2 Chronicles 29:1-36
29:1-2 At the time when the northern kingdom of Israel was crumbling and succumbing to their enemies, Hezekiah became king of Judah. Israel's faithlessness and subsequent corruption culminated in captivity; Hezekiah however, worked fervently to keep Judah aligned with the Lord.
29:3 Upon taking the kingship, Hezekiah immediately began the restoration of the house of the Lord. In order for the kingdom of Judah to return to its own faith, Hezekiah ensured that they would have a place to do so.
29:4-9 The priests and Levites of the house of the Lord needed spiritual motivation and Hezekiah provided it. Their faith needed a jump-start, an invigoration, a new energy after the kingdom had largely turned to corruption. The condition of the kingdom was poor, and Hezekiah pointed out that the reason was because of the unrighteous behavior of its population. Yet Hezekiah knew that the Lord would find forgiveness if the people could find repentance. If they could re-adhere to the word and law of God, it would again keep them.
In nation, in kingdom, in community, in family and within self, spiritual restoration is always possible. Spiritual energy and faithful work ethic are the cobblestones in the path that will always lead directly (back) to God. The northern kingdom did not restore itself and therefore the kingdom of Israel had been claimed under the authority of their enemies; the siren call of sin and temptation led them there. They had no spiritual energy, no faithful work ethic and their relationship with God withered and then broke apart. They became the property of their enemies.
29:10 Hezekiah understood that Judah was on the brink of experiencing precisely the fate that its sister-kingdom was facing. God had expressed his displeasure with the corruption within their lifestyles. It was their chance to make necessary corrections and cuts ties with injustice and greed, violence and idolatry.
20:11 Hezekiah's fervent advice: do not neglect your relationship with God. It is critical for us to keep our line of communication with God open and clear. Our faith is like an umbilical cord; it is the source of our spiritual nourishment. Through our faith we receive God's direction, instruction, counsel and discipline. Moreover, we receive His friendship and love, comfort and joy. Our connection with God is vital to our well-being and to the condition of our home, community and nation.
The kingdom of Israel had severed its tie with God. Lie and corruption, greed and arrogance weathered and cut their connection with God until they found themselves separate from Him. Their access to His protection, provision and wisdom was too far out of reach in the moment when they were precisely in the reach of their grasping enemies.
29:12-16 Some of the Levites responded to Hezekiah's wake-up call. They cleared the temple of debris and cleaned it. Symbolically, they began a renovation of their hearts and faith. The cobwebs were cleared, the holes patched. Suddenly they awakened, spiritually, to their bleak situation and restored themselves to their faith.
29:17 It was a process and a personal effort but they understood that submission to God was a much differently reality than submission to sin. Corruption lusts for followers, pretends it can fill all their desires. But God loves His children, and can fill all of their needs.
29:18-19 The men reported back to the king that they had fixed the destruction the previous, unfaithful king had caused. Finally, Judah began to make progress toward restoration. Corruption had disrespected and nearly destroyed the kingdom God had gifted the people. Gratitude and appreciation began to make it strong and clean once again.
29:20-24 Sacrifice had once been the method through which people expressed their trust and devotion to God. It is now a defunct practice but was never what God truly desired:
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
All along, God wanted (and still wants) people to have mercy and knowledge of God, that is, an understanding of humility, natural justice and compassion. To have those things would mean to live in direct opposition to corruption, greed and arrogance.
In Hosea 6, God expressed His frustration with Israel and Judah. The priests, because of Hezekiah, finally perceived God's frustration and began to change the way of the kingdom. Their method was sacrifice, ritual which required the people to devote the best of what they had in acknowledgement that God so deserved it. Our relationship with God is largely based on the understanding and process that when we pour ourselves out on His behalf, He will always fill us back up. Israel and Judah had stopped pouring themselves out; they had stopped receiving from God. Procuring material of the world (wealth, power, property, fame) is direct opposition to that spiritual process.
In the beginning, God wanted people to understand that faith was something you did, not just something you believed. In the New Testament, we know more accurately what work in faith looks like thanks to the example of our Messiah and the written works of His apostles. The correction of our own behavior requires that we clean out our own hearts and minds and redirect our attention to rebuilding and restoring that which injustice has destroyed in self, home and society.
29:25-30 Judah began to worship the Lord. Hezekiah was largely responsible for maneuvering the kingdom back into faith. The worship was not as natural as it had been during King David's reign, but it was a genuine effort. Our relationships with God are like any relationship, they evolve and grow and strengthen over time. The more time we spend in His company, the more aware we are of how deserving He is of our praise. The more natural we are in expressing it.
29:31-35 Those who had a willing heart, brought offerings to God. A relationship with God cannot be forced or unwilling. He would not want it even if it could be. God wants authentic relationships with His children.
29:36 Hezekiah and the people were rejoiced that progress had been made. Likely they could already feel the clarity, joy and solemnity that comes from proximity to God.
