TEXT:
‘But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you’ (Matthew 6:33).
God has made this promise, ‘For those who honour me, I will honour’ (1 Samuel 2:30). In fact, God’s response to our putting Him first is much greater than any cost to us. Our text challenges us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. In this study we will look at the reign of King Hezekiah and see how putting God first resulted in blessing, not just for him personally but for the whole nation.
1. Priority – ‘Seek first’
Hezekiah’s public demonstration of putting God first, started on the first day, of the first month, of the first year of his reign (See 2 Chronicles 29:3, 17). He obviously did not support his father, King Ahaz’s idolatry and locking the doors of the house of the Lord (See 2 Chronicles 28:24). Instead he planned to do something about re-opening God’s house once he was king and restoring true worship for the living God. When the opportunity arose, he acted immediately.
Anyone can talk about changing things when they are not in a position to do so, but how do they act once they have the opportunity? For Hezekiah it started on day one of his twenty-nine year reign. Of all the things that demanded his attention after his coronation, it was his love for God’s house that took centre-stage!
Any Christian who neglects attending God’s house for worship, teaching and fellowship with other believers, does so to their own detriment.
2. Publicly – ‘He summoned the priests and Levites to meet him at the open space east of the Temple’ (2 Chronicles 29:4 TLB)
He publicly commanded the priests and Levites to clean out the temple, remove anything to do with idolatry and put back in place the items Moses had commanded to be there. He wanted everyone to know what he was doing. If the devil can’t stop you from becoming a Christian, he will tempt you into being a secret one. Yes, you may go to church but no one at work or places of recreation knows that Jesus is your personal saviour.
It’s so easy to believe the lie that people do not want to hear about the gospel. It’s true that many don‘t, but there’s an equal number at least who do and would respond positively if someone bothered to tell them about Jesus. Recently I had a great opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. It was on the bus home after a hospital appointment. The amazing thing was, the person I witnessed to started the conversation!
When you are willing to share your faith, God will bring people across your path and help you with what to say to them about your Jesus that will inspire them to believe too!
3. Positivity – ‘He did what was good and right and true, before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart’ (2 Chronicles 31:20-21)
Hezekiah wasn’t half-hearted but committed to the task he had set himself. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. Not content with stirring up those in Judah, he sent out invitations throughout the nation of Israel, inviting them to come and celebrate the Passover. The kingdoms of Judah and Israel may have been divided long ago, but they were still all God’s people.
Hezekiah wasn’t just an initiator but a finisher and stayed committed to the task. He was also a generous person, giving animals for sacrifice and his enthusiasm inspired other leaders to do the same (See 2 Chronicles 30:24).
When he commanded the people to contribute for the support of the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the law of the Lord, the tithes started pouring in from all across the kingdom, in such abundance that storage rooms had to be made. Although he was king, it is truly remarkable the effect his positivity had on his kingdom.
4. Prosperity
- Ministry
The priests and Levites were restored to their rightful position and function. It is so important for ministers not to neglect their calling by the demands of other tasks. The apostles made this clear, ‘We should spend our time preaching, not administering a feeding programme’ (Acts 6:2 TLB). They weren’t too proud to serve, but had a higher calling to fulfil.
- Financially
God’s house was provided for financially to such an extent, they had more than enough. Oh that today every church in the world would be able to say the same and put away the begging bowls they are asking the world to fill! It’s wonderful when churches have more than enough and can give some away to bless the needs of others.
- Physically – ‘Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had to slaughter their Passover lamb for them, to set them apart for the Lord. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony”. And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people’ (2Chronicles 30:17-20 NLT).
Some who responded to Hezekiah’s invitation were not ceremonially clean. The law demanded they should have abstained and celebrated the Passover a month later as a curse would be on those who did not obey (See Numbers 9:9-11). Once Hezekiah was aware of the problem he prayed for God to provide atonement. God responded by healing the people. What they didn’t deserve, they received by grace and the goodness of God.
We do not have to sacrifice a lamb today because Jesus became the Passover Lamb. It’s through Him we can receive anything and everything. It’s true, blessing can come our way in spite of all our shortcomings and that’s all the more humbling. God wants to pour out blessing far more than seeing the curse at work.
It’s also worth noting that because God listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people, it encouraged Hezekiah that God still wanted to heal when it came to his own health crisis later in life (See Isaiah 38:1-8).
- Emotionally – ‘So there was great joy in Jerusalem’ (2 Chronicles 30:26)
After all the hardship and misery caused by previous idolatrous kings, at last there was joy in God’s house and throughout Jerusalem. ‘In His presence is fullness of joy’ (Psalm 16:11).
When God’s people meet together for worship, God’s presence is there and there should be some joy. Miserable, lifeless services are an anathema to God, soul-destroying to believers, and off-putting to a watching world. ‘The joy of the Lord is our strength’ (Nehemiah 8:10). Let’s learn to enjoy God and we shall then be able to endure!
None of us are able to turn back the clock. We cannot unscramble eggs. If we haven’t been putting God first, we must face the facts and repent. While we cannot change our past, we can change the present and ultimately have a better future.
If God has been relegated to a back seat in recent months, it’s not too late to make the change to rectify things. You won’t regret it!
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