Good King Hezekiah-Revival
Hezekiah the next day, after the Temple was clean, gathered the leaders of the nation and went up to the house of the Lord!
Some believe this going up is symbolic of the majesty of God and no one can climb that holy hill with out fear and trembling. Some also believe the earliness of the action showed there was no time to waste or this opportunity of healing and forgiveness might be wasted! So the king and all his rulers came to lead the whole nation to the Lord!
They came prepared to make offering to the Lord.
1. The Sin Offering!
This is always the first offering to God so that the worshiper can be cleansed from the guilt of sin and made acceptable before the Lord!
Jesus is our sin offering. His payment covered all sin once and for all – done! We need to understand that our daily sin builds a barrier between ourselves and God. God in His amazing wisdom gave us the gift of confession and repentance (one gift with two sides – confession is not real if it’s just admitting to my sinfulness but I must own up to my responsibility for it and renounce it. That is where repentance is found, in turning from sin and turning to the Lord!)
1 John 1:9 says when we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse!
Hezekiah brought 7 bulls, 7 Rams, 7 lambs and 7 goats! Why 7? To the Hebrews 7 meant completeness and perfection – a complete and perfect sacrifice. 7 also means exoneration and healing – and Hezekiah knew that is what must take place.
Lastly, 7 means fulfillment of a promise and vow! Hezekiah knew that the people had broken their vows to God and needed to recommit to all they were called to be and do!
Note that in a sin offering the one making the offering had to place his hands on the animal so he would fully understand that sin causes death and it was his sin that made the need for this death to take place! '
What was needed was restoration of a relationship with God and it is still needed!
2. The Burnt Offing.
This offering was an offering that was to be totally consumed on the altar for God! In this offering, nothing was to be held back for one’s own good. The burnt offering was totally for God!
Hezekiah knew that until the nation restored their commitment and surrender to the Lord, nothing else could be accomplished for God’s glory through this people!
There must be a fully devoted – all in – totally sold out commitment for the people to meet the God who could cleanse, heal and restore life to the nation!
What was the commitment for the people in this offering? They were to use their talents and gifts to show their wholehearted commitment to the Lord by giving their gift until the offerings were completely consumed.
When the offering was complete the king and all with him bowed and worshiped! They prostrated themselves on that holy ground before the Lord.
After the sin offering and the burnt offering the King calls for a 3rd offering.
3. The Praise or Thank offering – a freewill offering to the Lord!
Hezekiah says that now that they had consecrated themselves NOW they could make a Thank offering of burnt offerings or Thank offerings.
Look what happened! There were 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs for burnt offerings. Remember that all this is totally consumed for God. Then the Thank offerings started. 600 bulls and 3000 sheep! The sacrifice was so large that the Priest had to call in help from the Levites. And not only were there these offerings, there were peace offerings and drink offering on top of all that!
Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people!
So what do we need to hear today from what took place more than 2000 years ago?
1. Cleaning out the Temple is not enough. There must be something brought back in. Forsaking the sin of the past without restoring real worship will not last!
2. Confession needs to be complete so healing can happen. Today the sacrifice of confession is the offering that pleases God
3. Revival requires a complete life commitment! Surrender to God alone and above all!
4. Until I come to the place of a free will offering I will not experience the joy of the Lord
5. The time of restoration and revival is growing short and time is of an essence! Don’t put off returning to the Lord or it may never come!
6. Revival is a God thing. It happens when and where He prepares and the people respond! The question is are we ready?
7. The Joy of the Lord is worth everything He requires!
Discussion:
1. What sin needs confessing in your life? (Note: we all
have them!)
2. Is your life totally committed to the Lord? Why or why
not?
3. Are you at the place you can make a free will offering to
God or are you stuck just offering sin offerings?
4. Do you know the joy of true worship?