reconciliation were all devoted to Heaven or given up as food to Jehovah, so the nation whose guilt hnd been put away by that same blood of atonement surrendered itself to Johovah to be consumed by the fire of a new zeii.l for his glory. 4. UtteranCP, of thanksgiving. '!'bis the significance of the music11.l accompaniment to the sacrificial ritual. It gave an outlet to the gratitude and joy of the reconciled and pardoned worshipper. V. TnE 0LOSE OF THE oEnEMONY. 1. A national act of W(Y}'ship. "The kin~ and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped" (ver. 29). It was worship of the right sort: (1) unanimous-sovereign and subjects were of one mind; (2) humble-they bowed themselves; (3) joyous-they sang praises to the Lord, the Levites leading, in the words of David and Asaph. 2. A royal word of invitation. "Hezekiah answered and s11.id" (ver. 31)-declaring the fact of their consecr11.tion to Jehovah, and desiring them to show their acquiescence in the same by personal acts of worship and sacrifice-" Come near, and bring sacri6ces and thank offerings unto the Lord." Practice the best vindication of profession (Jas. ii. 14); obe<l.ience the only true justification of faith (Rom. xvi. 19); the sacrifice of one's wealth the most reli11.ble index that one has consecrated his heart. 3. A popular outburst of liberality. "The congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings." (1) Promptly, on the spot, without delay, as if they had been only ,vaiting for such an invitation. It is well to be prepared for giving be[ore the opportunity of giving comes. Preparation makes giving easy (1 Cor. xvi. 2). (2) Freely: "as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings." Considering the number of these latter, the people generally must have been well disposed towards the movement. Voluntariness indispensable to all acceptable religious giving (2 Cor. viii. 12). (3) Largely: "the number of the burnt offerings was seventy bullocks, a hundred rams, and two hundred lambs," while "the consecrated things," or other offerings, "were six hundred oxen and three thou- sand sheep." Indeed, so abundant were the sacrificial victims that the few priests who had taken part in the ceremonial were unable to cope with the task of preparing them for the altar, and h11.d to call in the assistance of the Levites until more priests were sanctified. Extraordinary emergencies in Church as in state call for 11.nd allow extra- ordinary measures. Where the services of unordained pastors and te11.chers ca □ not be obtained, those of unordained may be lawfully employed. Cf. the liberality e:templified by the Israelites at the erection of the tabernacle (Exod. xxxv. 21-29; Numb. vii. 1-89; xxxi. 48-54) and the temple (1 Chron. xxix. 6-9, 16, 17). LESSONS. 1. Union is strength, in religion as in other things. 2. The inspiration of all acts connected with religion should be the glory of God. 3. In religion all things are of God, the preparation of the heart no less than the direction of the hand.-W. Ver. 31.-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 Heze- kiah, three things are indispensable. 1. Confession of sin. "Our fathers have tres- passed," etc. (ver. 6). AB all religion begins with saying, "Father, I have sinned" (Luke xv. 18), so the first symptoms of reviving life in souls that have been apathetic is acknowledgment of their trespass (Ps. Ii. 3). 2. Cleansing of the sanctuary. "We have cleansed all the house of the Lord" (ver. 18). As the visible Church is a temple of the Lord (Ps. cxxxii. 14; Matt. xviii. 20; Epb. ii. 21, 22; 1 Tim. iii. 15; Heb. iii. 6), this may symbolize the removing from its doctrine, worship, and practice of every- thing that is contrary to the mind and will of God as revealed in the Scriptures; anJ again, as the individual heart is a habitation of the living God (1 Cor. vi. 19), it may suggest the duty of purging it from every known sin (2 Cor. vii. 1). 3. Renewal of the covenant. "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel" (ver. 10); and the same must he done by all, whether communities or indi- viduals, 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 (Heh. ix. 11-14), it is still indis- pensable to appropriate the reconcili11.tion and make the self-surrender to which Heze- kiah'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 bi; people. :-160 THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. [OH. :nx. 1-27.
~- Sel(-co11Rec1:11tion. Already exprcs~ed in the act of covenant-making, this will reveal H_8~1f in the life that proceeds therefrom. Christio.n i';ldividua\s in the Church, rccog- mzing themRelves to lie not their own, but- bought with a price, will lay themselves upon the altrt.r as a willing sacrifice (Rom. xii. 1). 2. Gladness. ".And all the congre- gation worshipped, and the singers sang," etc. (ver. 28). Joy an invariable accom- J•animent ol a revived c~~dition of religion in the sou] or in the C~urch (Ps. cxlix. 2, 6; Isa. !xv. ~4, 18; Hab. m. 18; Eph. v. 18; 1 John 1. 4). 3. Liberal,ity. ".And the co~gregat10n brought in sacrifices," etc. (ver. 31). Generosity in giving almost neces- s1mly follows on a heightened experience of Divine grace. "Freely ye have received freely give."-W. '
EXPOSITION.