2 Chronicles 29:15
When they had assembled their brothers and consecrated themselves, they went in to cleanse the house of the LORD, according to the command of the king by the words of the LORD.
Sermons
The Purification of the TempleT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 29:3-19
Doing DutyW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 29:12-19














The way in which these Levites received and executed the commission of the king may indicate to us the way in which we should enter upon and discharge our duty.

I. UNDERTAKE IT IN A RIGHT SPIRIT. These men "arose" and went forth to do what Hezekiah called upon them to execute. It will not be presuming much if, judging from the account which follows, we conclude that they undertook their work in a spirit of

(1) obedience to the king, and

(2) devotion to their God. Certainly that would have become them and have honoured them. And that is, undoubtedly, the spirit in which we should go forth to any duty with which we are charged; we should

(1) realize our obligation to man - to do what is just and fair toward him;

(2) our responsibility to God; for in diligence and fidelity we may do everything unto him also (Colossians 3:23).

II. BE UNDISTURBED BY ITS UNPLEASANTNESS. This duty laid upon the Levites and upon the priests was not inviting work. To "bring out all the uncleanness" from the temple, and to "carry it out into the brook Kidron," could not be very agreeable occupation. But they did not hesitate to do it. And, indeed, they could not possibly have been better occupied. In that act they were carrying forth a curse; they were bearing away the wrath of their God. They were not merely cleansing an edifice; they were clearing their conscience; they were righting their record in the books of heaven. No fair hand was doing that week in Jerusalem any work of refinement that more graced its owner than did the hands of those Levites as they stripped the false altar of its clothing, or as they swept the accumulated dust from the courts of the sanctuary. Let us not despise any true work of any kind. Even if it is not of a kind that answers to our taste or to our training; even if it should be uncongenial to our spirit. If it be that work which the emergency requires of us, or if it be that which Divine providence assigns us at the time; if it be that which our Master himself asks of us in order to serve his cause or to help one of his little ones, it is honourable employment, it should be accounted holy in our esteem.

"Do thy little; though it be
Dreariness and drudgery.
They whom Christ apostles made
Gathered fragments when he bade." The twelve apostles gathering broken bits of bread and fish, or Paul going about the island of Malta gathering sticks, - in these incidents we have illustrations of the truth that all work which is timely and helpful is work that is honourable and excellent.

III. CALL TO OUR AID EVERY WILLING WORKER. It may be taken that those whose names are given (vers. 12-14) were the foremost in offering themselves for the work required. But they did not propose to do it by themselves; they called in all who would join them (ver. 15), and then, as a strong united band, they set about their task. In the work of the Lord we should engage all who have a heart and a hand to help. We should do so:

1. For the work's sake; that it may be more rapidly and more effectually done.

2. For their sake; because they will be blessed in their deed, and after it.

3. For our own sake; that we may not be overburdened, and may do all that we do more carefully and thoroughly.

IV. KNOW WHEN TO STOP, AND WHEN TO PROCEED; when to draw a boundary-line, and when to cross it. These dutiful Levites understood their duty well.

1. They did not intrude into the priests' domain; they stopped short "at the inner part of the house" (ver. 16).

2. At the same time, they went beyond the actual letter of instruction by "preparing and sanctifying the vessels which Ahaz had cast away," and by bringing these "before the altar of the Lord." It is a great thing to know what are the limits beyond which it is not right or wise for us to go. But it is a still greater thing to have so deep an interest in our work and so fervent a love for our Lord that we are not to be confined to any limits by literal instructions; that we gladly and eagerly go beyond these, if we can only render a larger and fuller service to our Master and to his cause.

V. DO OUR WORK THOROUGHLY AND SPEEDILY. "They sanctified the house of the Lord in eight days" (ver. 17). "We have cleansed all the house of the Lord,... with all the vessels thereof" (ver. 18). To do all that is required, leaving nothing undone because it is trivial or because it is not likely to be observed; and to do all without delay, losing no time, accomplishing everything within the days expected of us; - this is the way to do Christian work, to do our duty as disciples of Jesus Christ.

VI. HAVE THE DAY OF ACCOUNT IN VIEW. "They went in to Hezekiah the king," etc. (ver. 18). We may not be accountable to any human master; but to a Divine One we are (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Then "every work" will be "brought into judgment." Let us therefore labour, that we may then be "accepted of him."- C.

For the Lord hath chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him.
I. Some persons may ask, "WHY SHOULD WE SERVE GOD? He doesn't seem as if He troubled about us?" We admit that so far as outward appearances go, it seems as if this great universe was something like a well-regulated machine with God as the invisible engineer. When a human being, man, woman, or child, goes against the laws of this great machine, God does not stop it, as a human mechanic would his engine. The Christian believer sometimes wonders why God does not in some critical emergency interfere; but shall we that are but as the creatures of a day express any doubt of the wisdom of God?

II. Permit me to say A FEW WORDS TO THOSE WHO ARE NOW SERVING GOD.

1. Be cheerful in your service.

2. Let your service be pure and unselfish. One man who had been helping in a good work for a few months, with a cry of discontent said, "I shall not come any more because nobody ever thanks me." Does the violet, or the rose, or the sun need thanks for giving forth beauty, and perfume, and light? The beat reward of good service is in the heart of the server. A man who engages in the Divine service from selfish motives is like a fettered bird. The bird could wing itself into the vault of yonder blue sky; but it has a stone tied to its leg. Your selfishness is a stone which fetters your usefulness.

