Hezekiah pleases God

2 Chronicles Chapter 29

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, became king of Judah and reigned for 29 years. He did what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

He reopened the doors of the Temple and repaired them. And he summoned the priests and Levites to meet him and told them to purify themselves and everything in the Temple. He explained how the ancestors abandoned God and worshipped idols and that was why the Lord was angry with them. Then Hezekiah proposed to make a covenant with the Lord so that his anger would turn away from them.

The Levites worked hard and purified the Temple and were careful to follow all the Lord's instructions in their work and the task took sixteen days. Then the Levites went to the King and gave him the report that the Temple was purified and also the altar and utensils. So early the next morning Hezekiah gathered the city officials and went to the Temple. They brought with them livestock as sin offering for the kingdom and the process is described in verses 20 thru 24. And the king posted Levites at the temple with cymbals, harps and lyres and trumpets and when the burnt offering was presented, a joyous ceremony was given to the Lord. Then the people brought their own burn offerings and there was a need for more priests to prepare the offerings. So their relatives the Levites helped until more priests had been purified.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: The Levites, chosen by God to serve in the Temple, had been kept from their duties by Ahaz's wickedness. Now Hezekiah called them back into service.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? We may not face a wicked king, but we do have responsibilities that weigh us down and make us inactive. Look for the "Hezekiah's" that God will send your way. Then be ready, like the Levites, to take action.

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother whose cancer has returned and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them. And pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer. Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS. Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has 90 percent of her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. She will require long therapy and insurance may soon be a problem since her job was not held for her.
Update on Marthaline Sargent. She lost her battle with health problems and passed away last Tuesday. Our condolences to her son Patrick and daughter Stacey. Continue to pray for her husband Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Carolyn’s friend Margaret and her husband who were in a car accident. As elderly drivers they may face a life change which may cost them their independence. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.
Pray for John recovery from a heart attack and pray he can stop smoking.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.