2 Chr 36: 17-23

Since the entire nation of Judah turned their collective back on the Lord, they were either killed or captured by Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord had no pity and was no respecter of age or gender. According to the commentary: Zedekiah and his army ran from the city and they tried to escape. But the soldiers from Babylon caught them near Jericho town. They took Zedekiah to the town called Riblah in Syria to meet King Nebuchadnezzar. As Zedekiah watched them, they killed his sons. Then they took his eyes out so that he was blind. They bound him with chains and they took him to Babylon.

The Babylonians destroyed most of the city and especially the Temple. Since the Lord "left" the temple and his Presence was abhorred with Jerusalem, it was symbolic that it was destroyed.The entire captivity process was to be 70 years by the Babylonians. This was because Cyrus and the Persian Empire would overtake the Babylonian empire and become the first king of Babylon. The Lord would then allow the Jews to re-enter Jerusalem since Cyrus was a believer and would restore the Lord's Presence in Jerusalem.

Thus ends the book of  2 Chronicles - which has been a long time coming. I'm not sure where the Lord will lead me next in my studies but it will be in the OT.

Going to LabCorp after Sandy to complete my tests this morning. Should be "fun" day at work but hopefully an uneventful one. Prayers for the family in Edison who remains without power. Prayers also for those less fortunate than our situation. Hopefully a spirit of community will take over and there will be few if any incidents.

Praise for today: God is our refuge and strength, an ever help in times of trouble. Ps 46:1

2 Chr 36: 11-16

We just had the "perfect storm" or the "storm of the century". While the devastation has been first and foremost in the eyes of the media and the nation, we are reminded of nature's awesome power and our ability to prepare and cope with the situation. Clearly the writing was on the wall many days in advance and even I was amazed at its destructive forces and the path of devastation that ensued. I was amazed at the scenes at AC and lower NYC as the crests and waves flooded those streets. I was also saddened to hear of the countless stories of people (including many of my own) who lost power and feared for the losses that could ensue. I am awaiting word if we will even have services this weekend as lower Manhattan recovers and the commuter systems restores services (assuming power is available). I'm sure there are countless stories that will be told of how families and neighbors pull together. I am also saddened to hear how the AC mayor took it upon himself to ignore a state order to evacuated and put them up in local shelters and now must pay the price.

This section of Scripture deals with an evil and selfish king who ignored the warnings of the prophets and led his people into a path of destruction. He was evil in the eyes of the Lord and where the head goes, the body will follow. His "priests" were also evil and rather than worship the Lord, they worshipped idols. Jeremiah told Zedekiah and his priests and the people to repent and worship the Lord but they refuse and ridiculed the Lord's messenger. As a result, the Lord allowed the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem and start the captivity. Admist all of this, Zedekiah actually agreed to be under Bablylonian rule and signed an agreement with the king of Bablyon, Nebuchadnezzar. He reneged from the agreement and sought an allegiance with the new king of Egypt, Hophra or actually that Babylon and Egypt would do battle against each other. Zedekiah was will still be under Babylonian rule according to Jeremiah and the people would be enslaved - just as Jeremiah predicted.

The perfect storm back then as well but unlike Sandy, this storm would have no imminent recovery time and no FEMA. The enslavement would last much longer and the hopes would be dashed as well.

I am so grateful for all of the people that have reached out to me and my family. Prayers are powerful. Yesterday, I went into work and had to stuff 5 pounds into a 1 pound bag. We had power and food but still being under a statewide emergency edict was extremely limited in driving and was still working into the night yesterday to correct issues so that they would not linger going forward. Today is day off so I will try to catch up here with things that I need to do and tighten up my sermon (if we still have services on Sunday).

Praise for today: The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

2 Chr 36: 5-10

The next section is a tale of two kings, first Jehoiakim who was the king that succeeded Jehoahaz, his father. His reign lasted 11 years and according to other parts of the Bible and history was a self indulging and arrogant king. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord. Jeremiah, the prophet was the Lord's mainstay throughout this time and did much to warn and correct him in what the Lord wanted but was not well received. The result was him being in captivity via King Nebuchadnezzar in bronze chains into Babylon with his ill-gotten gains as well. During this time frame, there was another prophet Uriah (Jer 23) who was killed by Nebuchadnezzar while Jeremiah was not. The reason that the Egyptians were the ones that were oppressing the Judeans was that the Babylonian empire had, by this time, extended to Egypt so Jehoiakim had to obey Babylon rather than Egypt.

The second king, was Jehoiakim's son - Jehoiachin. He was as bad as his father and his reign only lasted a little over 3 months. According to the commentary: Then in March 597 BC, Nebuchadnezzar’s army entered the city. Nebuchadnezzar himself came to Jerusalem. He took Jehoiachin as a prisoner to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar took all the valuable things from the temple. And he took many people from Jerusalem to Babylon. He took about 10 000 people from the city. This included Jehoiachin’s family, 7000 soldiers and all the business people (2 Kings chapter 24).

Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah the king of Judah and Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar changed Mattaniah’s name to Zedekiah.

