Purkey's Bible Study Outlines

KEY VERSE: So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:26).

INTRODUCTION: King Hezekiah was one of Judah’s greatest kings and the most devoted spiritual leader. He repaired the temple and restored the true worship of Jehovah on a scale not seen before. He called the whole nation -- Israel and Judah -- to observe the Passover together, and he cleansed the land of idols.

INSIGHT: When Hezekiah became king, the situation at the temple was not unlike the condition of some churches today (2 Chronicles 29:7). Closed doors speak of no access to God and no service for God. He has set before us an open door (Revelation 3:8), and we close it. The lamps were out, which indicates no witness (Matthew 5:16), and the incense altar was cold, which signifies that no prayer was going up to God (Psalm 141:2). There were no sacrifices on the altar (Romans 12:1–2), but there was plenty of rubbish in the temple. No wonder the nation was experiencing the wrath of God instead of the blessing of God.

Hezekiah’s plan for revival was simple: (1) sanctification, (2) sacrifice, and (3) song. He started with the priests and Levites, for if God’s servants are not clean, God cannot bless their work. Then the priests sanctified the temple, offered the sacrifices, and sang the songs of the Lord. It all happened suddenly (2 Chronicles 29:36), but what happened was not new or novel. It was simply a return to the ways of the Lord (read 2 Chronicles 29).

A. King Hezekiah Had The Right Attitude. (2 Chronicles 30:1).

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel (2 Chronicles 30:1).

1. A Spirit Of Peace.

Here is a wonderful thing King Hezekiahdid. Remember that his father had carried on warfare against the northern kingdom, and many of those from Judah had been taken captive. You might think that when Hezekiah became king he would have come to the throne with a spirit of vengeance in his heart and with a spirit of getting even.

2. A Love Of God.

After he had opened up the temple of God, restoring the worship of God and giving his own public testimony, he sends an invitation to the northern kingdom to come and worship the Lord. What a wonderful, marvelous spirit this is!

B. King Hezekiah Had The Right Worship (2 Chronicles 30: 2-5).

1. The Right Month (verse 2)

2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month (2 Chronicles 30:2).

Authority for observing the Passover in the second month, instead of the first, is given in Numbers 9:10-11.

2. The Right Congregation. (2 Chronicles 30:3-5).

3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. 4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written(2 Chronicles 30:3-5).

Although, the invitation which Hezekiah sent into the northern kingdom was rejected and ridiculed by some, many responded and came to keep the Passover with their brethren.

 A. The Couriers Were Sent (2 Chronicles 30:6-9).

1. With An Open Invitation (2 Chronicles 30: 5).

5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written (2 Chronicles 30:5).

The princes, along with King Hezekiah, agreed to send a proclamation throughout all Judah and Israel inviting people to the Passover. This would be the first time since King Solomon, centuries earlier, that those from the northern tribes of Israel would celebrate the Passover with Judah.

2. With A Special Message (2 Chronicles 30:6-7)..

6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. (2 Chronicles 30:6-7).

As the couriers went out with letters from the king, they carried a special message for the surviving Israelites in the north to join in the celebration.

B. The People Were Encouraged (2 Chronicles 30:8-9).

1. To Show Obedience (verse 8).

8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. (2 Chronicles 30:8).

The messengers also encouraged the people of Israel to turn away from the stubbornness and idolatry of their fathers and relatives who had been carried away into captivity. This was a chance for the survivors to show obedience to the Lord.

2. To Repent And Return (verse 9).

9 For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. (2 Chronicles 30:9).

Furthermore, the proclamation message stated that if the remaining Israelites repented and returned to the Lord, even their families in captivity would be shown mercy and allowed to return to the land. King Hezekiah sought to give hope to the people of the former northern kingdom and to show many reasons for them to join in the Passover celebration.

By Dr. Charles Stanley 

1. King Hezekiah’s decision to call for the celebration of the Passover was not merely a religious gathering; it had deep political and spiritual implications.

