2 Chron 30:1-9, 26-27
SS Lesson for 09/14/25
Devotional Scripture: 2 Kings 23:19-23
The division of the united monarchy of Israel into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah occurred in 931 BC during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. Instead of peaceful coexistence, the two kingdoms were hostile toward each other (1 Kings 15:16, 32; 2 Chronicles 13:1-20). Nearly 200 years later, Ahaz ascended to the throne in Judah (reigned 735-715 BC). Evil and unfaithfulness marked his reign (2 Chronicles 28:1-4). A few years before Ahaz began his reign, Assyrian forces under Tiglath-Pileser III (reigned 745-727 BC) had started to pressure the northern kingdom of Israel. The pressure was relieved temporarily by paying tribute (2 Kings 15:19-20). The Assyrian king, also known as “Pul,” deported members of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh in the process (1 Chronicles 5:6, 26). The pressure returned after King Ahaz of Judah offered Tiglath-Pileser tribute in exchange for military help against Aram and the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 16:7-9; 2 Chronicles 28:16-21). One thing led to another, and two eventual results were (1) the exile of the 10 northern tribes of Israel in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:5-6) and (2) the providential (but temporary) deliverance of the city of Jerusalem in 701 BC, during the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:17-19:36; Isaiah 37). When Ahaz’s son Hezekiah took the throne (reigned 715-685 BC), the temple was in physical disrepair and spiritual defilement. As a result, Hezekiah initiated a restoration project to purify the temple so that the people might again faithfully worship the Lord (2 Chronicles 29:3). After the project concluded in only 16 days (29:17), the king held a rededication ceremony, which included rightly ordered worship (29:20-36).
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles (treated as one book in Hebrew texts) were among the last Old Testament books to be written. Authorship is uncertain. Because of this uncertainty, scholars often refer to the writer simply as “the Chronicler.” We may wonder why the Chronicles are even needed, given that most of their material is already recorded in the books of 2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings. A clue lies in the title of the Chronicles as it appears in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament. The title of Chronicles there translates to something like “Things Omitted.” For example, compare the account of King Amaziah in 2 Kings 14:1-22 with its counterpart in 2 Chronicles 25:1-28; the latter is longer by some 40 percent. This is even more the case with today’s text regarding Hezekiah’s Passover—it is completely lacking in the book of 2 Kings.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel.
2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month.
3 For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem.
4 And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly.
5 So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
10 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."
13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father.
33:1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: 'When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. 5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
6 Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: "Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see.
8 Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you.
9 For if you return to the Lord, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him."
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them." 21 Peter went down and said to the men, "I'm the one you're looking for. Why have you come?" 22 The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say." 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along.
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.
24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? [12] And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.
32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
10 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11 They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach-and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did-and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did-and were killed by the destroying angel.
12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
15 But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
3:1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
2 and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.
48 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their conquerors to show them mercy;
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.
1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
1 The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad!
8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you all the nations shall be blessed." 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
"Following the restoration of the temple and its services in ch. 29, the emphasis now falls heavily upon Hezekiah’s strenuous efforts to reunite in worship the hitherto separated peoples of the north and south." [Note: Williamson, 1 and 2 . . ., p. 360.]
Hezekiah wanted all the Israelites, namely, those left in the Northern Kingdom following its captivity, as well as the Judahites, to rededicate themselves to Yahweh (2 Chronicles 30:1-9). Many in Israel had no interest in doing this (2 Chronicles 30:10), but some responded positively, as did many of the people in Judah (2 Chronicles 30:11-12). The complete repentance of the Israelites in the north might have resulted in God setting free many of the captive exiles (2 Chronicles 30:9).
"Sometimes people refuse to repent out of a sense of hopelessness, but Hezekiah reminds that it is never too late to return to God." [Note: Thompson, p. 353.]
Large numbers of the people who came to the feast had not prepared themselves as the Mosaic Law specified. This group included priests and Levites who were ashamed of their uncleanness (2 Chronicles 30:15). This revelation shows how the people had disregarded the Law. God pardoned ritual uncleanness if the worshipper’s heart was right (2 Chronicles 30:18-20; cf. John 7:22-23; John 9:14-16). The heart attitude is more important than ritual cleanliness.
The feast was such a success that Hezekiah extended the celebration another week (2 Chronicles 30:23). Great joy followed return to the Lord and His temple (2 Chronicles 30:26).
"Hezekiah is portrayed here as a second Solomon (2 Chronicles 30:26), and the celebration of the Passover is a watershed between the disruption of Israel after Solomon’s death and a return to the spiritual conditions that existed in Solomon’s day." [Note: Ibid., p. 350.]
God paid attention to the prayers of the rededicated Israelites (2 Chronicles 30:27). Josiah carried out his Passover (2 Chronicles 35:1-19) in stricter conformity to the Mosaic Law, but Hezekiah’s Passover was the greatest-in terms of participation and spiritual renewal-since Solomon’s reign (2 Chronicles 30:26).
(Adapted from https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/2-chronicles-30.html)
Christians are not immune to division. Unfortunately, a brief look at social media, not to mention centuries of history itself, reveals hostilities and disputes among believers. However, when faced with these attitudes, we can look to the example of Hezekiah. His leadership in the face of sin and other dysfunction can be an example for us in the twenty-first century AD. First, we must always turn to the Lord and repent; this requires realizing that the most important thing is to be with him. Second, we should unite with other believers and come before God in worship as a repentant people. When these happen, blessings result.