04. Hezekiah restores temple worship
Hezekiah restores temple worship In the first year of Hezekiah’s reign, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. No doubt he lighted the lamps, but this is not recorded. However we may have grieved and set aside the Holy Spirit, He is still here. He has not to come again. We have to own Him, in unfeigned dependence. And has not God, rich in mercy, opened again the doors of the house of the Lord? Has He not restored to our souls, in these days, the discovery, that, instead of saying we are Jews, and standing afar off, we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus? Has He not swept away to faith the rubbish of all human, worldly sanctuaries? May we never forget the all-sufficiency of the Holy Spirit. Again, unhindered, may He ever glorify Christ.
It is His wondrous grace, thus to restore the long-lost worship in spirit and in truth! Those words of Hezekiah are very applicable again: ’My sons, be not now negligent: for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him’
(2 Chronicles 29:11). Yes, the Lord has chosen a feeble little band; may my reader be one of them. And what was the effect when the doors were open, the rubbish taken out, and the lamps burning brightly? ’They brought seven bullocks, and seven rams and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin-offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary, and for Judah’. (2 Chronicles 29:21). All these were killed, and the blood sprinkled upon the altar. Hands were laid on the sin-offering, and reconciliation made for all Israel. And what has been the case since our God has been pleased to make known the open way into the holiest, in these days, and to gather again His children in the guardian care of the Holy Spirit? Fuller and deeper discoveries of the infinite value of the blood of Jesus! The glories and perfections of His Person! In each of these offerings the number was seven — the one offering of Christ, perfect in every aspect. The blood was sprinkled on the altar, before hands were laid on the sin-offering, in identification. Dear reader, dwell on this — yes, go a little further, for it is the same principle. On the day of atonement see the golden censer, and the sweet incense, beaten small, and the fire from off the altar, and the cloud of incense covering the mercy-seat. That censer had no pattern, its manufacture is not on record. No; in this figure see the uncreated, eternal Son — the Holy, Holy, Holy One! as known only to the Father. And why all this first, before the blood was taken in, and sprinkled before God? Does not God solemnly tell us in this, that no less a victim could make reconciliation for sins? Such His wrath against sin, no other propitiation for the sins of men could be made. And, more, nothing could meet the claims of God but that which is equal to God. He who in the beginning was with God, and was God; all things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
Just as the blood was first taken in, and sprinkled before God, and then afterwards sins, all transferred to the people’s goat, and borne away, so, in our chapter (2 Chronicles 29:1-36), the three sevens — the bullocks, the rams, and the lambs were first killed, and their blood sprinkled upon the altar, thus presented before God, and then hands laid on the sin-offering.
What, then, is this distinction? and what its lesson to our souls? Surely that the death of Jesus has first met the infinite claims of God, His righteous, holy claims. The blood was taken into the holiest, figure of the heaven of heavens. Yes, the blood of Jesus must be shed, or how otherwise could God have dwelt in this sin-defiled universe? Precious words of Jesus, ’I have glorified thee’ (John 17:4). Look at the glory of the cross! Christ had to suffer and die as the Lamb of God. ’It is finished!’ (John 19:30). Dwell on this. God is glorified, so glorified by that one offering once, that Jesus, crowned with glory, is seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Three times seven fulfilled in this one offering.
Let us be clear about this point first. The resurrection of Jesus, by the glory of the Father, proves that God is perfectly, infinitely glorified — immutably, eternally so. For a moment sin had dishonoured God; the death of Jesus has glorified Him through eternal ages. It was not that God only loved us, precious as that is; but He must be glorified, He must be righteous, in justifying us. But if the death of Jesus has met the greater, the first requirement, the infinite claims of the holiness of God: then is it not manifest that He has met the lesser, the sinner’s need? What, then, are those hands laid on the seven goats, killed as a sin offering to make atonement for the people? And mark well, this was for all Israel, not merely Judah, but the revolted tribes of Israel. This is important. The atonement is not merely for those who attain to a certain path of holiness, but for the whole Church of God, wherever found — for all believers who have passed from death unto life; though many such may be found in revolted tribes of men. Think, then of the sins of the whole redeemed Church of God: transferred to the holy, spotless Victim, who died, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God! What a sight! What a sin-offering! Did He fail? God is glorified, we are sanctified, by that one offering.
