Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship 2 Chronicles 29:20-36

Transcription

1 Lesson 114 Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship 2 Chronicles 29:20-36

2 MEMORY VERSE 2 CHRON ICLES 29:29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Margarine (or butter), sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, uncooked instant oatmeal, measuring cups, plastic bowls, spoons, powdered sugar, and party supplies such as party hats (can be made) and noisemakers. A chair for each child, lively children s worship music on CD and a CD player. As many Memory Verse Puzzler templates as the number of children in your class, construction paper, glue sticks, scissors and markers. ATTENTION GRABBER! Celebration In today s lesson we will learn that King Hezekiah restored the worship in the temple that had been neglected for a long time. When he did this there was a great celebration. We are going to celebrate that we get to worship the Lord anytime we want to. You will need margarine, or butter, sugar, cocoa, water, vanilla, uncooked instant oatmeal, measuring cups, plastic bowls, spoons, powdered sugar, and party supplies such as party hats (can be made) and noisemakers.

3 Set out the cookie ingredients, measuring cups, plastic bowls, and spoons. Invite kids to wash their hands then join in the fun of preparing a special no-bake celebration treat. This recipe will make enough cookies for 10 people. Cream 2/3 cup of margarine or butter. Stir in _ cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa, 1 tablespoon of water, and _ teaspoon of vanilla. Blend in 2 cups of uncooked instant oatmeal. Shape the mixture into small balls, then roll the balls in powdered sugar. Hand out the cookies, party hats, and noisemakers and let kids celebrate Jesus! NOTE Please make sure to notify parents that you are serving cookies so they can alert you to any allergies, etc. LESSON TIME! Last week we saw King Hezekiah make a decision to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. This week we will see Hezekiah continue in his decision to cleanse and restore temple worship. We will learn that Hezekiah led the Levites and priests and all the people of Israel with an undivided heart. And we will see that the king led the people into worship and rejoicing. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts. 2 C H R O N I C L ES 29:20-24 T h e n Ki n g H e z e k i ah r o s e e ar l y, gat h e r e d t h e r u l e r s o f t h e c i t y, an d w e n t u p t o t h e h o u s e o f t h e L O R D. An d t h e y br o u gh t s e v e n bu l l s, s e v e n r am s, s e v e n l am bs, an d s e v e n m al e go at s f o r a s i n o f f e r i n g f o r t h e k i n gd o m, f o r t h e s an c t u ar y, an d f o r J u d ah. T h e n h e c o m m an d e d t h e p r i e s t s, t h e s o n s o f Aar o n, t o o f f e r t h e m o n t h e al t ar o f t h e L O R D.

4 S o t h e y k i l l e d t h e bu l l s, an d t h e p r i e s t s r e c e i v e d t h e bl o o d an d s p r i n k l e d i t o n t h e al t ar. L i k e w i s e t h e y k i l l e d t h e r am s an d s p r i n k l e d t h e bl o o d o n t h e al t ar. T h e y al s o k i l l e d t h e l am bs an d s p r i n k l e d t h e bl o o d o n t h e al t ar. T h e n t h e y br o u gh t o u t t h e m al e go at s f o r t h e s i n o f f e r i n g be f o r e t h e k i n g an d t h e as s e m bl y, an d t h e y l ai d t h e i r h an d s o n t h e m. An d t h e p r i e s t s k i l l e d t h e m ; an d t h e y p r e s e n t e d t h e i r bl o o d o n t h e al t ar as a s i n o f f e r i n g t o m ak e an at o n e m e n t f o r al l I s r ae l, f o r t h e k i n g c o m m an d e d t h at t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n g an d t h e s i n o f f e r i n g be m ad e f o r al l I s r ae l. Early the next morning means, on the seventeenth day of the first month (see verse 17). King Hezekiah was ready for the next step after he cleansed the temple, the utensils, and articles for offering sacrifices and consecrated the Levites and priests. Consecration means, to set apart. Did you learn that last week? And did you learn that the priests and Levites have special ways, according to God s law, that they prepare themselves to work in the temple in God s service? Now we find them ready to offer sacrifices again. This was a really big day for Israel. They hadn t had a cleansed temple for many years. The Levites had not kept themselves consecrated and the previous kings and people were not sacrificing or worshiping the way that God wanted them to. Hezekiah was the twelfth King of Judah after David. His grandfather and father had let the people continue their corrupt practices for thirty-two years (See 2 Chronicles 27:2, 28:1-4).

