Hezekiah and Exceptions
(Between the Idealistic and the Realistic)
-Introduction
-Gene Wood’s statement: “If a preacher isn’t preaching to himself, he isn’t preaching at
a high-enough level. The preacher is to preach the ideal.”
-You see, there is the idealistic and the realistic.
-As Christians, we are trying to close the gap between the two (and not by an attempt
to lower the idealistic but to raise the realistic).
-example - James 4:17 - Idealistically, we’d always know and do what’s right.
Realistically, we’re not going to always do so.
-example: Idealistically, we’d never sin again. Realistically... (1 John 1:8).
-The past two weeks, I addressed the very important principle of putting the church first.
-Idealistically, that’s what we’d do every time. Realistically, that’s not going to be
the case.
-Don’t discourage yourself by failing to see the idealistic aspect. Yet, try to close the
gap between it and the realistic. It might not be huge leaps and bounds. It might be
individual, smaller steps. What I’m wanting you to do is take some of those steps
and close the gap.
-The fact is: There are going to be exceptions.
-Word of caution. Please understand the use of “exceptions.” Those should not be
confused with or interchanged with “excuses.” (Many people don’t have any
problem coming up with excuses. We don’t need to help them with that.)
-Hezekiah and an Exception at Passover
-2 Chron. 30:1-4
-Remember, Hezekiah began the process of restoration during the “first month”
(2 Chron. 29:3). The appointed time for the Passover was the 14th day of the 1st
month (Lev. 23:5-6).
-By the time the temple and priests were consecrated (2 Chron. 29) and the people
gathered, it was too late for the Passover.
-Choices: Don’t observe it at all. <or> Observe it late.
-Hezekiah and the people took counsel (2 Chron. 30:2) and decided to observe the
Passover later than normal.
-However, Hezekiah had a precedence to follow.
-Num. 9:1-8 - Could an exception be made for those who were unclean? Moses
sought the will of God and received a direct response. So, as an exception, the
Passover was observed in an acceptable fashion in the 2nd month.
-So, Hezekiah wasn’t just doing what he devised in his own mind. He was approaching
this exception in a manner as best as he could.
-Hezekiah’s 2nd Passover Exception
-2 Chron. 30:13-22 (Notice, in particular, vs 17-20.)
-There were many in Jerusalem who had not gone through the necessary purification
processes prior to Passover. The timeframe involved for them didn’t allow it.
-So, now what? They were already in the 2nd month. Should they not partake at all?
Should they wait another month and then do so? Should they partake in their
current condition?
-It seems that Hezekiah didn’t know what to do. Notice verses 18-20.
-Hezekiah prayed for the people. Compare this (and the specific wording) to 2
Chron. 6 & 7.
-2 Chron. 7:14 - humble, pray, seek, turn; hear, forgive and heal
-Aren’t these elements present in 2 Chron. 30? What did God do? - heard, healed
-How could Hezekiah know this though? It seems that there is an implication here.
God gave a direct answer to Hezekiah - perhaps through the prophet Isaiah for we
see Isaiah’s involvement with Hezekiah in passages that follow.
-Hezekiah allowed or instructed these men to partake of the Passover. An exception was
made.
-Now, we have to be careful. Unfortunately, there are those who try to take this
passage and make a leap to all kinds of scenarios in which they try to justify a
departure from the word of God. Such would be a violation of this text and a
violation of God’s word as a whole.
-Yet, from considering these events involving Hezekiah, we do see that there are times
of exception when we must do the best we can in the given situation.
-examples: Ervin and Wilma’s story of getting stuck at a hotel on Sunday due to a
severe snow storm; Visitors here on Sunday P.M. expecting 6:00
services; sickness, etc.
-Summary and Invitation
-We need to understand that we are going to encounter exceptions. In those cases, let’s
not “beat ourselves up” and let’s not “beat others up” either. Let’s use some good logic
and do the best we can when exceptions present themselves.
-Yet, again, let’s not confuse true exceptions with excuses.
-And, let’s make sure exceptions are just that...exceptions. Let’s not allow exceptions to
become the rule.
-So, once again, we need to aim for the ideal. In so doing, we can continue to close the
gap between that which is idealistic and that which is realistic.
-Are you closing the gap? You start the process by obeying the Gospel of Christ:
believing in Jesus (John 3:16, 8:24), confessing that faith (Matt. 10:32, Rom. 10:9-10),
repenting of sin (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 17:30), being baptized into Christ for forgiveness
(Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38).
-We are then to continue to close the gap by walking in newness of life (Rom. 6:4) -
serving faithfully. However, if you haven’t been faithful or need to renew your
dedication to the Lord, confess your shortcomings, repent and pray for forgiveness
(1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).