Revival and the Cross of Christ

King Hezekiah began his reign as king of Judah with revival. The word “revival” means to live again. The life of Israel revolved around worshiping God. The kings before Hezekiah had abandoned the worship of God. They substituted the worship of the gods of other nations. Israel lost her identity and life in the process. But Hezekiah led the nation to return to her true identity. And worship, according to God’s word, was who there were. So Hezekiah began by reestablishing true worship, according to God’s word.

After opening the doors of the Temple and giving the charge to the Levites to consecrate the Temple by carrying out the filth, Hezekiah commanded them to sacrifice seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering, 2 Chronicles 29:20. The sacrificial system was the central aspect of Israel’s worship. God’s instructions concerning sacrifice were an expression of God’s grace and mercy. The sacrifice was a substitute for the worshiper in order to pay the penalty for sins committed by the worshiper. The innocent animal died in the place of the sinner. Sacrifice revealed Israel’s sin against a holy God as well as God’s love by providing a way to remain in relationship with Him. The seven-fold sacrifice initiated by Hezekiah was according to God’s word and was presented in the place of the nation of Israel for their sin of abandoning God.

In 2 Chronicles 29:24 an important word is used to describe the purpose of the sacrificial system in Israel.“Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them, and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel.”  The word “atonement” is the Hebrew word kippur, which means to cover, to conceal, to purge, to reconcile, to ransom. It is a major word in the Old Testament describing the purpose for sacrifice.

The blood of the sacrifice would cover the sins of the people, which would restore the relationship with God that had been severed by sin. This was the first act done in the cleansed Temple to restore true worship to God by the nation. Hezekiah was leading the nation back to their true identity, back to true worship in relationship with God. Sacrifice was the cornerstone. It was the first expression of worship because it recognized the holiness of God and the separation of the people caused by sin. It also celebrated God’s provision, according to His word, for restoring the relationship. This was an expression of God’s grace and love.

The next element of worship that Hezekiah gave instructions for was for the music of king David to be played while the whole burnt offering for Israel was being given up to God. In 29:25 – 30, a beautiful picture is seen of the Levites playing the instruments that king David had made for the sole purpose of worshiping the Lord with the words he had written for worshiping the Lord, while the smoke of the burnt offering was rising to the Lord. This was a picture of Israel at her best, in true worship, according to the word of the Lord! The spiritual significance of that moment in the life of the nation is hard for us to imagine. But for Israel, it was the very heart of her identity and life with God, according to His word.

That scene from king Hezekiah’s day pointed forward to the new covenant of God, not for a single nation, but for each individual person; for you. The sacrifice is not an innocent animal, but the holy Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He died your death for you that you might live His life in Him. The Father made this possible by raising His Son from the dead! Hallelujah!!! Praising God as a result of this revelation with words of praise from God in His word is an even more beautiful picture than the one in Hezekiah’s day. The spiritual significance of your daily time with God, in His word, praying to Him with words of praise from Him in the Psalms is impossible to imagine! But the Father knows and it pleases Him.

Keep one of the lines of praise from your psalm for the day in your heart today, and give the sacrifice of thanks and praise to God for the cross and your eternal relationship with the Father. This is your true identity in Christ. AMEN!