Emily: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 300 and 46.
King Hezekiah now sent word to all Israel and Judah, and he
wrote letters of invitation to the people of Raim and Manasa.
He asked everyone to come to the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem to
celebrate the Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel, the king, his
officials, and all the community of Jerusalem decided to celebrate
Passover a month later than usual.
They were unable to celebrate it at the prescribed time because not enough priests
could be purified by then, and the people had not yet assembled at Jerusalem.
This plan for keeping the Passover seemed right to the king and all the people,
so they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel, from bi Shiba in the South
to Dan in the north, inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the
Passover of the Lord, the God of Israel.
The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in
the law at the King's Command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah.
They carried letters that said, oh, people of Israel return to the
Lord the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he will return
to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian Kings.
Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the
Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision.
As you yourselves can see, do not be stubborn as they were, but
submit yourselves to the Lord.
Come to his temple, which he has set apart as holy forever.
Worship the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.
For if you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will be
treated mercifully by their captors and they will be able to return to this land.
For the Lord.
Your God is gracious and merciful.
If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.
The runners went from town to town throughout Raam and Manasa, and as
far as the territory of Zebulon, But most of the people just laughed at
the runners and made fun of them.
However, some people from Asher Manasa and Zebulun humbled
themselves and went to Jerusalem.
At the same time, God's hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving
them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials who
were following the word of the Lord.
So a huge crowd assembled at Jerusalem in mid-Spring to celebrate
the festival of Unleavened bread.
They set to work and removed the pagan altars from Jerusalem.
They took away all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley
on the 14th day of the second month.
One month later than usual, the people slaughtered the Passover Lamb.
This shamed the priests and Levites, so they purified themselves and brought
burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord.
Then they took their places at the temple as prescribed in the
law of Moses, the man of God.
The Levites brought the sacrificial blood to the priests who then
sprinkled it on the altar.
Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had
to slaughter their Passover lamb for them to set them apart for the Lord.
Most of those who came from Efraim, Manasa, Zakar, and Zebulun had not
purified themselves, but King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed
to eat the Passover meal anyway.
Even though this was contrary to the requirements of the law for Hezekiah said.
May the Lord who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God
of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.
And the Lord listened to hezekiah's prayer and healed the people.
So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem, joyously
celebrated the festival of unleavened bread for seven days.
Each day, the Levites and priests sang to the Lord accompanied by loud instruments.
Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they
displayed as they served the Lord.
The celebration continued for seven days.
Peace offerings were sacrificed and the people gave thanks to the
Lord the God of their ancestors.
The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days.
So they celebrated joyfully for another week.
King Hezekiah gave the people 1000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for
offerings, and the officials donated 1000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats.
Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves.
The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all
who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival,
and all those who lived in Judah.
There was great joy in the city for Jerusalem.
Had not seen a celebration like this one since the days
of Solomon King, David's son.
Then the priest and levies stood and blessed the people.
And God heard their prayer from his holy dwelling in heaven when the festival
ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin,
Raim, and Manasa, and they smashed all the sacred pillars, cut down Thera poles,
and removed the pagan shrines and altars.
After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes.
Hezekiah then organized the priests and Levites into divisions to offer the
burnt offerings and peace offerings and to worship and give thanks and praise
to the Lord at the gates of the temple.
The king also made a personal contribution of animals for the daily, morning and
evening burnt offerings, the weekly Sabbath festivals, the monthly new
moon festivals and the annual festivals as prescribed in the law of the Lord.
In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring a portion of
their goods to the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves
fully to the law of the Lord.
When the people of Israel heard these requirements, they responded generously
by bringing the first share of their grain, new wine, olive oil, honey,
and all the produce of their fields.
They brought a large quantity, a tithe of all they produced.
The people who had moved to Judah from Israel and the people of Judah
themselves brought in the tithes of their cattle, sheep, and goats, and
a tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and
they piled them up in great heaps.
They began piling them up in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until
early autumn when Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles.
They thanked the Lord and his people, Israel.
Where did all this come from?
Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites and Azariah, the high priest
from the family of Zadak replied.
Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord's temple, we have
had enough to eat and plenty to spare.
The Lord has blessed his people and all this is left over.
Hezekiah ordered that store rooms be prepared in the temple of the Lord.
When this was done, the people faithfully brought all the gifts,
tithes, and other items dedicated for use in the temple Kanaya.
The Levite was put in charge assisted by his brother Shiai.
The supervisors under them were Jha, za Neha,
jeremo Jaws, aba iel.
Is Macia, Meha and bene.
These appointments were made by King Hezekiah and Azariah, the chief official
in the Temple of God, Cory son of Imna, the Levite, who was the gatekeeper at
the East Gate, was put in charge of distributing the voluntary offerings
given to God, the gifts and the things that had been dedicated to the Lord.
His faithful assistance were Eden, Minya, JE Shema, Amiah, and Aya.
They distributed the gifts among the families of priests in their towns by
their divisions, dividing the gifts fairly among old and young alike.
