10 NOW I INTEND TO MAKE A COVENANT WITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. 2 Chronicles 29
Hezekiah (Means Yahweh Strengthens) declared His intention from the outset. God had been shut out of the life of the nation of Judah, just as He has been shut out of large areas of our own society. But before anything could happen there had to be a thorough consecration and cleansing.
11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.’
Hezekiah called those who had been appointed to minister in the Temple to begin the work of cleansing the Temple so that the Lord could be worshipped there once again.
The extent of the work and the time needed to cleanse it was determined by its lack of use. This may also apply to our own lives.
16 The priests went into the sanctuary of the Lord to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the Lord. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley. (Removed all defilement far from the place of worship)
They began the consecration on the first day of the month and took eight days to reach the portico of the Temple and a further eight days to finish the work. 2 Chronicles 29 They reported to the King when the work was completed.
There can be No Covenant (Binding together) until there has been Cleansing and Consecration! God will not come into agreement with anything or anyone unclean. Does that mean we have to be perfect before we come to God? No, definitely not, Christ was a perfect sacrifice on our behalf. We must walk in light however, to have fellowship with God and one another.
Remember, John the Baptist was sent ahead of Christ to prepare the way for His coming. John baptised the people and Paul said John’s baptism was one of repentance. Acts 19:4 The people of Judah had to get cleaned up before their Messiah appeared.
In the Hebridean Revival, under the unction of the Spirit, people lay on the ground and repented in great earnest for their sins. Consecration before Covenant, Hezekiah got the right order.
We are more deeply influenced by the society we live in than we know and we too must repent of things which are displeasing to the Lord, in order to draw closer to Him. The old adage, ‘Keep short accounts’, still holds true today.
A Believer who appears on Christian Broadcasts to relate encounters in Heaven, spends time morning and evening, asking the Lord, to reveal anything displeasing to Him. They said they, ’Live Clean’. Hezekiah set the right example for his people and for us. Holy Spirit reveal to us anything that would hinder the Lord’s will, things which need to removed like that taken to the Kidron Valley.
God bless and keep you today. Immanuel