Acts 2:40-47)
* Acts 2:40-47 "With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
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II. What is This Heaps? (31:2-13)
>2. What did the king do to ensure the worship and work at the temple was always conducted according to the law? (2-8)
* 2 Chronicles 31:2-8 "Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions--each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites--to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the LORD's dwelling."
* Hezekiah ensured the temple and the priests and Levites were able to perform their duties as the Lord had instructed. He gave from his own possessions, meaning his tithe and perhaps more. The Israelites, meaning all the remnant from all 12 tribes living in the land still under Hezekiah's control, and even the surrounding lands who where descendants of Israel gave tithes. So much that it was in heaps. The Lord blessed him and his people. All benefited. A good leader instructs people to give as God requires. Giving a tithe has been hard for me for many years because there is always sacrifice in it. Yet I have what I need. I have debt. I do not have heads of treasure. Yet I obey. It is right and good.
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>What does this say about the importance of corporate worship and having people who are supported by the community of believers to do what is required to accomplish it?
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>3. Did the king exclude himself from making offerings? (3)
* 2 Chronicles 31:3 "The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons and appointed feasts as written in the Law of the LORD."
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>Was it wise to order people to contribute? (4)
* 2 Chronicles 31:4 "He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD."
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>How did the people response? (5-7)
* 2 Chronicles 31:5-7 "As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.
6 The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them in heaps.
7 They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month."
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>What was the result? (8)
* 2 Chronicles 31:8 "When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the LORD and blessed his people Israel."
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>4. What does the fact that Hezekiah asked about the heaps tell us about what Hezekiah was expecting? (9)
* 2 Chronicles 31:9-13 "Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps"
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>What does it say about those who were responsible for it?
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>5. What did the chief priest tell the king? (10)
* 2 Chronicles 31:10 "and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, "Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the LORD has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over."
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>Is this an acceptable answer?
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>What was the obvious solution?
* 2 Chronicles 31:11-13 "Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the LORD, and this was done.
12 Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Conaniah, a Levite, was in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank.
13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were supervisors under Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God."
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>What can be learned about wise stewardship of God's financial blessings?
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III. Hezekiah Did What was Good and Right (31:14-21)
>6. What can be learned about the organization of the priest who served the Lord and the Lord's people? (14-15)
* 2 Chronicles 31:14-18 "Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the LORD and also the consecrated gifts.
15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike."
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>7. What does it mean by "whose names were in the genealogical records? (16-18)
* 2 Chronicles 31:16-18 "In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records--all who would enter the temple of the LORD to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.
17 And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions.
18 They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves."
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>What is important about being three years old and twenty years old?
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>Why would it be important to include their families in the distribution of money?
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>8. What was different about the priests, the descendants of Aaron? (9)
* 2 Chronicles 31:19 "As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farm lands around their towns or in any other towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites."
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>Why did they live of farms?
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>9. How is Hezekiah described in verses 20-21?
* 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 "This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God.
21 In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered."
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>10. What can be learned about living a life of faith?
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