Monday, May 2, 2011

2 Chronicles 29-31

The story of Hezekiah is the story of revival.  Hezekiah was a leader who had a heart for God.  he understood that the fortunes of the country that he ruled over, Judah, were tied to their obedience to the God who created them.  He honored God and according to our reading today, one of the first things that he did was to begin the restoration of the Temple, the symbolic dwelling of God in their nation.  He also called the Levites and the Priests together and reminded them that they had a special place in God's heart, that he had set them aside for a special work in the temple.  He honored these people who had responsibility for the spiritual health of the nation and in so doing honored the God who had originally consecrated them to this service.

As the Priests and Levites began to act in a way that a Priest and a Levite was supposed to act a wonderful thing began to happen in Judah; revival came.  Revival is a wonderful word.  It intimates that God is revitalizing, re-energizing, renewing and indeed he was.  Judah had fallen on hard times when Ahaz had ruled.  There was a linkage between Ahaz's evil and the fortunes of Judah.  God was shunned and when the people ignore God, God may well ignore them.  Revival is like the spring rains.  The earth is renewed, hearts are filled with hope again, Judah was being restored.

Hezekiah sent an invitation throughout Judah and even to those who remained in Israel (by this time, Israel has been taken into exile by Assyria) to come and celebrate the Passover.  Great crowds came.  Sacrifices were offered.  These sacrifices re-established the relationship between Judah and Jehovah.  They were sacrifices of repentance.  Repentance always turns our faces toward our God and God is always ready to give us audience when we come admitting our failures and our sin.  God met Judah in those penitent prayers and began to restore their land as well.

The scriptures said that there was great joy in Jerusalem.  When the church is alive and well and the people of God are offering themselves appropriately to God and his service; God's blessings are on the way.  If we want revival in our homes and communities; we must be a people of prayer, offering ourselves sacrificially to our God.  When we do that the church will be vital and the blessing of the church will spill over into our homes, schools, businesses and communities.  The land will be blessed because the people honor the God of our creation. 

Pray for revival.  Pray that we would be instruments of that revival.  Come Holy Spirit, fall fresh on us and make us a blessing to the world.

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