2 Chronicles 30:1-11

DISCOURSE: 424
HEZEKIAH’S ZEAL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD

2 Chronicles 30:1. And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. And be not like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. Now be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

INFLUENCE is a talent of vast importance; but it is often most abused, where it exists in the highest degree. Kings and princes are rarely to be found amongst those who are foremost in the work of reformation: and, where their exertions are used, they are actuated as much by political principles as by those which are religious. Here however we see a monarch uniting with all his princes in a work of piety, in which politics bore no part at all. Hezekiah, not content with calling on his own subjects to serve the Lord, sought to bring his very enemies to the same blessed state, even those enemies who not long before had “smitten them with a great slaughter,” even “with a rage that reached up to heaven [Note: 2 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 28:9.].” The account is so circumstantial and so beautiful, that I have comprised it all in my text; which will lead me to shew,

I. The efforts he used in the service of his God—

The object he sought to accomplish was one of primary importance—

[The passover was the greatest of all the Jewish feasts, as the mercies which it was intended to commemorate were the greatest that had ever been vouchsafed to that people. The destruction of the Egyptian first-born was, as you know, confined to them. The Israelites throughout the whole land were exempt from the judgment inflicted on all others without exception. In order to their deliverance, they were to kill a lamb, and sprinkle the posts and lintels of their doors with its blood: and then the destroying angel was to pass over their houses without inflicting a stroke either on man or beast that was so protected. In commemoration of this wonderful event the passover was to be kept with great strictness in all future ages. But it had been shamefully neglected during the reign of his father Ahaz; and was now therefore appointed to be kept with peculiar solemnity. This ordinance above all others typified our redemption through the blood of Christ. The appointment of God was, that it should be kept at Jerusalem: and this command was as binding upon the ten tribes of Israel as it was upon Judah and Benjamin. He summoned all therefore, as well the tribes of Israel who were not under his government, as the two tribes who were his immediate subjects, to engage in this holy duty: and he spared neither trouble nor expense to attain his end.]

The way in which he endeavoured to accomplish his end was peculiarly amiable and praiseworthy—

[Though a king, he used not so much the language of authority as of affectionate counsel and entreaty: “Turn again,” said he, “unto the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel.” “Be ye not stiff-necked, as your fathers were.” He reminds them of the bitter consequences of their past departure from God, consequences which they could not but trace to that source, since the very judgments which God’s prophets had denounced against them were actually visible in the desolations that were come upon them, a great part of their nation having been already taken captive by the king of Assyria. He then urges every argument that could influence an ingenuous mind. He assures them, that God would still be gracious to them, if they would but return to him: yea, that he would even restore to their own land those who had been taken captive, if they would but seek him with their whole hearts. In a word, he entreats them to “yield up themselves unreservedly unto God,” in an assured expectation, that, if they returned to him in a way of penitential sorrow, he would return to them in a way of love and mercy.
Now the whole of this affords as bright a pattern of wisdom, and piety, and love, as is to be found in all the Jewish records.]
Let us then proceed to contemplate,

II.

The success with which those efforts were attended—

This was far from being so complete as might have been expected. Some only “mocked his messengers, and laughed them to scorn”—
[However closely we examine the message which he sent, we shall find in it nothing that could give just occasion for ridicule or contempt. But ungodly men, even in self-defence, deride every thing which savours of piety. They have done so in every age. When Lot entreated his sons-in-law to escape out of Sodom, “he seemed,” we are told, “as one who mocked to his sons-in-law,” so ridiculous were his exhortations in their eyes. In precisely the same way were all the messages delivered by the prophets regarded; till God was provoked to give up his people to utter desolation [Note: 2 Chronicles 36:16.]. It might be supposed that the infinite perfections of our blessed Lord should disarm such malice; and that his words at least would be universally received. But many who heard them regarded him only as a deceiver and a demoniac. The very Pharisees, who from their knowledge of the Scriptures might have been supposed to form a more correct judgment, derided him as much as others; because they were addicted to the sins which he reproved [Note: Luke 16:14.]. The holy Apostles shared the same fate with their Divine Master; and when most “speaking the words of truth and soberness” were most virulently derided as babblers and as fools [Note: Acts 26:24.]. And thus it is at the present hour. Every man who seeks to reclaim a world that lieth in wickedness will be reproached and persecuted, and, generally speaking, will be persecuted in proportion to his fidelity.]

Some however complied with his exhortations—
[Among the tribes of Judah and Benjamin there was a great unanimity in turning to the Lord, because “the hand of God was with them, to give them” an obedient heart. And from amongst the tribes of Israel also many “humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.” These kept the feast with great joy and gladness [Note: ver. 21.]: yea, so did they delight in the pious work, that when they had fulfilled the week which God had appointed for the celebration of the feast, they were anxious of themselves to continue it another week [Note: ver. 23.], notwithstanding the protracting of the period interfered with the pressing engagements of the harvest. Say whether this was not a rich compensation to Hezekiah for all the ridicule which the contemners of his piety had cast upon him? Yes, if one soul be of more value than the whole world, no doubt but that the welfare of so many souls was in his eyes an abundant recompence for all his toil and labour.]

That we may not confine our thoughts to the events of that day, but may render them profitable to our own souls, I shall consider myself as a messenger sent on a similar occasion to you, not from an earthly monarch, but from the King of kings—

[You would I call to keep a paasover unto the Lord: for “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” O consider the benefits you derive from his blood sprinkled on your souls! — — — Think of yourselves as the very first-born whom he has redeemed unto God, and who are Lord’s peculiar portion — — — Think how grievously this mystery has been neglected by you and by all around you — — — And how manifest is his indignation against the contemners of his love and mercy! See, and tell me, are not the great mass around you enslaved by sin, and carried captive by the devil at his will? — — — Have not you yourselves too much reason to fear his displeasure on account of your multiplied iniquities? Turn then unto him in penitence and prayer; yea, turn unto him with your whole hearts. I would urge this by every consideration that is proper to influence the human mind. Think how gracious your Redeemer is, and ready both to receive you to mercy, and to deliver you out of the hands of your spiritual enemies — — — Think too how awful will be the consequence of continuing to rebel against him — — — “Be no longer stiff-necked,” but turn to him, and “yield yourselves entirely to him.” “This is your reasonable service [Note: Romans 12:1.]:” and if ungodly men deride and mock your piety, let it suffice you that you shall at least have the approbation of your God — — —

And to you who have influence let me say, Exert that influence in behalf of all to whom it can extend. Use it abroad as well as at home; amongst enemies, as well as friends. Seek to recover the dispersed of Israel and of Judah to the service of their God, that they may participate with you the mercies purchased for them by the blood of the Paschal Lamb — — —]