RESTORATION: TO NEGLECT A

GREAT SALVATION


A Revival of the Lord’s Table

2 Chronicles 30:1-27


      In the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, the people had not thought about the Passover blood for seven hundred years. The blood had not been mentioned for eight hundred years of biblical history. Endnote A remembrance of the blood marked the revival that came (Jos. 5:9-10; 2 Kg. 23:22-23; Ezra 6:20-21). How long has it been since you came to the table of the Lord and remembered the blood?


2 Chr. 29:11 [ESV]. My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister to him and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.

      Charles H. Spurgeon said, “Be careful, too, not to neglect that most blessed Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ. Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, but let Him be known to you in the breaking of bread, and in pouring forth of wine. Do this often in remembrance of Him. Ah! I am speaking to some here to day who love Jesus, but who have neglected His last dying injunction, ‘This do in remembrance of me;’ and you have not grown in grace, and are still little in Israel, as you used to be. Do you wonder at it? You have neglected God’s appointed means.” Endnote

 

•          Neglect of a garden (Ezek. 36:34)

•          Neglect of a house (Ecc. 10:18)

•          Neglect of a child (Prov. 6:20)

•          Neglect of a spouse (S. S. 1:6)

•          Neglect of a duty (2 Chr. 29:11)

•          Neglect of a kindness (Mt. 23:23)

•          Neglect of a Word (Ps. 119:139; Acts 6:2)

•          Neglect of a calling (1 Tim. 4:14)

•          Neglect of a church (Neh. 10:39, 13:11)

•          Neglect of a grace (2 Pet. 1:12)


Heb. 2:3 [HCSB]. How will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him.


      Spurgeon said, “I tell you, the Lord’s table is so high a place that you can see heaven from it very often. You get so near the cross there, you breathe so near the cross, that your sight becomes clearer, and the air brighter, and you see more of heaven there than anywhere else. Christian, do not neglect the supper of thy Lord; for if thou dost, he will hide heaven from thee, in a measure.” Endnote


      God brought a revival through Hezekiah when the king restored the means of grace that the nation neglected.


      C. E. Autrey wrote, “The revival for the whole nation depended upon the truth symbolized by the Passover.” Autrey said, “Without the blood there could have been no revival.” Endnote


  I. Invitation (30:1-12)


      A. Letters (1; 2 Chr. 30:6-10; Est. 3:13-15, 8:10-14; Job 9:25)


Job 9:25. Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.


          1. Come (1 Chr. 24:19; 2 Chr. 29:31, 30:1-15; 31:10)


          2. Celebrate (Ex. 12:48; Num. 9:2-4-5-6-10-12-13-14; Dt. 16:1; Jos. 5:10; 2 Chr. 30:1-2-5, 35:1-6-16-17-18-19; Ezra 6:19)


2 Chr. 35:18a [GNB]. Since the days of the prophet Samuel, the Passover had never been celebrated like this.


      B. Later (2-3)


      Hezekiah postponed the Passover until the second month (Num. 9:10-11). Autrey wrote, “The reason offered by Hezekiah was valid, for the people were unclean and were not ready to participate in the observance of the Passover at the proper time.” Endnote


          1. Sanctify (Ex. 19:22; 1 Chr. 15:14; 2 Chr. 29:34, 30:3-15-24, 36:14)


1 Chr. 15:14. So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel.


1 Kg. 12:31. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.


          2. Straightness (Prov. 3:6; Is. 40:3; Hab. 2:4)


      B. Law (4-5; Dt. 28:58; Jos. 1:8, 23:6; 1 Kg. 2:3; 2 Kg. 23:21; 2 Chr. 30:5, 34:21-31; Ezra 3:4; Neh. 8:15)


Jos. 23:6. [GNB]. So be careful to obey and do everything that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Do not neglect any part of it,


      C. Language (6-9)


          1. Return (2 Chr. 30:6-9; Ps. 80:3-7-19, 85:8, 126:4; Is. 55:7; Jer. 3:22; Lam. 3:40; Hos. 6:1; Zech. 1:3; Mal. 3:7)


Lam. 3:40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.


Hos. 6:1. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.


Mal. 3:7b. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.


