L
Lost in Sin!
Guest
I would like to take a look at a prayer by a great man of God from the O.T.-King Hezikiah.
My study is from 2 Chronicles 30:7-9, as Hezikiah has sent proclamations to all the Jews, to gather them for the Passover.
"Do not be like your fathers & brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their fathers, so that He made them objects of horror, as you see. Do not be stiff-necked as your fathers were; submit to the Lord. Come to the sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord, your God, so that His fierce anger will turn from you. If you return to the Lord, then your brothers & your children will be shown compassion by their captors, & will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious & compassionate. He will not turn His face from you, if you return to Him."
From the time of the death of Joshua, the Jews went through a long line of leaders & kings, both good & bad. Hezikiah was truely a man of God. He knew the value of a good relationship, (at least as close a relationship as one could get during the O.T. times!), with God, & more than that-he had a passion to see not just himself, but all of God's chosen people, these disobediant children of God, return to the faith that used to be so vital to their forefathers!
I find the words, "objects of horror", to be very interesting. During much of the O.T, we see how God disciplined His children, all the way from the Exodus from Egypt! One of the most dramatic expamples of God's fierce anger is in Numbers 12:10-"When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Mirram, leprous like snow." Also we remember that the Jews fell prey to all the various pagan gods that they encountered in their quest to posess the Promised Land. These encounters lead to human sacrifice, & perversions of every imaginable kind! (Sort of sounds a little like the world today, doesn't it? Bill) To God, & true men of God like Hezikiah, these men must have indeed looked like "objects of horror."
Then we see the term "stiff-necked". I have always thought that this word indicates the absolute worst kind of stubborness. How great was God's patience with these people, (& us as well! ), that He would continue to help them, even when they rebelled against Him, time & time again!
When I was in college, I always used to like to think of the forgiveness of God, as the "gospel of a 'second-chance'". Just as it was true for the ancient Jews, so true is it for Believers today! 2 Timothy 2:13 comes to mind-"All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in righteousness, so that the man of God may the thoroughly equiped for every good work."
COME TO THE SANCTUARY. In O.T. times, the sanctuary was the Temple. In modern times, this could be meaning the local gathering of Believers.
WHICH HE HAS CONSECRATED. It is by the power of God that we are indeed consecrated, that is-set apart especially for God's use! Certainly, we can see the importance of the local church in every Believer's life! (I know that to be especially true in MY life! ) The local church SHOULD be instrumental in the encouragement of fallen Believers to come back to the fold! I found these verses in James 5:19-20, that echo so well what we are seeing here in Hezikiah's prayer-"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this; Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way, will save hime from, (spiritual-my addition! ), & cover over a multitude of sins."
While verse 9 is talking about actual slavery, what is important, is that we see that God truely IS gracious, (giving abundantly-my addition! ), & compassionate to those who return to Him!
The last line in this study is SO COOL! "He will not turn His face from you, if you return to Him." Note carefully however, that the promise of God not turning His face from us is conditional! It depends on an action from everyone of us, (& I count myself here! ), before God acts. This verse shows that God really DOES give each one of us TOTAL free will in how we want our relationship with Him, the One who saved us!
Let us pray.
"Heavenly Father, we know that we have turned away from You. We HAVE become creatures of horror, because we thought that we know better than You! Forgive us, O Lord, for our arrogance & prideful behavior! We return to You, & ONLY You, Lord Jesus! Forgive each of us of our sins! We confess our great need of the healing touch that only the Blood that You shed for each of us on Calvary! We return to You & You alone in humblness & repentance. Cleanse each one of us Lord Jesus, as only YOU can! Return us to Your will, that we can return the Glory & praise that You & You alone deserve! For we ask this in the Name of our returning Savior, Christ Jesus! Amen."
Bill
My study is from 2 Chronicles 30:7-9, as Hezikiah has sent proclamations to all the Jews, to gather them for the Passover.
"Do not be like your fathers & brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their fathers, so that He made them objects of horror, as you see. Do not be stiff-necked as your fathers were; submit to the Lord. Come to the sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord, your God, so that His fierce anger will turn from you. If you return to the Lord, then your brothers & your children will be shown compassion by their captors, & will come back to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious & compassionate. He will not turn His face from you, if you return to Him."
From the time of the death of Joshua, the Jews went through a long line of leaders & kings, both good & bad. Hezikiah was truely a man of God. He knew the value of a good relationship, (at least as close a relationship as one could get during the O.T. times!), with God, & more than that-he had a passion to see not just himself, but all of God's chosen people, these disobediant children of God, return to the faith that used to be so vital to their forefathers!
I find the words, "objects of horror", to be very interesting. During much of the O.T, we see how God disciplined His children, all the way from the Exodus from Egypt! One of the most dramatic expamples of God's fierce anger is in Numbers 12:10-"When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Mirram, leprous like snow." Also we remember that the Jews fell prey to all the various pagan gods that they encountered in their quest to posess the Promised Land. These encounters lead to human sacrifice, & perversions of every imaginable kind! (Sort of sounds a little like the world today, doesn't it? Bill) To God, & true men of God like Hezikiah, these men must have indeed looked like "objects of horror."
Then we see the term "stiff-necked". I have always thought that this word indicates the absolute worst kind of stubborness. How great was God's patience with these people, (& us as well! ), that He would continue to help them, even when they rebelled against Him, time & time again!
When I was in college, I always used to like to think of the forgiveness of God, as the "gospel of a 'second-chance'". Just as it was true for the ancient Jews, so true is it for Believers today! 2 Timothy 2:13 comes to mind-"All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, & training in righteousness, so that the man of God may the thoroughly equiped for every good work."
COME TO THE SANCTUARY. In O.T. times, the sanctuary was the Temple. In modern times, this could be meaning the local gathering of Believers.
WHICH HE HAS CONSECRATED. It is by the power of God that we are indeed consecrated, that is-set apart especially for God's use! Certainly, we can see the importance of the local church in every Believer's life! (I know that to be especially true in MY life! ) The local church SHOULD be instrumental in the encouragement of fallen Believers to come back to the fold! I found these verses in James 5:19-20, that echo so well what we are seeing here in Hezikiah's prayer-"My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this; Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way, will save hime from, (spiritual-my addition! ), & cover over a multitude of sins."
While verse 9 is talking about actual slavery, what is important, is that we see that God truely IS gracious, (giving abundantly-my addition! ), & compassionate to those who return to Him!
The last line in this study is SO COOL! "He will not turn His face from you, if you return to Him." Note carefully however, that the promise of God not turning His face from us is conditional! It depends on an action from everyone of us, (& I count myself here! ), before God acts. This verse shows that God really DOES give each one of us TOTAL free will in how we want our relationship with Him, the One who saved us!
Let us pray.
"Heavenly Father, we know that we have turned away from You. We HAVE become creatures of horror, because we thought that we know better than You! Forgive us, O Lord, for our arrogance & prideful behavior! We return to You, & ONLY You, Lord Jesus! Forgive each of us of our sins! We confess our great need of the healing touch that only the Blood that You shed for each of us on Calvary! We return to You & You alone in humblness & repentance. Cleanse each one of us Lord Jesus, as only YOU can! Return us to Your will, that we can return the Glory & praise that You & You alone deserve! For we ask this in the Name of our returning Savior, Christ Jesus! Amen."
Bill