“They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.”
– 2 Chronicles 30:14
Hi James and Ellen,
What do you think will happen when what a guy, gal or kid always does is done for God’s sake? What do you think will happen when what a guy, gal or kid always does is done to revere God? What do you think will happen when what a guy, gal or kid always does is done with a conviction that God will be honored? What do you think that it was like about 2,700 years ago when Hezekiah – who had become positioned as king over God’s specially chosen guys and gals who were living in the land area of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem, got it that God had mandated that He be worshipped for His sake by His specially chosen guys and gals – the Israelite people group guys and gals, that He be revered through celebrating the Passover Feast and that He be exalted through the offering up to Him by consecrated Levi tribal clan priests animal burnt offering sacrifices? Your grandpaa thinks that it is probable that a God assigned planet Earth prophet spokesman – who was Isaiah, influenced Hezekiah to become the catalyst for bringing together a united assembly of Israelite people group guys and gals who not only lived in Israel’s southern kingdom’s land area – which was the land area of Judah, but who were also living in Israel’s northern kingdom’s land area – which kept the name of Israel. Not long before this God centered ceremonial celebration took place, Assyria’s people group’s army decimated Israel’s northern kingdom of Israelite people group guys and gals. Even though some of the guys and gals who were still alive in Israel’s northern kingdom scorned and ridiculed couriers who Hezekiah sent with proclamation letters to take part in celebrating the Passover Feast in the temple of God that was in the city of Jerusalem, other guys and gals from the northern kingdom tribal clans of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves by trekking to the city of Jerusalem to join their Israelite southern kingdom kin to celebrate with them the Passover Feast and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Chronicler of the Chronicle Book recorded in 2 Chronicles 30 this extraordinary assembly and celebration of these God commanded feasts.
What do you think is something that a guy, gal or kid can always do for God’s sake? What do you think is something that a guy, gal or kid can always do that reveres God? What do you think is something that a guy, gal or kid can always do that honors God’s name? The Chronicler in verse 14 relates what the Israelite people group guys and gals – who are God’s specially chosen guys and gals, did for God’s sake, “They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.” What God’s specially chosen guys and gals did at this time was to stop doing something that they were doing daily that was not revering and honoring to God – which was worshipping inanimate manmade gods. What God’s specially chosen guys and gals did at this time was to proactively demonstrate their contriteness for their sinful behavior for worshipping lifeless handmade gods by throwing their inert idol gods into the Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley is where God’s day of judgment is to eventually take place. What God’s specially chosen guys and gals did at this time was to reestablish God revering and honoring practices such as celebrating the Passover Feast and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread – which led to the assembly of God’s specially chosen guys and gals to want to continue to celebrate together this special festive time for another seven days. The results of doing something for God’s sake, for revering God and for honoring God were spiritual healing, unabashed joy and answered prayers.
Your grandpaa two days ago arrived back home after spending two weeks in Peru. Your grandpaa was the project leader for a short term youth ministry team that went to Iquitos, Peru. The short term youth ministry team and chaperones were from Grace Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. 77 kids and adults were on Grace Christian and Missionary Alliance Church’s short term youth ministry team. The leader of Grace Christian and Missionary Alliance Church’s short term youth ministry team divided up the 77 kids and adults on his team into seven smaller teams. These seven teams went to five different Iquitos locations. Despite the hotel where this short term youth ministry team stayed having a small meeting and eating area, your grandpaa did not hear any kid or adult complaining. Despite having to go in groups of three in tuk tuks to the different assigned ministry sites, your grandpaa did not hear any kid or adult complaining. Despite rain showers that could easily have caused inconveniences, your grandpaa did not hear any kid or adult complaining. This short term ministry youth team from Grace Christian and Missionary Alliance Church knew that they were in Iquitos for God’s sake, that what they did each day revered God and that their lives were to always honor God’s name. What do you think took place during the time that the short term youth ministry team from Grace Christian and Missionary Alliance Church was in Iquitos? There were testimonies of decisions of faith being made during home visits as well as during one on one sharing times. There was invariably a spirit of joy exuding from this short term youth ministry team. There was a dramatic healing of one of the gals on this short term youth ministry team who had severe chronic back pains that were really limiting her mobility. Just minutes after being prayed for, Carrie was jumping up and down without pain.
2 Chronicles 30 (1169)