3. Let your service be continual.

III. Let me speak TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOPE OF EVER BECOMING THE SERVANTS OF GOD. God knows and cares for you.

(W. Birch.)

Let us endeavour —

I. TO EXPLAIN THE COUNSEL OR HEZEKIAH TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES: "be not now negligent." This is sometimes rendered: "be not now deceived." This conveys the idea that we are never more apt to impose upon ourselves than when we are remiss in duty, for we vainly imagine that God will not be strict to mark against us what is so natural and so pleasing to the depraved heart of man. It implies a former deficiency in the performance of duty. This counsel was —

1. Most necessary.

2. Highly important and useful

3. Peculiarly reasonable.

II. To consider some MOTIVES TO ITS ENFORCEMENT.

1. If we would act in accordance with the design of God in the appointment of the sacred office of the ministry, we will use the utmost diligence in His service.

2. The number, the variety, the difficulty and importance of the duties connected with the office of the ministry, require diligence.

5. Consistency with your professed character.

4. The shortness and uncertainty of the time allotted.

5. The sense of responsibility. "Ye serve the Lord Christ."

(W. Schaw.)

I. While all God's children are called "to serve Him," there is A SPECIAL SENSE IN WHICH THE MINISTER OF GOD IS "CHOSEN TO SERVE HIM"

1. He is outwardly "chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them" in the church.

2. He is inwardly brought to it; for he declares that he "thinks in his heart that he is truly called."

II. THE OBJECT OF THE MINISTERIAL OFFICE IS THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE SALVATION OF SINNERS.

III. THE MEANS WHEREBY THIS RESULT IS TO BE EFFECTED ARE —

1. The preaching of the Gospel.

(1)Faithfully.

(2)Boldly.

(3)Affectionately.

2. The right discharge of his regular official duties, baptism, marriage, etc.

3. Personal intercourse with his flock.

4. The minister's consistency of life.

IV. THE ATTITUDE OF THE MINISTER IS ONE OF PECULIAR DIGNITY; it is to "stand before the Lord." Exhortation; "be not now negligent."

1. In Prayer.

2. In study, It is said of the Venerable , that "he never knew what it was to do nothing, and always found it sweet to be either learning, teaching, or writing."

3. In labour.

4. In conduct.

(F. B. Ashley.)

We make mistakes if we suppose that worship is a mere cloud, a foam of sentiment; it is work of all kinds, door-opening and lamp-lighting and floor-sweeping, cleansing, preparing, ventilating, expecting the people and welcoming them with joy; and then incense-burning, and cross-uplifting, and cry of thunderous and mute eloquence, and hymn, sweet, gentle, tender, and prayer that beats against heaven like artillery — all these things and many more ere included in the complex idea of worship. Let each man, therefore, do what he can in this matter, knowing that no one man works the whole ministry of worship, but that it is an act of co-operation and combination, one part playing with another part, and each interrelating itself with each other, so as to constitute a sum total significant of unity, adaptation, music, and homage.

(J. Parker, D.D.)

People
Aaron, Abdi, Abijah, Ahaz, Amasai, Asaph, Azariah, David, Elizaphan, Esther, Gad, Gershonites, Heman, Hezekiah, Jeduthun, Jehalelel, Jehiel, Jeiel, Jeuel, Joah, Joel, Kish, Kohathites, Levites, Mahath, Mattaniah, Merari, Merarites, Nathan, Shemaiah, Shimei, Shimri, Uzziel, Zechariah, Zimmah
Places
Holy Place, Jerusalem, Kidron
Topics
Assembled, Brethren, Brothers, Clean, Cleanse, Command, Commanded, Commandment, Consecrated, Gather, Gathered, Got, Hallowed, Holy, Matters, Ordered, Purify, Sanctified, Sanctify, Temple, Themselves
Outline
1. Hezekiah's good reign.
3. He restores religion
5. He exhorts the Levites
12. They sanctify themselves, and cleanse the house of God
20. Hezekiah offers solemn sacrifices,
24. wherein the Levites are more forward than the priests

Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 29:15

     7328   ceremonies

2 Chronicles 29:3-36

     7390   Levites

2 Chronicles 29:15-16

     7467   temple, Solomon's

2 Chronicles 29:15-19

     7416   purification

2 Chronicles 29:15-31

     8271   holiness, purpose
     8466   reformation

Library
A Godly Reformation
'Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 3. He in the first year of his reign, in the first mouth, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. 4. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Sacrifice Renewed
'Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have cleansed all the house of the Lord, and the altar of burnt-offering, with all the vessels thereof, and the shew-bread table, with all the vessels thereof. 19. Moreover, all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and, behold, they are before the altar of the Lord. 20. Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Twenty-Fourth Day. Holiness and Cleansing.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'--2 Cor. vii. 1. That holiness is more than cleansing, and must be preceded by it, is taught us in more than one passage of the New Testament. 'Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word.' 'If a man cleanse himself from these, he shall be a vessel
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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