2 Chronicles 29-31
Hezekiah Succeeds Ahaz in Judah
aHezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2 aHe did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.
3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he aopened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. 4 He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them into the square on the east.
Reforms Begun
5 Then he said to them, “Listen to me, O Levites. aConsecrate yourselves now, and consecrate the house of the Lord, the God of your fathers, and carry the uncleanness out from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have been unfaithful and have done evil in the sight of the Lord our God, and have forsaken Him and aturned their faces away from the dwelling place of the Lord, and have turned their backs. 7 They have also ashut the doors of the porch and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore athe wrath of the Lord was against Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of terror, of horror, and of bhissing, as you see with your own eyes. 9 For behold, aour fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. 10 Now it is in my heart ato make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His burning anger may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for athe Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers and burn incense.”
12 Then the Levites arose: aMahath, the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, from the sons of bthe Kohathites; and from the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; and from the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 and from the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; and from the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. 15 They assembled their brothers, aconsecrated themselves, and went in bto cleanse the house of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king cby the words of the Lord. 16 So the priests went in to the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and every unclean thing which they found in the temple of the Lord they brought out to the court of the house of the Lord. Then the Levites received it to carry out to athe Kidron valley. 17 Now they began the consecration aon the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they entered the porch of the Lord. Then they consecrated the house of the Lord in eight days, and finished on the sixteenth day of the first month. 18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole house of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all of its utensils, and the table of showbread with all of its utensils. 19 Moreover, aall the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the Lord.”
Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship
20 Then King Hezekiah arose early and assembled the princes of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs and seven male goats afor a sin offering for the kingdom, the sanctuary, and Judah. And he ordered the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. They also slaughtered the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar; they slaughtered the lambs also and asprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought the male goats of the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and athey laid their hands on them. 24 The priests slaughtered them and purged the altar with their blood ato atone for all Israel, for the king ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.
25 aHe then stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with harps and with lyres, baccording to the command of David and of cGad the king’s seer, and of dNathan the prophet; for the command was from the Lord through His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with athe musical instruments of David, and bthe priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah gave the order to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, athe song to the Lord also began with the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David, king of Israel. 28 While the whole assembly worshiped, the singers also sang and the trumpets sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
29 Now at the completion of the burnt offerings, athe king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshiped. 30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the seer. aSo they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah said, “aNow that you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and ball those who were willing brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 The consecrated things were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; atherefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For bthe Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. 35 There were also amany burnt offerings with bthe fat of the peace offerings and with cthe libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was established again. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over what God had prepared for the people, because the thing came about suddenly.
All Israel Invited to the Passover
Now Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had decided ato celebrate the Passover in the second month, 3 since they could not celebrate it aat that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem. 4 Thus the thing was right in the sight of the king and all the assembly. 5 So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout all Israel afrom Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to celebrate the Passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem. For they had not celebrated it in great numbers as it was prescribed. 6 aThe couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying, “O sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from bthe hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 aDo not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their fathers, so that bHe made them a horror, as you see. 8 Now do not astiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to the Lord and enter His sanctuary which He has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, bthat His burning anger may turn away from you. 9 For aif you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. bFor the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
10 So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but athey laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless asome men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The ahand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.
Passover Reinstituted
13 Now many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread ain the second month, a very large assembly. 14 They arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem; they also aremoved all the incense altars and bcast them into the brook Kidron. 15 Then athey slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And bthe priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord. 16 aThey stood at their stations after their custom, according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood which they received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, athe Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord. 18 For a multitude of the people, aeven many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, byet they ate the Passover cotherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon 19 aeveryone who prepares his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 20 So the Lord heard Hezekiah and ahealed the people. 21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem acelebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day after day with loud instruments to the Lord. 22 Then Hezekiah aspoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and bgiving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Then the whole assembly adecided to celebrate the feast another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy. 24 For aHezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and ba large number of priests consecrated themselves. 25 All the assembly of Judah rejoiced, with the priests and the Levites and aall the assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem asince the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. 27 Then athe Levitical priests arose and bblessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came to cHis holy dwelling place, to heaven.
Idols Are Destroyed
Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, abroke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.
2 And Hezekiah appointed athe divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, bfor burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.
Reforms Continued
3 He also appointed athe king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, bas it is written in the law of the Lord. 4 Also he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give athe portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to bthe law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly athe tithe of all. 6 The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and athe tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7 In the third month they began to make the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and aHis people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest aof the house of Zadok said to him, “bSince the contributions began to be brought into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”
11 Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare arooms in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them. 12 They faithfully brought in the contributions and the tithes and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge aof them and his brother Shimei was second. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and aAzariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the Lord and the most holy things. 15 Under his authority were aEden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in bthe cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16 without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from athirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the Lord bfor his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17 as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites afrom twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. 18 The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness. 19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in athe pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, bthere were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.
20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and ahe did what was good, right and true before the Lord his God. 21 Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and aprospered.
1 Corinthians 8
Take Care with Your Liberty
Now concerning athings sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have bknowledge. Knowledge cmakes arrogant, but love dedifies. 2 aIf anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet bknown as he ought to know; 3 but if anyone loves God, he ais known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of athings sacrificed to idols, we know that there is bno such thing as an idol in the world, and that cthere is no God but one. 5 For even if athere are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us athere is but one God, bthe Father, cfrom whom are all things and we exist for Him; and done Lord, Jesus Christ, eby whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However not all men ahave this knowledge; but bsome, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8 But afood will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9 But atake care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the bweak. 10 For if someone sees you, who have aknowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat bthings sacrificed to idols? 11 For through ayour knowledge he who is weak bis ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 aAnd so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin bagainst Christ. 13 Therefore, aif food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
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