“In the first year of his reign, in the first month, [King Hezekiah] opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests… and said, ‘Hear me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves, and the house of the Lord,.. and carry out the filth from the Holy Place. For our fathers have been unfaithful and done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They have forsaken him and turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs… My sons, do not be negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand in his presence, to minister and… make offerings to him.’
“They gathered their brothers and consecrated themselves and went… into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and they brought out all the uncleanness… into the court… and carried it out to the brook Kidron… Then they went to Hezekiah and said, ‘We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the showbread and all its utensils…’
“Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord… and the priests… [made] atonement for all Israel…
“Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar… The song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. The whole assembly worshiped… until the burnt offering was finished. [Then] the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped…
“Then Hezekiah said, ‘You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.’ And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings,.. all who were of a willing heart.” 2 Chronicles 29:3-6,11,15-16,18,20,24,27-29,31
King Hezekiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord by having the eyes of the Lord, and acting on what he saw to restore righteousness. God’s wrath had rained on the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem because His people had been unfaithful and forsaken Him. Consecration and cleansing were needed, and this king stood tall to the task.
Just and true are the ways of the King of kingdoms. When we observe foundations of a nation crumble, the hiss and horror of sin’s stain that destroys a culture’s fabric and people, it is helpful to assess spiritual integrity. God’s eyes see forsaken worship and disregard for His law, and His holiness requires restoration, which begins with the heart. (Psalms 11:3; Revelation 15:3)
Like Hezekiah, we must begin at the place of corruption, and with God’s help, remove first the filth from our inner lives. What malice, hatred, resentment, prejudice, conceit do we harbor? What unholy affections are we justifying, or prurient interests entertaining? Do we worship God plus, or God alone? We must deal with the personal before we can make a difference in any corporal sense. Cleansing the private sanctuary frees us to offer acceptable worship and spread light in our communities, cities, nations, and world.
Search me, O God, cleanse me, inspire pure, pleasing worship, and through me spread the gospel wherever I am. (Psalm 51:2-4,6-10; 139:23-24)
As the rain and snow 