          2. Reminder


              a. Remnant (2 Kg. 19:30; 2 Chr. 30:6; Ezra 9:8-15; Neh. 1:2; Is. 37:31)


              b. Rebellion (2 Chr. 29:6, 30:7, 36:14)


2 Chr. 29:6 [NIV]. Our fathers were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD's dwelling place and turned their backs on him.


              c. Rejection (2 Chr. 30:7; Ps. 81:12; Acts 7:42; Rom. 1:24-26)


Ps. 81:12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: [and] they walked in their own counsels.


              d. Removal (Dt. 28:37; 2 Chr. 29:8, 30:7; Jer. 18:16, 29:18)


2 Chr. 29:8 [NIV]. Therefore, the anger of the LORD has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes.


              e. Resistence (Ex. 7:3; Dt. 2:30; 2 Kg. 17:14; 2 Chr. 30:8, 36:13; Neh. 9:16-17-29; Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14, 29:1; Jer. 7:26)


2 Kg. 17:14 [NIV]. But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the LORD their God.


          3. Repentance


              a. Surrender (2 Chr. 30:8; Rom. 6:13-16)


              b. Sanctuary (Lev. 21:23; 2 Chr. 30:8; Ezek. 37:28)


              c. Service (Ex. 7:16; Dt. 10:12; Jos. 24:14-15; 2 Chr. 30:8, 33:16, 34:33; Ps. 100:2)


Jos. 24:15a [NIV]. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.


              d. Spare (fierce wrath–2 Kg. 23:26; 2 Chr. 28:11-13, 29:10, 30:8; Ps. 85:3; Is. 13:9-13; Jon. 3:9; turn away–2 Chr. 12:12, 29:10, 30:8; Dan. 9:16; Hos. 14:4; Jl. 2:13)


2 Chr. 29:10. Now [it is] in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.


          4. Revival (2 Chr. 7:14, 30:6-9; Ps. 80:3-7-19, 85:1-8, 126:4; Jer. 12:15; Lam. 3:40)


Jer. 12:15 [HCSB].After I have uprooted them, I will once again have compassion on them and return each one to his inheritance and to his land.


             a. Compassion (2 Chr. 30:9; Ps. 51:1, 103:4; Lam. 3:22; Dan. 9:9-18)


Lam. 3:22. [It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.


              b. Captivity (2 Chr. 6:36, 30:9; Ps. 137:3; Is. 61:1)


Is. 61:1 [ESV]. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;


              c. Character (grace–Ex. 34:6; 2 Chr. 30:9; Neh. 9:17-31; Ps. 86:15, 103:8, 111:4, 116:5, 145:8; Jl. 2:13; Jon. 4:2; mercy–Ex. 34:6; Dt. 4:31; 2 Chr. 30:9; Neh. 9:17-31; Ps. 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Jl. 2:13; Jon. 4:2)


Ex. 34:6. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,


              d. Cast-off (2 Kg. 17:18-23, 23:27; 2 Kg. 24:3; 1 Chr. 17:13; 2 Chr. 30:9)


2 Kg. 23:27 [NIV]. So the LORD said, "I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, ‘There shall my Name be.' "


      D. Land (10-12)


          1. Harass (laugh–Jud. 16:25; 2 Chr. 30:10; Prov. 1:26; mock–2 Chr. 30:10; Neh. 2:19, 4:1; Ps. 2:4, 22:7; Prov. 1:26; Jer. 20:7)


Jer. 20:7 [NIV]. O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.


          2. Humility (2 Chr. 7:14, 12:12, 32:26, 34:27, 36:12)


2 Chr. 34:27 [ESV]. Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.


          3. Hand (1 Sam. 5:11; 2 Chr. 30:12; Ezra 7:6-9-28, 8:18-22-31; Neh. 2:8-18; Dan. 9:15)


              a. One heart (1 Chr. 12:38; 2 Chr. 30:12; Jer. 32:39; Ezek. 11:19)


Jer. 32:39. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:


              b. Obedient heart (Dt. 4:2; 2 Chr. 29:15, 30:12, 34:31; Ps. 119:112)


2 Chr. 34:31 [NIV]. The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD--to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.


 II. Preparation (30:13-20)


      Hezekiah assembled the people to keep the feast of unleavened bread (Dt. 16:8; 2 Chr. 30:13-21; 35:17; Ezra 6:22).


      A. Congregation (13; 2 Chr. 30:2-4-13-17-23-24-25; gather–2 Chr. 30:13; Ezra 3:1; Neh. 8:1; Jl. 2:16)


Jl. 2:16 [GNB]. Gather the people together; prepare them for a sacred meeting; bring the old people; gather the children and the babies too. Even newly married couples must leave their homes and come.


      B. Cleansing (14; 2 Chr. 14:3, 30:14, 32:12, 33:15)


2 Chr. 33:15 [MSG]. He also did a good spring cleaning on The Temple, carting out the pagan idols and the goddess statue. He took all the altars he had set up on The Temple hill and throughout Jerusalem and dumped them outside the city.


      C. Consecration (15-20; Ex. 12:21, 19:22; 1 Chr. 15:14; 2 Chr. 29:5-34, 30:3-15-17-24, 35:1-6-11, 36:14; Ezra 6:20)


Ezra 6:20 [ESV]. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves.