Hezekiah wanted to reunite the divided kingdom and return to the worship of the one true God in Jerusalem. After years of idolatry and neglect in both Israel and Judah, Hezekiah sought to bring about a spiritual revival and restoration of true worship.

2. The Passover was a crucial event in the life of Israel.

It commemorated their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the sparing of their firstborn sons when the angel of death passed over homes with the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. Hezekiah was leading the people back to their roots and reminding them of God’s faithfulness and deliverance by reinstating the observance of the Passover.

3. The message Hezekiah sent was inclusive, reaching out to all the remnants of the twelve tribes of Israel, despite the political divisions that had separated them for years. 

This gesture of unity and reconciliation was significant in light of the history of the divided kingdom, which had led to idolatry and spiritual decline. Hezekiah’s invitation symbolized his desire to see the people of God united in worship and obedience.

4. This call to return to the Lord and observe the Passover serves as a timeless message in the Bible.

It reflects the themes of repentance, revival, unity, and obedience to God’s commands. Throughout the Bible, we see the importance of communal worship, remembrance of God’s faithfulness, and the call to return to Him with all our hearts. Just like Hezekiah, we are reminded to seek unity among believers, to repent of our sins, and to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. – Adapted from Dr. Charles Stanley’s Commentary.

A. A Joyous People (2 Chronicles 30:26).

26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:26).

Verses 26 and 27 describe the great joy and satisfaction experienced by all the people as they observed the celebrations and offerings. The scene painted here is one of harmonious worship, where the people’s hearts were turned towards God, and there was a sense of peace and contentment among them. This is a beautiful depiction of how true worship and obedience can bring about unity, joy, and fulfillment in the community of believers. This passage in 2 Chronicles 30 echoes the recurring theme of repentance, restoration, and revival in the larger context of the Bible.

B. A Blessed People (2 Chronicles 30:27).

27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven (2 Chronicles 30:27).

Individuals and communities are called to turn away from sin, seek reconciliation, and recommit themselves to the Lord, just as King Hezekiah sought to restore proper worship in Judah and bring the people back to God. The response of the assembly in these verses serves as a model for how genuine repentance and heartfelt worship can lead to blessings, unity, and joy in the presence of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 30:23-27 teaches us about the power of unity in worship, the importance of sacrificial giving, the value of recognition and encouragement within the faith community, and the blessings of true repentance and devotion. It inspires us to wholeheartedly seek the Lord, participate in communal worship, and experience the joy of His presence in our lives. – From Charles Stanley’s Commentary.

“[America has] been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, the many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God.

We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God that made us.

It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.” – From April 30, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation for a National Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer. 

CONCLUSION: When we read 2 Chronicles 30, what do we learn?

First, we learn that when God’s Spirit is at work, God’s people will be unified.

Hezekiah called the whole nation back to the celebration of the Passover.

Second, we learned that the Passover feast depicts Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, and many participated with oneness of heart (verse 12).

What an occasion of blessing it was! It was tragic that the spiritual leaders were to blame for delaying the event (verse 3). How tragic that some of the people laughed at the invitation (verse 10; Matt. 22:1–14). But how wonderful that God blessed abundantly, healed the people and sent them home rejoicing (verses 21, 23, 25, 26). The people who turned down the invitation missed a special opportunity.

Third, we learned that God looks at the heart and does not permit ceremonial matters to get in the way of His grace (1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 50:7–15; 51:16–17; Hos. 6:6).

Hezekiah saw to it that the people were taught the Word of God (verse 22) because the Word nourishes the heart and cleanses the life, long after the memories of great events have faded away. The people experienced great joy as a result of sharing in the Passover feast (verse 26). 

The Jews would have great joy at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 12:43). Other people who experienced great joy from the Lord are the wise men (Matt. 2:10), the apostles (Luke 24:52), and the new believers in Samaria (Acts 8:8). The message of the gospel is good news of great joy (Luke 2:10). Are you sharing it with others?

THOUGH TO REMEMBER: “If we put off repentance another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent in.”