2 Chronicles 30:26 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

An ideal city: Jerusalem in the first days of Hezekiah.

I. ITS GOD WAS GRACIOUS . ( 2 Chronicles 30:9 .) Its people had a Divinity who was:

1 . Propitious towards their persons. He had given them one heart ( 2 Chronicles 30:12 ).

2 . Propitious towards their sacrifices. He accepted them, although offered not in perfect accordance with the Law of Moses ( 2 Chronicles 30:16 ).

3 . Propitious towards their prayers. He heard the king's intercession ( 2 Chronicles 30:20 ), the priests' prayers ( 2 Chronicles 30:27 ), and the people's confessions ( 2 Chronicles 30:22 ).

II. ITS KING WAS RELIGIOUS , ( 2 Chronicles 29:2 .) This was manifested by:

1 . His care for the institutions of religion. Exemplified in his purification and dedication of the temple, including his rearrangement of the Levitical orders of musicians.

2 . His zeal in the observances of religion. Shown by his revival of the Passover ordinance, and the efforts made by him to secure a national observance of the same ( 2 Chronicles 30:1 ).

3 . His possession of the spirit of religion. Besides being a man of prayer ( 2 Chronicles 30:18 ), he delighted to encourage others in good works ( 2 Chronicles 30:22 ), and evinced his own sincerity by the abundance of his liberality ( 2 Chronicles 30:24 ).

III. ITS MINISTERS WERE INDUSTRIOUS . ( 2 Chronicles 30:17 .)

1 . In attending to their own personal sanctification. ( 2 Chronicles 30:15 .) This no ministers of religion under the New Testament dispensation can afford to neglect. He who cares nothing for the cultivation of piety in himself is not likely to be zealous in aiming at the good of others.

2 . In discharging the public services of the sanctuary. Under the Hebrew economy these services were the offering of sacrifice and the blessing of the people ( 2 Chronicles 30:27 ) by the priests, with the making of music by the Levites; under the Christian economy they are chiefly the preaching of the gospel, the conducting of worship, and the superintendence of the Church. Where the ordinances of religion fall into abeyance and neglect, and the ministers of religion are as heedless of the souls of others as of their own, it is idle to expect prosperity, in either Church or state, in city or in country.

IV. ITS INHABITANTS WERE JOYOUS . ( 2 Chronicles 30:26 .)

1 . Exulting in Jehovah ' s favor. Without a conviction that they possessed this, the mere external celebration would not have filled them with such long-continued, deep, and exuberant emotion ( Psalms 33:21 ; Isaiah 12:2 ; Romans 5:11 ).

2 . Observing the rites of religion. In turning from the worship of idols to serve the living God, they experienced an inward satisfaction which made them "sing in the ways of the Lord" ( Psalms 138:5 ).

3 . Enjoying the affection of their brethren. Of one heart and mind, there was not a jarring note in their melody. They dwelt together in peace, and loved as brethren, each esteeming the other as better than himself, and all preferring one another and honouring one another.—W.