240th Week, II Chronicles Chapters 29-33 (Click on Title for Video Introduction)

 

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Monday II Chronicles Chapter 29

II Chronicles 29 

Verse 2

Delores Little

Verse 2:  He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.

THOUGHT

Before I start I want to share how Hezekiah came to me years ago right after I was born again. I was asked to teach Vacation Bible School and had Hezekiah and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in my lesson plans for the kids. Trouble was I had not read about them and did not know how to say their names.  Every day I came and asked the Pastor how to say those names so I could teach the story to the kids.  I did this for 5 days and finally they clicked and have never forgotten them since. 

Today we have a good King in Hezekiah to share about. This is a good chapter. He was 25 when he began his reign, and he was king 29 years.  Verse 2 says, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.”   He did a house cleaning for the Lord with his temple and got it fixed up.  He made sure things were done right by the right people.  There were certain responsibilities given to different groups of people.  Verse 25 & 26 says, “He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the kings seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through His prophets. So the Levites stood ready with David’s instruments, and the priests with their trumpets.”  

Then the offerings were made, all together 600 hundred bulls, 3,000 sheep and goats for the burnt offering. The Burnt offering was a sin offering and trespass offerings; the officer was reconciled to God and came to worship Him.  A bull, ram, goat, turtle doves, or young pigeons were completely burned to ashes on the altar. This was a freewill offering.  This offering illustrates complete surrender of our bodies as a living sacrifice. 

(Romans 12:1-2).  This means we are to give the best of our time, talents, and possessions.  Are we willing to do that? It takes time and being in the Word to see what God wants of us and what the best way would be to show the love of Christ our Lord. 

PRAYER

Father, thank You for giving us Your Word to read in freedom in this country. Let us not take it for granted but realize it is a blessing and use it for Your Glory daily. There are many that need prayers, and we just lift them up to You and ask You to work in their lives. In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Tuesday, II Chronicles Chapter 30

II Chronicles 30

Verse 18c-20

Delores Little

Verse 18c-20:  But Hezekiah PRAYED for them saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.”

THOUGHT

Today we are reading about Hezekiah celebrating the Passover, which hadn’t been done since Solomon, son of David.  Remember Judah had 2 tribes and Israel 10.  These had broken away when King Solomon, David’s son, took over after his Dad died.  Now Hezekiah is sending our couriers throughout Israel and Judah to come to the Passover.  In verse 8 it says, “Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the Lord. Come to the sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.” 

Some ridiculed but some did go.  Some of the ones who went had not consecrated themselves and some had not purified themselves.  Yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written.  But Hezekiah PRAYED for them saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.” verses 18c-20.  For 7 days they celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread with great joy and singing.  They agreed to do another 7 days. I am sure this had to really be something to see.

People who celebrate Lenten Season have the same thought in mind if they are in God’s will during it.  They are getting ready for Good Friday and The RESURRECTION DAY.  This had to be days of rejoicing unto the Lord since many of them hadn’t done it for years and some of the younger ones ever. Years had passed since this was done. We need to be of the same mind by praising and thanking God that He sent Jesus, our Bread of Life and Water of Life, to die for us.  We can do this daily with our own quiet time with the Lord.

PRAYER

Father God, forgive us as we fall so short daily.  We trust in You to help us be the vessels we are to be for You.  Our Nation needs many prayers along with the President and all who work with him.  We pray for their salvation, Lord.  In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Wednesday, II Chronicles Chapter 31

II Chronicles 31

Verses 20 & 21 

Delores Little

Verses 20 & 21:  This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.  

THOUGHT

He did what Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  He truly did this and got rid of all idols people had been worshiping all these years. Some of the kings came back to God but did not rid the land of the idol worship. This king did, and the priests did the worship the way it was to be done. This chapter truly shows us who to be worshiping and what we believers are to bring to the house of God in order to keep it going and running like it should.

We have one more chapter on Hezekiah in this book but if you want more on him read 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-39.  As I read this, I truly know how God wants us to obey His Word daily in our lives.  We need to realize that if we prosper in this world, it is because of the gifts He has blessed us with.  We then can use some of that to help our churches and those who are in need of help. We must trust and obey Him, and He will lead us daily through hard times and bad. He will never leave or forsake us. He is so faithful. We have the choice to do what He wants or what we want. Who will you choose this day to follow for the rest of your life?  We are not promised all good days, but His road is one of the most rewarding ones we can travel on. We will be closer to the Lord at the end of our journey.  

PRAYER

Father, we thank You for always being there for us and for guiding us through Your Word. Forgive us when we do fall short of Your glory.  Bless our week and lead us daily to do Your Will and not ours.  Heal the sick, let people find jobs who are out of work, protect our families and let our nation come to repentance. In Jesus Name we pray.  AMEN

Thursday, II Chronicles Chapter 32

II Chronicles 32

Verse 8

Jeanie Boldt

VERSE 8:  “With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord Our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

THOUGHT

The chapter is loaded. What awesome written Words they are.  In fact - check out verse 7. There is a song that is sung with this verse in it. I could see Hezekiah giving his people a pep talk by speaking the truth about God our Father. He was trying to share that all battles - each and every one of ours that we walk each day - can be won with God’s strength. Well, the first of the chapter spoke of Hezekiah’s faith in God. Then in the last of the chapter, he falls apart, and pride takes over.

Hezekiah weathered the invasion and the illness, but he fell to pride. It began when he failed to thank God for sparing his life, and apparently even God’s chastening did not cure him. The extent of his wealth and the praises of the visiting dignitaries made Hezekiah proud, and God had to deal with him. Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah. (Verse26)

The one thing that will get us through these times is faithfulness to the Word and conversation with God our Father with prayer through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Let’s be sure we keep both of these instruments fine-tuned.

PRAYER

Father, I am so joyful to have Jesus in my heart. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. Keep the desire to be in Your Word in our hearts. Make us strong in the Will of the Lord spiritually, mentally and physically. In the Blood of Jesus. AMEN

Friday, II Chronicles Chapter 33

II Chronicles 33

Verse 12

Jeanie Boldt

Verse 12:  In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.

THOUGHT

Even a brief outline of King Manasseh’s evil sickens us, and we wonder how God could ever forgive him. Manasseh rebuilt what his father had torn down and then tore it down again so he could rebuild. He did not learn from the past or listen to the prophets, so he had to live with the punishment God sent him. Some people only learn the hard way. It is so sad at how generation after generation follows the same steps the one before took only in a little different way. And even though they know the hardships of the past - they again repeat the steps. Breaking that bondage is so hard.

How gracious of God to see Manasseh’s repentance, hear his prayer, and restore him to wellness. But even God’s forgiveness could not automatically nullify the king’s bad example or undo the terrible damage he had done in the land. Sin has consequences long after sinners are forgiven. I think about the broken marriage that I went through. It was a completely humbling experience for me and consequences for our wrong still hang on with family and life that “Should not have been.”

I am so thankful that God is ready and willing to forgive, and we should seek that forgiveness early. The longer we wait, the more damage we do, and the more we and others will suffer because of our sins.  Are you holding on to any long held bitterness or mistake? Please give it to God and let it go. God’s Peace will overflow in you and a cleansing completeness felt.

PRAYER

Father God, thank You for forgiveness of sins. We can’t tell You how much it means to have You there when we do wrong. Help us to realize that our mistakes and sins hurt others. Give us a desire to love in a selfless manner. We walk with You as You go to the cross this week, for without this journey our forgiveness would not be possible. In the Blood of Jesus. AMEN