          1. Ashamed (2 Chr. 30:15; Ezra 9:6; Jer. 3:3, 8:12)


Ezra 9:6. And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over [our] head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.


          2. Altars


              a. Stood (2 Chr. 30:16, 34:31, 35:10)


              b. Sprinkled (Ex. 24:6, 29:16; Lev. 17:6; 2 Chr. 29:22, 30:16; Ezek. 43:18)


          3. Atonement (clean–Lev. 10:10; 2 Chr. 30:17; Job 14:4; Ps. 51:10; Ezek. 36:25; Hab. 1:13; cover–Lev. 16:30. 17:11; 2 Chr. 30:18; Is. 6:7)


Ps. 51:10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.


Ezek. 36:25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.


              a. Heart (prepare–1 Sam. 7:3; 2 Chr. 19:3, 30:19; Ezra 7:10; seek–Dt. 4:29; 1 Chr. 16:11; 2 Chr. 12:14, 14:4, 14:7, 15:2-12, 17:4, 19:3, 20:3, 30:19, 34:3; Ezra 6:21, 7:10; Ps. 34:4-10, 105:4; Is. 55:6; Hos. 10:12)


2 Chr. 15:12. And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;


Ezra 7:10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.


              b. Healing (Ex. 15:26; 2 Kg. 20:5; 2 Chr. 7:14, 30:20; Ps. 41:4, 107:20; Jer. 3:22, 8:22; Hos. 6:1, 14:4)


Hos. 6:1. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.


      Philip Schaff wrote, “The Reformers first cleansed the sanctuary of gross abuses and superstitions, and cast out the money-changers with a scourge of cords. They abhorred idolatry, which in a refined form had found its way into the church. They abolished the sale of indulgences, the worship of saints, images, and relics, processions and pilgrimages, the private masses, and masses for the dead in purgatory. They rejected five of the seven sacraments (retaining only baptism and the eucharist), the doctrine of transubstantiation, the priestly sacrifice, the adoration of the host, the withdrawal of the cup from the laity, and the use of a dead language in public worship. They also reduced the excessive ceremonialism and ritualistic display which obscured the spiritual service. Endnote


III. Celebration (30:21-26)


      A. Observe (21; Num. 9:11; 2 Chr. 30:13-21, 35:17; Ezra 6:22)


Ezra 6:22 [NIV]. For seven days they celebrated with joy the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the LORD had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.


      B. Offering (22-24)


      C. Overjoyed (25-26; 1 Chr. 29:9; 2 Chr. 30:21-26; Ezra 3:12; Neh. 8:12-17)


          1. Glorify (2 Chr. 30:21; Ps. 18:3, 113:3; instruments–2 Chr. 5:13; 7:6, 29:26-27, 30:21)


Ps. 18:3. I will call upon the LORD, [who is worthy] to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.


Ps. 113:3. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name [is] to be praised.


          2. Grace


              a. Spoke (Gen. 50:21; Ruth 2:13; 2 Chr. 30:22; Is. 40:2; Hos. 2:14)


Is. 40:2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.


              b. Scripture (2 Chr. 30:22; Prov. 13:15)


              c. Sin (confess–Lev. 16:21; 2 Chr. 30:22; Neh. 1:6; Ps. 32:5; Dan. 9:4)


Ps. 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.


          3. Go (counsel–2 Chr. 30:2-23; Prov. 11:14, 15:22, 24:6)


          4. Gladness (1 Chr. 29:9; 2 Chr. 24:10, 29:36, 2 Chr. 30:21-23-25-26; Ezra 3:12, 6:22; Neh. 8:12-17; Est. 9:17-19-22; Ps. 16:9, 32:11, 85:6, 122:1; Is. 56:7)


2 Chr. 29:36. And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was [done] suddenly.


Est. 9:22 [NIV]. As the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.


Ps. 85:6. Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?


Ps. 122:1. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.


 IV. Intercession (30:27)


      A. Honor (Lev. 9:23; Dt. 26:15; 1 Chr. 16:2; 2 Chr. 30:27, 31:10; Ps. 29:11)


Lev. 9:23 [NIV]. Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.


      B. Heard (Dt. 26:7; 1 Kg. 17:22; 2 Chr. 30:27; Ps. 18:6, 28:6, 116:1)


Ps. 88:2 [GW]. Let my prayer come into your presence. Turn your ear to hear my cries.


      C. Heaven (Dt. 26:15; 2 Chr. 6:35, 30:27; Ps. 88:2; Is. 56:7; Jon. 2:7)


Ps. 18:6 [NIV]. In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.