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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter
Speaker 1: thirty one, and we'll be reading from the New Living Translation.
Speaker 1: When the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to
Speaker 1: all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephrium, and Manassa, and
Speaker 1: they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down the ashira polls,
Speaker 1: and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the
Speaker 1: Israelites returned to their own towns and homes. Hezekiah then
Speaker 1: organized the priests and levites into divisions to offer the
Speaker 1: burnt offerings and peace offerings, and to worship and give
Speaker 1: thanks and praise to the Lord at the gates of
Speaker 1: the Temple. The king also made a personal contribution of
Speaker 1: animals for the daily morning and evening burnt offerings, the
Speaker 1: weekly Sabbath festivals, the monthly New Moon festivals, and the
Speaker 1: annual festivals as prescribed in the Law of the Lord.
Speaker 1: In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring
Speaker 1: a portion of their goods to the priests and levites
Speaker 1: so they could devote themselves fully to the law of
Speaker 1: the Lord. When the people of Israel heard these requirements,
Speaker 1: they responded generously by bringing the first share of their grain,
Speaker 1: new wine, olive, oil, honey, and all the produce of
Speaker 1: their fields. They brought a large quantity a tithe of
Speaker 1: all they produced the people who had moved to Judah
Speaker 1: from Israel, and the people of Judah themselves brought in
Speaker 1: the tithes of their cattle, sheep, and goats, and a
Speaker 1: tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the Lord,
Speaker 1: their God, and they piled them up in great heaps.
Speaker 1: They began piling them up in late spring, and the
Speaker 1: heaps continued to grow until early autumn. When Hezekiah and
Speaker 1: his officials came and saw these huge piles. They thanked
Speaker 1: the Lord and his people Israel. Where did all this
Speaker 1: come from? Hezekiah asked the priests and levites, and Azariah,
Speaker 1: the high priest from the family of Zadok, replied, since
Speaker 1: the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord's temple,
Speaker 1: we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare.
Speaker 1: The Lord has blessed his people, and all this is
Speaker 1: left over. Hezekiah ordered that storerooms be prepared in the
Speaker 1: Temple of the Lord. When this was done, the people
Speaker 1: faithfully brought all the gifts, tithes, and other items dedicated
Speaker 1: for use in the temple. Conan Aiah the Levite was
Speaker 1: put in charge, assisted by his brother Shimai. The supervisors
Speaker 1: under them were Jaheel, Azaziah, nay Hath, Azahel, Jeremath, josephad Eliel, Ismakiah, Mayhath,
Speaker 1: and Benaiah. These appointments were made by King Hezekiah and Azariah.
Speaker 1: The chief official in the Temple of God, Kor son
Speaker 1: of Imna, the Levite, who was the gatekeeper at the
Speaker 1: east gate, was put in charge of distributing the voluntary
Speaker 1: offerings given to God, the gifts and the things that
Speaker 1: had been dedicated to the Lord. His faithful assistants were
Speaker 1: eden Minniemin Jeshua, Shamaiah, Amariyah, and Shechaniah. They distributed the
Speaker 1: gifts among the families of priests in their towns by
Speaker 1: their divisions, dividing the gifts fairly among old and young alike.
Speaker 1: They distributed the gifts to all males three years old
Speaker 1: or older, regardless of their place in the genealogical records.
Speaker 1: The distribution went to all who would come to the
Speaker 1: Lord's temple to perform their daily duties according to their divisions.
Speaker 1: They distributed gifts to the priests who were listed by
Speaker 1: their families in the genealogical records, and to the levites
Speaker 1: twenty years old or older, who were listed according to
Speaker 1: their jobs and their divisions. Food allotments were also given
Speaker 1: to the families of all those listed in the genealogical records,
Speaker 1: including their little babies, wives, sons, and daughters, for they
Speaker 1: had all been faithful in purifying themselves. As for the priests,
Speaker 1: the descendants of Erin who were living in the open
Speaker 1: villages around the towns, men were appointed by name to
Speaker 1: distribute portions to every male among the priests and to
Speaker 1: all the levites listed in the genealogical records. In this way,
Speaker 1: King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what
Speaker 1: was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord
Speaker 1: his God. In all that he did in the service
Speaker 1: of the Temple of God, and in his efforts to
Speaker 1: follow God's laws and commands, Kiah sought his God wholeheartedly.
Speaker 1: As a result, he was very successful. Let's pray. Lord,
Speaker 1: we thank you for your word, and we thank you
Speaker 1: for the privilege of being able to look at it
Speaker 1: together today. And we thank you, Lord for the testimony
Speaker 1: of Hezekiah's life, how he was intent on doing what
Speaker 1: was pleasing and good in your sight, how he made
Speaker 1: certain that the needs of the temple were met, and
Speaker 1: how he sought to follow your laws and your commands
Speaker 1: wholeheartedly as one who genuinely believed in you. And Lord,
Speaker 1: we pray that that would be the kind of mindset
Speaker 1: and attitude you would foster within us as well. Lord.
Speaker 1: We're grateful that you have revealed to us our need
Speaker 1: to trust in your son, Jesus Christ, and it's our desire, Lord,
Speaker 1: to follow you wholeheartedly. But we know that the temptations
Speaker 1: and the tugs of this world can have a very
Speaker 1: strong influence on our heart. So we pray Lord, you
Speaker 1: would keep us strong, that we would focus on you,
Speaker 1: and that with our entire hearts we would worship you,
Speaker 1: We would value what you value, and we would put
Speaker 1: you first. Thank you, Lord for your presence with us today.
Speaker 1: We commit this day to your care, and we pray
Speaker 1: this all in Jesus' name. Amen.