SUMMARY OF 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31
Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign in Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. He purifed the temple, celebrated Passover, and encouraged worship of the Lord.
BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 16, Day 4: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31
9a) He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. The first commandment is to love the Lord your God before all others. Therefore, idol worship could not be tolerated ever.
b) The Lord has to be first in everything we do, always. The hard part is trying to remember that.
10)
The role and activity of the priests: He purified the temple and the priests and rededicated them to the Lord. Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
Calling the people back to God: He celebrated Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread, inviting everyone including Judah to come to Jerusalem and do so. More high places were smashed.
11a) You have to fix what is wrong before you can do what is right. Hezekiah understood this by smashing idol worship and restoring the priesthood and retraining them to serve God. He took action once the corrective measures were taken to restore the priesthood and put God at the center of people’s lives once again.
b) Good question. He’s definitely asking me to put him first more and get my priorities straight.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 16, Day 4: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31
Amongst all the bad kings, the good ones shine out — and boy do they shine brightly. Love reading about Hezekiah and his example of how it can only take a few things to turn the world around for many.
End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 16, Day 4: 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29-31
In 2 Kings, we see Hezekiah’s reign was righteous, so he prospered. God preserved the royal line of King David (and thus Jesus) through Hezekiah.
In 2 Chronicles 29-31, we see Hezekiah cleanse the temples and restore worship and sacrifices. Passover is celebrated, and the regular work of the priests is restored.
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