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2 Chronicles Chapter 29 (ESV)

1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east 5 and said to them, “Hear me, Levites! Now consecrate yourselves, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They have forsaken him and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs. 7 They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the Holy Place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the Lord came on Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes…

27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30 And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings.

REFLECTION:

Hezekiah led the people to offer burnt offering on the altar in order to receive full acceptance by God. Other than that, burnt offering also has a redemptive function for the person making the sacrifice not to leave any sin to be punished by God (29:27-28). Thank offering is a kind of peace offering signifying people’s thanksgiving to God (29:31). As a peace offering, it also signifies reconciliation with God and restoration of interaction. Reflect how you can learn from the example of Hezekiah on offering sacrifice and present your body as a living sacrifice, that you can live a holy life acceptable to God for His use.

PRAYER:

Ask God to refine your life and remove the filthiness from your heart; ask God to give you bigger faith that you are willing to present your body as a living sacrifice, that you can live a holy life acceptable to God for His use and be a good witness for God.

HYMN:

“Take My Life and Let It Be” – www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Byp7aK2DA