I now ask the closest attention to the present place and position of Christ. ’But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God’ (Hebrews 10:12). What do we see here? The One who glorified God on the cross, sat down. The words, for ever, mean in immutable continuity. Nothing can disturb that immutable rest He has, in the unclouded presence of God. But then these very same words are applied to every child of God: ’For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified’ (Hebrews 10:14). Notice, He has done it by one offering. He has perfected, in immutable continuity, them that are sanctified. Remember, all the sins of the whole redeemed family of God transferred to Him, borne by Him. And now, as to all charge of sins, perfected in immutability. The Holy Spirit also bears witness: ’Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more’ (Hebrews 10:15) — no more. Why then should we doubt God? Why say: No, no, this is not true? I must stand and pray for mercy afar off.
It is better to dwell for ever on the glory of the cross. Is it not remarkable that God should have restored to our souls in these days the very truths typically set forth in the history of Hezekiah? But not only do we find the sin-offering, but also the burnt-offering; that is, not only have our sins been transferred to Christ Jesus, and borne by Him beneath the consuming judgment of God, and those sins put away, to be remembered no more, but also we are identified with Him in all the burnt offering aspect of His death — a sweet savour to God. And when the burnt-offering began, the song of the Lord began (2 Chronicles 29:27). Then ’all the congregation worshipped’ (2 Chronicles 29:28). All this continued until the burnt-offering was finished.
Yes, there can be no real worship until the Holy Spirit reveals to the soul the immutability of the work of Jesus, and our immutable perfection by that one offering — complete identification with Him, in all the unchanging perfections of His Person, for a sweet savour before God. Will this lift up the heart in spiritual pride? ’The king and all that were with him, bowed themselves, and worshipped’ (2 Chronicles 29:29). We are thus brought to bow ourselves, and joy in God. ’And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped’ (2 Chronicles 29:30). Is it not even so? Instead of standing at a distance, uttering prayers of unbelief, have we not been brought to own again the presence of the Holy Spirit? Has He not brought before us the glory of the Person of Christ, and boldness to enter the holiest by His precious blood? And instead of cries for mercy, has He not put songs of praise in our lips, and worship and gladness in our hearts?
’Then Hezekiah said: Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near’ (2 Chronicles 29:31). What is consecration? The margin reads, filled your hands. Yes, if the Holy Spirit reveals the immutable Person and work of Christ, the effect is, we are filled with Christ; and that is consecration. If this is not so, we shall be taken up with men, and things, and so-called churches of men. But if the doors are open, the lamps lighted, Christ revealed, He, He will engross every thought and desire. What a blessing to live on account of Christ, as He lived on account of the Father! And if we are thus consecrated to Him, thus filled with Him, then the consecrated things will be in abundance. Six hundred oxen, and three thousand sheep (2 Chronicles 29:33). Indeed, we are not our own. Burnt-offerings in abundance, with the fat of peace-offerings, and drink-offerings! What untold delight of heart, filled with all the fulness of Christ!
’So the service of the house of the Lord was set in order’ (2 Chronicles 29:35). When Christ by the Spirit has His true place, then the house is in order. All else that man calls order is simply the house in disorder.
’And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for the thing was done suddenly’ (2 Chronicles 29:36). What God did then in Judah, has He not done now in Christendom? Is it the hand of God, or another sect? Has God, during the last fifty years, opened the doors, and revealed the way into the holiest? The believer, by the one offering of Christ, perfected, as to the conscience, in immutable continuity? — and all this in direct contrast with the Judaism into which Christendom had sunk. Has not God, by the Spirit, awakened. His people in all parts of the world — in Java, in Russia, throughout Europe, America, Australia? The thing is of God, and done suddenly. Souls are being brought from the dark regions of unbelief to the unclouded presence of God, with joy and gladness. Is there a doubt that this work is of God? To Him be all praise! Oh, what grace and mercy to us in these last days!