OPEN THE DOORS OF THE TEMPLE!

As I was thinking during the last days of the year ending. What would I will do for the coming new year 2010?.Will it be bubbly sober for me? I prayed God to give me revelation and wisdom during the contemporary troubled Socio-political situation in the state and of course even of the world. As I enquired God! What resolutions need to be made for the next year? It was always surprise to see that God has some resolutions to be made and fulfilled by his children.

In (2 Chron 28 chapter) we see Mr.Ahaz became a King of Judah and reigned t for over 16 years. Regarding his rule God said:

“Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father: For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. (2 Chron 28:1-2).

God always wants his children to live a life with a pleasing personality in His sight. Where do we get this spiritual Insight of the Divine? It is from his voice of the Bible “The Mind of Christ”.
The reason for the treason of Ahaz is that he followed the examples and samples of the previous kings of Israel. Ahaz didn’t followed the sight of the LORD rather became self –Righteous Pharasee,arrogant leader of Judah imitating his previous wicked carnal minded,ungrace oriented kings of Judah.Ahaz declined in his spiritual standards,Compassion,Accountability,Humility,Integrity,sincerity,stewardship,commitment,Deligent Service to the Nation. No matter whatever the position held by us, it is Divinely Mandated that we should think Biblically, talk Biblically and also to perform Biblically as light and salt to the World. When God weighs us we should not underweigh the Biblical principles in our day to day Christian lives.

We see Nations/Societies/Missions/Ministries that become complacent and forget God would come to the point of deterioration because of the Negative volition towards God. Many have fallen in the History like Nebuchadnezzar of Chaldean Empire, the Nero of Roman Empire the Fuhrer Adolph Hitler, Mao Zedong, Stalin, and Bennito Mussolini because of the Negative volition. And soon the one The Anti-Christ is going to fall at the battle of “ARMAGEDDON” because of the Negative Volition.

There existed Negative Volition in Ahaz and he did detestable things

“Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree”. (2 Chron 28:3-4).

So God decided to put him under trouble to be defeated before his enemies. Even after God humbling his arrogance he didn’t repent, humbled and was not faithful to his Master, fearful to his creator, thankful to his Provider rather was bitter in his Heart.

”And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.”(2 Chron 28:22).

He closed the Temple of God and took the valuable items of the temple and gave it as a tribute to the King of Assyria a Non-believer. But even this didn’t help him.How sad, heartening to see today that people working in the Divine vineyard misusing, stealing the Divine property and giving it to others/Non-believers. How sad to see the so called Bible thumpers, Tele Evangelists, Doctors & Reverends giving precious Divine legacy to cine singers, politicians etc.As a good steward in the Divine Vineyard we are accountable, responsible to God for every small thing entrusted to us.

In (2 Chron 28:24-25) “And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers”. We see Ahaz broke the Utensils of God, shut the doors of the temple, stopped the worships and setup pagan worship.

Exactly by this time of negative volition God raised Prophets/prophetess. This time God raised Hezekiah even the own son of King Ahaz.




“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done” (2 Chron 29:2).







We see Hezekiah had positive volition. He did everything which was pleasing in the sight of the LORD, just as his ancestor David had done. How wonder to see a beautiful Grace oriented person born of a wicked person. As if a Martin Luther King jr. was born to the Fuhrer Adolph Hitler.
In the very First NEW Month of First New Year of His reign!

I. Hezekiah Re-opened the doors of the temple of the LORD and repaired them.Re-Opening spiritually signifies:

A. Our Body is the temple of God! “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (I Cor 3:16).

B. We need to open our Hearts! “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. (Rev 3:20).

Literally applying if our service to the LORD is in closed position we need to open the doors of our Ministry service. Giving room for more activities like eradicating

a) Physiological poverty
b) Psychological poverty
c) Spiritual poverty

Can be done by opening the doors of His kingdom and Righteousness in this sinful world.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”(Matt 6:33).

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen!”(Matt 28:18-20).

Literal repairing signifies amending the laws, correcting/punishing the evil doers and carnal men. This can be done by doing the right thing in a right manner. As we move forward with this vision God will lead us with his wisdom to repair the things which need to be repaired.

“In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3).

King Hezekiah was associated with priests and Levites. We see he moved with them and encouraged them to purify themselves and the temple of God. He ordered to remove all the defiled things from the sanctuary.

“And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place” (2 chron 29:5).

This spiritually signifies us to remember to remove any Mental, verbal and overt sins hindering us.


“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man”(Mark 7:21-23).


“O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?” (Jer 4:14).

Also Literally removing the defiled things means, removal or termination of carnal,Unbelievers,insincere,indisciplined,Unfaithful,disobedient,Unthankful riot mongers even after giving them sufficient chances to corrected. We are instructed:


“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor 6:14-18).


II. In (2 Chron 29:11) we see Hezekiah strongly encouraged the fully committed Levites for the ministry of the lord. How good it is for us to have the opportunity to uplift the committed people in the ministry as the Levites had whole life commitment for the fulltime service of the LORD.

We are commanded to do good unto All especially to those who are the household of the lord. “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10).

III. In (2 chron 29:18) we see the temple Re-dedication. Spiritually it signifies to purify our bodies and spirits.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor 7:1)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1).

Last year we might have failed in our commitments and dedicating ourselves in many aspects. It was heartening to see that we might have failed to meet cent percent our expectations, goals, resolutions.we may have achieved at least 40-50% in every aspect of our life. We should not be discouraged or disappointed to see that things didn’t moved in favor of us. We might have set goals rightly but the circumstances might ruined our hopes. Whatever the situations we had experienced, it is better to leave the past. How wonder to see that god is giving us a brand new year .I used to think why every year a New Year but now understood that this New Year is granted to make right decisions in our lives, thus Glorifying God in our attempts for the coming years. So friends whatever the situations of this year, “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst “situations in our lives. It would be better if we could achieve nearly 60-70% of our goals.

· This year winter might be disappointment to wake up early in the morning
· This year might have lost self control having sumptuous meals at parties,banquets,functions
· There might be constant break-ups in doing exercises rigorously.
· There might be privations troubled you a lot
· There might be some mental, Verbal and overt attitudes hindered our spiritual growth.
· Here is the beautiful saying of the apostle Paul:

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:12-14).

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds"(Heb 12:1-3). But now Re-dedicating ourselves with great cause is the grace given opportunity of God.

IV. Along with Rededication Hezekiah taught his people to be thankful to the LORD by bringng sacrifices and thanksgiving offering to the lord.

“Then Hezekiah answered and said, now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings” (2 chron 29:31).

It is important for us to be thankful to the lord for what he had done to us and doing to us in future.


“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”(I Thess 5:18).

We should also remember that as beneficiaries in Divine vineyard we need to be on the forefront of benefiters to the vineyard of LORD.

CONCLUSION:


In the final verses of (2 chron 29:36) the people rejoiced and everything was accomplished quickly. When we do the things which pleases in the sight of the Lord our things/works will be accomplished quickly.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen”. (Eph 3:20-21).


May God Bless this New Year 2010 be a year of re-dedication and rejoicing!