City Life Starter

Written by Stefan Johnsson

The Word

¹⁸ A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of ¹⁹ whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

-2 Chronicles 30:18-20 (HCSB)

Reflection

After the death of King Ahaz in Judah, King Hezekiah took reign and immediately turned his people back to God.

³ In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the Lord’s temple and repaired them. ⁴ Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square. ⁵ He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of Yahweh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place. ⁶ For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God. They abandoned Him, turned their faces away from the Lord’s tabernacle, and turned their backs on Him.

2 Chronicles 29:3-6

When it came to celebrating Passover that year, Hezekiah sent word throughout both Israel and Judah to come and celebrate in Jerusalem. Many laughed at those who shared the proclamation, but others did not, and people came from all over the region to worship God. It was a revival and celebration of God that had not been seen since the days of King David.

In the midst of the Israelites coming from all over the region, they were not ritually clean to partake in the celebration and there were not enough consecrated priests at that time to assist. So Hezekiah went to God with a petition for Him to provide atonement to the people who came to seek God with all their heart.

Application

God is not after a perfect people. When it comes to revival and people turning to Him, God is seeking the heart posture more than anything else. The purification rituals served to clean the outside, but it did not clean the inside or provide a heart of repentance. Only a people who turn to God with their whole heart will be accepted.

As Hosea would later proclaim the words of God, “For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

Jesus’s death on the cross for our sins has cleaned us fully from the inside out. He has become our final sacrifice. It allows us to come to God the Father with an open heart of worship. Just like the Israelites had their prayers come into the dwelling place of heaven, so will our prayers.

²⁷ Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.

2 Chronicles 30:27

All God requires of you this day is a heart of repentance. Seek God with your whole heart and He will be faithful and answer your petitions.

Prayer

Father in heaven, I come to You with my whole heart. I need You today and forevermore and repent from my sins and failures. Let me not go another day with You. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.