25He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David and Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lordthrough his prophets. 26So the Levites stood ready with David’s instruments, and the priests with their trumpets.
27Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the Lord began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments of David king of Israel. 28The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering was completed.
29When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped. 30King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped. (2 Chronicles 29)
Thoughts: This is a record of a revival of the faith going on in the Old Testament. Keep in mind, Hezekiah's father desecrated the Temple by making sacrifices to the gods of Syria. He then cut up the furnishings of the Temple and even had the Temple locked so people could not go in to worship the Lord. In punishment, the land of Judah was decimated and made weak and disunited. It seemed the nation was dead and the faith was dead too.
But God was not through. He raised up Ahaz's son, Hezekiah, to be a good king. Hezekiah began a great revival. The people came back to God. The passage above describes the worship. Hezekiah, once more opened up the Temple and even reinstated the Passover.
But what is especially important here is the use of song. Songs have happened whenever there has been revival. Music is important. Music is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and praising God lifts up our hearts to Him. When our focus is on God in song, it is hard to be self-centered. Often new songs are written in revivals. The verse, "Sing to the Lord a new song" is often made during revivals. But here, they were trying to re-introduce the Temple worship and Temple songs. The old songs of David and Asaph (29:30) were the core. Asaph wrote 12 psalms 50, 73-83, and was David's chief Temple musician.
Today praise songs of Hillsong, and Passion musicians are the rage and attract large crowds. But you can look at our hymn book and see songs of the Reformation (which was a revival of the 1500-1600s), the Great Awakening (1700s- Wesleys, Newton), the Civil War revival (mid 1800s) reflect movements of the Spirit. Once a Presbyterian minister named Ivester was riding horseback from the Swananoa Valley in the mountains (near Asheville) to the coast of N.C. He wrote "Spirit of the Living God Fall Afresh on Me" on horseback on the way. They sang this song over and over and over and revival broke out. Praising God changes hearts and draws us to God- whether old tunes or new. So let us sing joyfully to the Lord.
But God was not through. He raised up Ahaz's son, Hezekiah, to be a good king. Hezekiah began a great revival. The people came back to God. The passage above describes the worship. Hezekiah, once more opened up the Temple and even reinstated the Passover.
But what is especially important here is the use of song. Songs have happened whenever there has been revival. Music is important. Music is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and praising God lifts up our hearts to Him. When our focus is on God in song, it is hard to be self-centered. Often new songs are written in revivals. The verse, "Sing to the Lord a new song" is often made during revivals. But here, they were trying to re-introduce the Temple worship and Temple songs. The old songs of David and Asaph (29:30) were the core. Asaph wrote 12 psalms 50, 73-83, and was David's chief Temple musician.
Today praise songs of Hillsong, and Passion musicians are the rage and attract large crowds. But you can look at our hymn book and see songs of the Reformation (which was a revival of the 1500-1600s), the Great Awakening (1700s- Wesleys, Newton), the Civil War revival (mid 1800s) reflect movements of the Spirit. Once a Presbyterian minister named Ivester was riding horseback from the Swananoa Valley in the mountains (near Asheville) to the coast of N.C. He wrote "Spirit of the Living God Fall Afresh on Me" on horseback on the way. They sang this song over and over and over and revival broke out. Praising God changes hearts and draws us to God- whether old tunes or new. So let us sing joyfully to the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, may your praise reflect on me. Let me love to sing your praises.
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