5 On this day we see the king and the city officials bringing seven bulls, seven rams, and seven lambs for burnt offerings. We learn in Leviticus 1 that a burnt offering is from a herd or flock. They are to be males, a year old, without defect. They are cut up and burned a specific way. The Law of Moses says are an aroma pleasing to the Lord. That is their sole purpose. Given from the best of the animals, they are valuable, dedicated to please the Lord. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts. All animal sacrifices had their blood sprinkled on the altar after they were slaughtered. That was a specific instruction from the Lord also. Do we see here a picture of the Lord Jesus blood being sprinkled, being shed on the altar of the cross almost a thousand years later? He offered His body freely, one sacrifice for our sins forever. Because of His sacrifice, we are sanctified (set apart) for His service. Amen! Now after those twenty-one burnt offerings, the seven male goats were offered up as a sin offering, for it appears that the sin offerings always accompanied the burnt offerings. This all was done as an opening ceremony. In Leviticus 4, we are told that when a leader sins, he is to bring a male goat to atone for his sins. It is noteworthy in this case because there are three other animals that are to be sacrificed, depending on the category of person who sins. Verse 24 tells us that King Hezekiah wanted atonement for all Israel, but the animal he chose for the sacrifice was the male goat. It seems as though Hezekiah is taking personal responsibility for the sins of his whole kingdom, and sending a message to the people, that he has a repentant and undivided heart toward the Lord. We see that the king led the people into worship by having an undivided heart. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts.

6 2 C H R O N I C L ES 29:25-30 An d h e s t at i o n e d t h e L e v i t e s i n t h e h o u s e o f t h e L O R D w i t h c y m bal s, w i t h s t r i n ge d i n s t r u m e n t s, an d w i t h h ar p s, ac c o r d i n g t o t h e c o m m an d m e n t o f D av i d, o f G ad t h e k i n g' s s e e r, an d o f N at h an t h e p r o p h e t ; f o r t h u s w as t h e c o m m an d m e n t o f t h e L O R D by h i s p r o p h e t s. T h e L e v i t e s s t o o d w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t s o f D av i d, an d t h e p r i e s t s w i t h t h e t r u m p e t s. T h e n H e z e k i ah c o m m an d e d t h e m t o o f f e r t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n g o n t h e al t ar. An d w h e n t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n g be gan, t h e s o n g o f t h e L O R D al s o be gan, w i t h t h e t r u m p e t s an d w i t h t h e i n s t r u m e n t s o f D av i d k i n g o f I s r ae l. S o al l t h e as s e m bl y w o r s h i p e d, t h e s i n ge r s s an g, an d t h e t r u m p e t e r s s o u n d e d ; al l t h i s c o n t i n u e d u n t i l t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n g w as f i n i s h e d. An d w h e n t h e y h ad f i n i s h e d o f f e r i n g, t h e k i n g an d al l w h o w e r e p r e s e n t w i t h h i m bo w e d an d w o r s h i p e d. M o r e o v e r Ki n g H e z e k i ah an d t h e l e ad e r s c o m m an d e d t h e L e v i t e s t o s i n g p r ai s e t o t h e L O R D w i t h t h e w o r d s o f D av i d an d o f As ap h t h e s e e r. S o t h e y s an g p r ai s e s w i t h gl ad n e s s, an d t h e y bo w e d t h e i r h e ad s an d w o r s h i p e d. While the priests were fulfilling the requirements for the burnt and sin offerings, Hezekiah had ordered the Levites with the instruments to be ready to play. Many of the Levites had very special jobs at the temple. King David had loved to worship the Lord with song and instruments and dance when he worshipped at

7 the tabernacle. So when he was making plans with his son, King Solomon, for the first temple to be built, the Bible tells us that he set up those special jobs for the Levites (1 Chronicles 23, 24, 25). Some were to take care of the temple utensils, some were gatekeepers, others were singers, and still others played to the Lord on cymbals, harps and lyres. Those Levites were set apart for those jobs in the service of the Lord for their whole lives. We are called to offer our bodies even now as a living sacrifice, in praise and worship to the Lord. You can ask God to prepare your heart now. How would He have you serve the body of Christ, here, at your church. Verses 28 and 30 say that the whole assembly bowed in worship. How good it is to see that the king led the people into worship, and they sang praises with gladness. Our pastors here also seek to have undivided hearts, just as Hezekiah did. Let s pray for our pastors as often as we think of them, that they would always have single-minded hearts to lead us in praise and worship and the teaching of God s word. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts. Musical Chairs For a fun time, play a game of musical chairs. Find some lively children s music to play, enough chairs for the number of children in your class and a CD player. Explain to the children that it is important to worship the Lord. Take the opportunity to talk about appropriate behavior during worship and the privilege that it is. Place all of the chairs in a circle. Have one chair for each child. When the music begins have them stand up and go in a circle around the room. Take one chair out then stop the music. Tell the

