Hezekiah & Thank Offerings
-Introduction
-At various times in the past – whether in sermons or in Bible classes – I have discussed
the overall patterns that we find within the kings that ruled over God’s people.
-Only Saul, David and Solomon ruled over a united kingdom.
-Following Solomon’s rule the kingdom was divided – Israel to the north; Judah to
the south.
-Kings of Israel – Jeroboam began a poor pattern – he deviated from God’s patterns given in
the Law. He changed the place of worship, time of worship, priesthood (1 Kings 12).
Unfortunately, things seemed to become progressively worse and worse in Israel. God sent
prophets to warn those in Israel and to instruct them to repent and return to God.
Unfortunately, they refused and God allowed them to be overtaken by the Assyrians (722
B.C.).
-Kings of Judah – Unfortunately, many of the kings in Judah also struggled with sin and led
God’s people down the wrong paths. However, there were some “bright” spots along the
way – times when a king would exert a good influence, follow the ways of God and
lead/oversee a time of restoration
-One such bright spot came under the leadership of Hezekiah.
-Ahaz – Hezekiah’s Predecessor
-2 Chron. 28
-vs 1-4 – sinful leadership
-oppressed as punishment for his sin:
-Syria and Israel (vs 5); Edomites (vs 17); Philistines (vs 18); Assyrians (20)
-vs 19-21 (2 Kings 16:7)
-2 Chron 7:14 – This option was available to Ahaz every step of the way. Yet, Ahaz
responded in exactly the wrong way.
-2 Chron. 28:22-27
-Hezekiah’s Restoration
-2 Chron 29:1-2
-Notice what he did in the 1st year of his reign – 2 Chron. 29:3-6.
-Hezekiah wanted the priests and the temple to be consecrated in preparation of
proper worship to God.
-Let us not underestimate the importance of proper worship – John 4:24.
-God wants us to worship Him and He wants us to worship Him according to the
instructions He has given.
-2 Chron 29:10
-2 Chron 29:16, 18-19
-Sin offering – 2 Chron. 29:20-21, 24
-Thank offerings – 2 Chron. 29:31
-Thank Offerings
-The thank offerings fell under the general category of peace offerings. Nelson’s Illustrated
Bible Dictionary (© 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers) states “There were three kinds of
peace offerings: (1) thank offerings in response to an unsolicited special divine blessing; (2)
votive (vowed) offerings in pursuit of making a request or pledge to God; and (3) freewill
offerings spontaneously presented in worship and praise.”
-“…[B]y these offerings that which was lacking was considered as being now made up,
and that which was broken, viz., the covenant of God, by His creatures' transgression,
was supposed to be made whole, so that after such an offering, the sincere and
conscientious mind had a right to consider that the breach was made up between God
and it, and that it might lay confident hold on this covenant of peace.” (Clarke)
-2 Chron 29:33
-“Being called to it by the king, they brought in their offerings, though not in such
abundance as in the glorious days of Solomon (for Judah was now diminished,
impoverished, and brought low), but according to what they had, and as much as one
could expect considering their poverty and the great decay of piety among them.
(Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic
Database. © 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
-These people were thankful that their covenant relationship with God had been restored.
-Thanks For Spiritual Blessings
-We have many, many reasons to be thankful – many things for which to be thankful.
-life, health, family, homes, food, water, clothes, etc.
-We enjoy many material blessings in life. Yet, for what should we be most thankful?
We should be most thankful for the spiritual blessings that God offers through Jesus (Eph.
1:3).
-Are you enjoying the most important and most significant blessings of all? Are you in a
faithful relationship with God?
-We begin that relationship with obedience to the Gospel: 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 the forgiveness of sins (Mark 16:16, Acts
2:38).
-We continue & maintain that relationship with faithfulness (Rom. 6:4, Col 1:23). If you
haven’t maintained that relationship, return to Him with repentance, confession and
prayer (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).
-And, consider this: The people in Hezekiah’s day expressed their thanks through sacrifice.
We should also express our thanks through sacrifice – Rom. 12:1-2.