There is a beautiful metaphor there of what we need to do in
our lives when we recognize that we have not been walking with the Lord. In 1
Corinthians 6:19 we read that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
When I read about Hezekiah opening the doors of the house of the Lord and
repairing them, I had a vision of our eyes being opened and cleared of the
things that keep us from seeing the truth of God clearly, and a vision of our
hearts being opened to receive His words over our lives. When he speaks to the
Levites and tells them to “carry out the rubbish from the holy place,” I see so
clearly that it is the rubbish in my heart and mind and spirit that I need to
be clearing out. Indeed, my fathers and forefathers have trespassed and done
evil in the eyes of the Lord, they forsook Him and turned their faces away from
His dwelling place, and turned their backs on Him. When I read about the doors
being shut in the vestibule and the lamps being put out, when I read about the
incense and offerings not being burned in the holy place, I know it is a
message for me that eyes and ears were shut for generations, that the lamp of
God’s anointing oil was allowed to be put out. His light has not been shining
in our lives for generations, and we have not burned incense or offerings – we have
not prayed, we have not praised, we have not worshiped or recognized the Lord our God.
My father’s father was Jewish, and there is some speculation
in my family that there were Jewish family members on my mother’s side also,
although she vehemently denies it. It was always a source of argument between
her and my father, who was Jewish and who was not. It wasn’t any kind of racial
argument, it was more about social class, something that they bickered about
all the time because they were both from working class families, but my father’s
family managed to put on a better show, and they lorded it over my mother, so she
lorded over them her supposedly non-Jewish heritage. She doesn’t know what I
know, that being Jewish puts me in a direct line with those Levites worshipping
in the temple, and that I’m tickled pink to be a born again Christian Jew. Jesus was Jewish, and why wouldn't I want to be even closer to Him? But
that heritage carries with it a responsibility too – there is a blessing with
obedience to God, but a curse if we do not follow Him. When I read about
Hezekiah, I realized the Lord was speaking to me about what I have been
doing since I was born again – I am opening the doors of the House of the Lord
and repairing them, I’m cleaning out the rubbish from the holy place, I’m
opening the doors in the vestibule and lighting the lamps, I’m burning incense
and offerings once again to the Lord our God, the God of my fathers and
forefathers.
Throughout chapter 29, there is a great cleansing and
cleaning going on, and then there is a time of worship and celebration. And
then, in verses 35-36 I read the powerful word that the Lord had for me, “So
the service of the house of the Lord was set in order. Then Hezekiah and all
the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took
place so suddenly.”
I don’t know how to describe to you what those words meant
to me when I read them. I have been waiting on a promise of God, several of
them really, but one in particular that I know is the beginning of all of the
rest falling into place, and one that is very near and dear to my heart. I have
been standing on His promises, and continuing to stand even as so much has been
rising up against my hope and so much has been trying to squash me down and
flatten me. He has been faithful to bring me through everything, but it’s been
such a battle and I have been so tired. When I read those words in verses
35-36, I knew He was telling me that through this time He has been preparing me and that it will not
be long now – He was telling me that the service of the House of the Lord is being
set in order and the events will happen suddenly, as soon as He has prepared
everything fully.
After reading chapter 29, He took me through chapter 30 and
showed me another promise in verse 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.” When this message is shared throughout the land of Israel and Judah, we
read that the runners who shared this message were mocked and laughed at (verse
10). But a remnant of the people, thank God for that beautiful remnant, a
remnant of the people listen and humble themselves and turn back to God. And
then we read about a Passover celebration greater than any since the time of
Solomon, and when the people bring their offerings, there is so much food that
they need to prepare rooms in the sanctuary to hold it all (chapters 30 and
31). With just this small group of people, there is such great blessing,
because they have decided to trust and listen to the message, they were
obedient to the call, and God blessed them for that obedience.
And then we come to chapter 32, when King Sennacherib, the
king of Assyria, threatens war against Judah, and in the process lies to the
people and tells them not to listen to Hezekiah. He tells them that the worship
of the Lord will not bring them victory, but oh, is he oh so wrong. He writes
letters and has people shouting from the city walls to intimidate people, but we read in verses
20-21, “Now because of this, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of
Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. Then the Lord sent an angel who cut down
every mighty man of valor, leader, and captain in the camp of the king of
Assyria. So he returned shamefaced to his own land. And when he had gone into
the temple of his god, some of his own offspring struck him down with the sword
there.”
As I read through these passages yesterday morning, I heard
such a wealth of promises. There are consequences for our actions, and the Lord
was telling me that finally, I was on the winning side, finally I had been
making decisions that led to actions that led to blessing and victory. Yes,
there are things that will rise against us, but when we are on the winning
side, when blessing and victory crown us, those things that rise against us
will return shamefaced from where they came from, and they will be struck down.
There was one final message the Lord shared with me, and
this was a warning to remind me that through everything that He is doing I need
to stay humble. Yes, I am blessed and yes I am walking with Him and that brings
blessing. Yes, I have turned to Him and not followed my fathers, yes, I will be
walking into a not too distant future where the events that I have been waiting
for will be happening suddenly, but even as those blessings and victory crown
me, I need to remember who I am and who my God is. In verse 24-26 of chapter
32, we read, “In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to
the Lord; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah did not repay
according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath
was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled
himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so
that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.”
I thank God for the gift that He’s given me to understand
His word and to hear His voice. I thank God for the encouragement He gives in
these times when I need to be lifted up. I thank God that He speaks clearly to
me, that He has given me ears to hear Him. I thank Him for reminding me to stay
humble, because it is in that place where we can be blessed. In Micah 6:8 we
read, “And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with the Lord your God.” Thank you Lord for
helping me to live my life that way, so that I can continue to live with You.
Blessings,
Jannie Susan
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