Restoring The Old Practices

When the priests showed him that the Temple had been opened up and cleaned and was ready for use, Hezekiah took the leaders and went to the Temple to offer the proper sacrifices and sanctify it and the people as the Law specified.   II Chronicles 29:20-28 describes  These first offerings and sacrifices, seeking God’s forgiveness for all the years they had not worshipped during Ahaz’ reign.  “Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.  And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.  And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets.

And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel.  And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.”

Hezekiah and those who were present were thrilled to finally get back to their traditional worship and getting right with God once again, because for several years they had been prohibited from doing so.  Hezekiah encouraged the people to bring sacrifices of thanks giving when they finished their initial time of worship. In II Chronicles 29:29-33.  “And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. 2ch 29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.  And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.  And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three thousand sheep.”

For years, there had been no offerings of sacrifices, and as a result many of the priests had not kept up their sanctification.  Although the people had had no advance preparation, they brought so many sacrifices the priests who had maintained their sanctification were not able to keep up.   Fortunately, some of the Levites had maintained their sanctification, and were able to help out, as II Chronicles 29:34-35 describes.  “But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests.  And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.”

Hezekiah and the people were thrilled by such a spontaneous response, because their had been no advance preparation, as II Chronicles 29:36 explains.  “And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly.”  As a result of this many of the priests renewed their certification so they would be prepared to make sacrifices when needed. 

Like Ahaz, our modern “Christian” society has become enamored with the trappings and practices of other religions and new ways of doing things, forgetting the old songs and ways of worship.  After a time the new wears off, and people become jaded, and the pastors find themselves on treadmill, constantly running to keep the people’s attention.  Many times, a leader like Hezekiah can see revival just by going back to the old ways and teachings, allowing God to work in their hearts instead of depending on human programs and personalities.