They distributed the gifts to all males, three years old or older, regardless of
their place in the genealogical records.
The distribution went to all who would come to the Lord's Temple
to perform their daily duties.
According to their divisions, they distributed gifts to the priests
who were listed by their families in the genealogical records and
to the Levites, 20 years old or older, who were listed according
to their jobs and their divisions.
Food allotments were also given to the families of all those listed
in the genealogical records, including their little babies.
Wives, sons and daughters, for they had all been faithful in purifying themselves.
As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron who were living in the open villages
around the towns, men were appointed by name to distribute portions to every male
among the priests and to all the Levites listed in the genealogical records.
In this way, king Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah.
Doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God in all
that he did in the service of the temple of God, and in his efforts
to follow God's laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly.
As a result.
He was very successful after Hezekiah had faithfully carried out this work.
King Sinna of Assyria invaded Judah.
He laid siege to the fortified towns giving orders for his army
to break through their walls.
When Hezekiah realized that Sennacherib also intended to attack Jerusalem, he
consulted with his officials and military advisors and they decided to stop the
flow of the springs outside the city.
They organized a huge work crew to stop the flow of the springs
cutting off the brook that ran through the fields for they said.
Why should the kings of Assyria come here and find plenty of water?
Then Hezekiah worked hard at repairing all the broken sections of the wall,
erecting towers, and constructing a second wall outside the first.
He also reinforced the supporting terraces in the city of David and manufactured
large numbers of weapons and shields.
He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before
him in the square at the city gate.
Then Hezekiah encouraged them by saying, be strong and courageous.
Don't be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria or his mighty army.
For there is a power far greater on our side.
He may have a great army, but they are merely men.
We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us.
Hezekiah's words greatly encouraged the people.
While King Sinna of Assyria was still besieging the town of Laish,
he sent his officers to Jerusalem with this message for Hezekiah
and all the people in the city.
This is what King Sinna of Assyria says.
What are you trusting in that makes you think you can
survive my siege of Jerusalem?
Hezekiah has said the Lord, our God will rescue us from the King of Assyria.
Surely Hezekiah is misleading you, sentencing you to
death by famine and thirst.
Don't you realize that Hezekiah is the very person who destroyed
all the Lord's shrines and altars?
He commanded Judah and Jerusalem to worship only at the altar, at the temple,
and to offer sacrifices on it alone.
Surely, you must realize what I and the other kings of Assyria before me have
done to all the people of the earth.
Were any of the gods of those nations able to rescue their people from
my power, which of their gods was able to rescue Its people from the
destructive power of my predecessors.
What makes you think your God can rescue you from me?
Don't let Hezekiah deceive you.
Don't let him fool you like this.
I Say it again.
No God of any nation or kingdom has ever yet been able to rescue
his people from me or my ancestors.
How much less will your God rescue you From my power and Sinna Kari's
officers further mocked the Lord God and his servant Hezekiah,
keeping insult upon insult.
The king also sent letters scorning, the Lord, the God of Israel.
He wrote.
Just as the gods of all the other nations failed to rescue
their people from my power.
So the God of Hezekiah will also fail.
The Assyrian officials who brought the letters shouted this in Hebrew to
the people gathered on the walls of the city trying to terrify them so it
would be easier to capture the city.
These officers talked about the God of Jerusalem as though he were one of
the pagan gods made by human hands.
Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, son of amass cried out in prayer
to God in heaven, and the Lord sent an angel who destroyed the Assyrian army
with all its commanders and officers.
So Sinna was forced to return home in disgrace to his own land.
And when he entered the temple of his God, some of his own sons
killed him there with a sword.
That is how the Lord rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from King
Sennacherib of Assyria, and from all the others who threatened them, so
there was peace throughout the land.
From then on, king Hezekiah became highly respected among all the surrounding
nations, and many gifts for the Lord arrived at Jerusalem with valuable
presence for King Hezekiah too.
About that time, Hezekiah became deathly ill.
He prayed to the Lord who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign, but Hezekiah
did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud.
So the Lord's anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem.
Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as
did the people of Jerusalem.
So the Lord's anger did not fall on them During Hezekiah's lifetime, Hezekiah
was very wealthy and highly honored.
He built special treasury buildings for his silver, gold, precious
stones and spices, and for his shields and other valuable items.
He also constructed many storehouses for his grain, new wine and olive oil.
He made many stalls for his cattle and pens for his flocks of sheep and goats.
He built many towns and acquired vast flocks and herds.
For God had given him great wealth.
He blocked up the upper spring of Gahan and brought the water down
through a tunnel to the west side of the city of David, and so he
succeeded in everything he did.
However, when ambassadors arrived from Babylon to ask about the
remarkable events that had taken place in the land, God withdrew from
Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart.
The rest of the events in Hezekiah's Reign and his acts of devotion are recorded
in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, son of AMAs, which is included in the
Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
When Hezekiah died, he was buried in the upper area of the Royal
Cemetery and all Judah and Jerusalem honored him at his death and his
son Manasses became the next king.