2 Chronicles 29:31 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

The revival of religion in Church or state.

I. PREPARATORY STEPS . In order to secure such an awakening of religious life as took place in Judah under Hezekiah, three things are indispensable.

1 . Confession of sin. "Our fathers have trespassed," etc. ( 2 Chronicles 29:6 ). As all religion begins with saying, "Father, I have sinned" ( Luke 15:18 ), so the first symptoms of reviving life in souls that have been apathetic is acknowledgment of their trespass ( Psalms 51:3 ).

2 . Cleansing of the sanctuary. "We have cleansed all the house of the Lord" ( 2 Chronicles 29:18 ). As the visible Church is a temple of the Lord ( Psalms 132:14 ; Matthew 18:20 ; Ephesians 2:21 , Ephesians 2:22 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; Hebrews 3:6 ), this may symbolize the removing from its doctrine, worship, and practice of everything that is contrary to the mind and will of God as revealed in the Scriptures; and again, as the individual heart is a habitation of the living God ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 ), it may suggest the duty,, of purging. it from every known sin' ( 2 Corinthians 7:1 ).

3 . Renewal of the covenant. Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel" ( 2 Chronicles 29:10 ); and the same must be done by all, whether communities or individuals, who would experience a quickening in their religious life. Unnecessary now, as in the days of Hezekiah, to offer slain victims and make propitiation for sin, that having been done once for all by Jesus Christ ( Hebrews 9:11-14 ), it is still indispensable to appropriate the reconciliation and make the self-surrender to which Hezekiah's offerings pointed.

II. CERTAIN RESULTS . A revived condition of the religious life of either Church or individual will discover itself in three things, as it did with Hezekiah and his people.

1. Self-consecration. Already expressed in the act of covenant-making, this will reveal itself in the life that proceeds therefrom. Christian individuals in the Church, recognizing themselves to be not their own, but bought with a price, will lay themselves upon the altar as a willing sacrifice ( Romans 12:1 ).

2 . Gladness. "And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang," etc. ( 2 Chronicles 29:28 ). Joy an invariable accompaniment of a revived condition of religion in the soul or in the Church ( Psalms 149:2 , Psalms 149:5 ; Isaiah 65:14 , Isaiah 65:18 ; Habakkuk 3:18 ; Ephesians 5:18 ; 1 John 1:4 ).

3 . Liberality. "And the congregation brought in sacrifices," etc. ( 2 Chronicles 29:31 ). Generosity in giving almost necessarily follows on a heightened experience of Divine grace. "Freely ye have received, freely give."—W.