8 children to scramble to the chairs. The one child remaining can sit out until they have another turn. Keep playing as long as time allows. 2 C H R O N I C L ES 29:31-36 T h e n H e z e k i ah an s w e r e d an d s ai d, " N o w t h at y o u h av e c o n s e c r at e d y o u r s e l v e s t o t h e L O R D, c o m e n e ar, an d br i n g s ac r i f i c e s an d t h an k o f f e r i n gs i n t o t h e h o u s e o f t h e L O R D. " S o t h e as s e m bl y br o u gh t i n s ac r i f i c e s an d t h an k o f f e r i n gs, an d as m an y as w e r e o f a w i l l i n g h e ar t br o u gh t bu r n t o f f e r i n gs. An d t h e n u m be r o f t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n gs w h i c h t h e as s e m bl y br o u gh t w as s e v e n t y bu l l s, o n e h u n d r e d r am s, an d t w o h u n d r e d l am bs ; al l t h e s e w e r e f o r a bu r n t o f f e r i n g t o t h e L O R D. T h e c o n s e c r at e d t h i n gs w e r e s i x h u n d r e d bu l l s an d t h r e e t h o u s an d s h e e p. B u t t h e p r i e s t s w e r e t o o f e w, s o t h at t h e y c o u l d n o t s k i n al l t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n gs ; t h e r e f o r e t h e i r br e t h r e n t h e L e v i t e s h e l p e d t h e m u n t i l t h e w o r k w as e n d e d an d u n t i l t h e o t h e r p r i e s t s h ad s an c t i f i e d t h e m s e l v e s, f o r t h e L e v i t e s w e r e m o r e d i l i ge n t i n s an c t i f y i n g t h e m s e l v e s t h an t h e p r i e s t s. Al s o t h e bu r n t o f f e r i n gs w e r e i n abu n d an c e, w i t h t h e f at o f t h e p e ac e o f f e r i n gs an d w i t h t h e d r i n k o f f e r i n gs f o r e v e r y bu r n t o f f e r i n g. S o t h e s e r v i c e o f t h e h o u s e o f t h e L O R D w as s e t i n o r d e r. T h e n H e z e k i ah an d al l t h e p e o p l e r e j o i c e d t h at G o d h ad p r e p ar e d t h e p e o p l e, s i n c e t h e e v e n t s t o o k p l ac e s o s u d d e n l y.

9 What the king was saying to the people was, Now it s your turn to bring sacrifices. Remember what a sacrifice is? It is to bring the best of your flock, one of the most valuable that you have, and give it to the Lord. I am glad when the Word says, all whose hearts are willing. We need to remember that God loves a cheerful giver. We can ask God to help us have willing hearts. When people give of their money, or time or good works, because they feel that they have to, it doesn t bring God pleasure. Remember that His Word says, It is better to obey than sacrifice, (1 Sam. 15:22), so if you are doing something to impress other people or to score points with God, He sees your heart and your intentions. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts. So ask God to examine your heart and motives, that your desire to give and serve would be from a heart of gratitude and love for our Lord. Try to imagine what it must have been like to offer 3,600 bulls, sheep, and goats. First they were slaughtered, then the sprinkling of the blood on the altar, and the pieces were all laid out in just a certain way. These things took time. And the priests needed some help, for this was a big task. Some of the priests had not consecrated themselves yet (it took seven days to do this, Leviticus 8:33-35). But some of the Levites were allowed to participate in the sacrificing because they had already prepared themselves by going through the special cleansing process, for they had a heart to serve the Lord. Do you remember that the Levites came from Levi, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob? The priests were Levites also, but they served as priests because they were great-grandsons of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Because there were so many sacrifices to carry out, it probably took a few days to finish, and meanwhile the Levites were leading the music and all the people of Israel were rejoicing and worshipping the Lord. God wants us to worship Him with our whole hearts.

10 So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. How wonderful that the leader of the people brought the people of his kingdom into rejoicing because of his decision to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Let s pray that the Lord would raise up leaders in our nation who want to lead the people with an undivided heart. Let us pray for our president too, that he would do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Memory Verse Puzzler You will need the puzzler template for this. Make enough copies for each child in your class. You will also need construction paper, glue sticks, scissors and markers. Have the children cut out the puzzle and glue onto a sheet of construction paper. Use the memory verse and write one word in each puzzle piece (some can remain blank). For younger children you can fill in the words on the puzzle pieces prior to copying your template. Next allow the children to cut out the puzzle pieces. After they are cut out, they can mix them up and put them back together again in order of the verse. NOTE Also as an option for younger children you can just draw a picture of a temple to go with your story in addition to or instead of the memory verse. It would be easier for young children to put together a picture instead of words. PRAYER Lead the children in a prayer of commitment to check their hearts and make sure that they are worshiping the Lord with a pure, undivided heart. If there are any children who have not yet responded to the gospel, give them opportunity to do so.

11 Template - Memory Verse Puzzle