 

The event last night was pretty good and was focused on ending domestic violence. The keynote speaker was Lavon Morris-Grant who was a victim of domestic violence as well. She is a Christian and gave a stark and gripping account of her life and how she had to cope with the ridicule of being a victim - not only from her friends and family but even her own church which abandoned her. She was also a great woman of action and faith and I got a chance to pray with her afterwards.

 

Getting ready to head home but for how long? The impending hurricane hitting landfall late this weekend may prompt me to stay in NJ longer rather than coming down on Sunday. We'll see...

 

Praise for today: But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. Psalm 94:22.

2 Chr 36: 1-4

With Josiah's death. the door was open for the next king and the people chose Josiah’s son Jehoahaz. Apparently, the Bible points out that Jehoahaz's father was also in contention given he too was in the lineage and could have assumed the throne. Nevertheless, the people chose and they chose poorly. According the account in 2 Kings 23, he didn't last long - just a mere 3 months and he was evil in the sight of the Lord. Neco was still bent on controlling Judah and captured Jehoahaz and put him in chains. With him out the way, Neco put his brother on the throne to control him and Judah as well. Eliakim who was his name was renamed Jehoiakim by Neco and was a few years older than his brother.

With the last chapter comes the advent of the exile as the kings of Judah followed a destructive path not just for themselves but for the people as well.

Got finished with my message and now I can relax somewhat today and go the charity event after work. Just hoping a get a decent parking spot later to lug my stuff home tomorrow.

Praise for today: The Lord will keep you from harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121: 7-8

2 Chr 34:20-27

With three powerhouse nations surrounding Judah, they of course were always at odds against each other. Assyria was the weakest and Babylon was becoming stronger so Egypt (king Neco) was going to align himself with Assyria against Babylon. Having to go through Judah, he and his army were confronted by Josiah and his troops. Neco had no issue with Josiah and in fact told him that God was behind this but this was not well received by Josiah who appeared bent on going into battle against the Egyptians. Josiah was so gung-ho about this that he even changed his battle gear so that he could blend in with his troops. Arrows were fired and Josiah was mortally wounded. He died shortly thereafter and was immortalized in a Book of Sorrows by Jeremiah. This was not the book of Lamentations but rather another book that was lost in the shuffle of time.‘He did what was right and fair. So, everything was good for him. He helped people who were poor. And he helped those who needed his help’ (Jeremiah 22:15-16). The people mourned as he was put to rest in the land and tombs of his fathers.

As I scroll forward, it seems like Josiah was the last good king of Judah before the exile. Sad to say, the bad outnumbered the good and still the nation was sent into exile BUT still produced the ultimate King - Jesus Christ. Still interesting to read and ponder about.

Another decent day at work, got invited to a charity which our firm is taking a table on Thursday night. Should end at a decent hour which is good. Got my ironing done and had a salad for dinner after a working lunch yesterday. Nothing done on the message but that will be for tonight.

Praise for today: I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High. Psalms 7: 17.

2 Chr 35: 10-20

So the feast was recorded and obviously the fact that it occurred was noteworthy and recorded. What should have been an annual event was started after a long hiatus. The Levites picked up the slack where there were not enough priests to do the tasks at hand - slaying and preparing the animals and draining the blood for the doorposts, etc. The Levites also were the singers and the guards at the temple. And so the feast was complete and for 7 days they held the Passover feast without yeast. The Bible records this as among the best feasts ever even surpassing those that were held in David and Solomon's day. Perhaps because the people as well as the leaders were active and behind it.

Decent day at work and also here. David and I changed our phone plans so that it could accommodate his growing needs without hardship from month to month. I cooked enough ribs in black bean sauce and broccoli in oyster sauce for the week and then some. Never grow tired of a good thing. Tonight I will put the finishing touches on the message, hopefully... The debate was relatively interesting but still didn't sway me from voting my convictions.

Prayers for the family as we progress towards the holiday season. I also felt a little weird yesterday at the gym with some slight disorientation which forced me to bike rather than do any standing style exercise. We'll see how it goes later.

Praise for today: Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Psalm 48:10

2 Chr 35: 1-9

Josiah was a student of the Scriptures and thus after reading the account of Exodus and the Passover feast was inspired to continue the remembrance of the event. This took place in the 18th year of his rule in 622 BC, and much work had to be done to commemorate Passover. The Levites had to be given their duties as was in the case of David and retraining had to be done.  Also, the restoration of the ark had to occur as well since it was probably removed by some loyalists who didn't want to see it desecrated. Josiah gave of his own wealth to provide the sacrifices as well as his officials - this was an act of sacrifice from their part and meant that they were totally behind it and led by example. The sacrifices were enough for 30,000 poorer families to be represented and that was a good thing.

Clearly Josiah and his officials gave sacrificially and they tried to put the nation on the right track towards honoring and revering God. They were doing the right thing as they they led by example and be inclusionary rather than exclusionary.

Good but exhausting weekend. Good session on Friday's FW and also Saturday was a long day in Queens for the Missions weekend. Sunday was more of the same but thankfully an easy ride down here to Delly and a relaxing evening.

Praise for today: He who sacrifices thank offerings honor me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

2 Chr 34:14-33

The outward appearances of the changes that Josiah had implemented were taking shape. Now was the time that the inward appearances be made as well. Hilkiah the priest found a book (although it may have been incomplete) that was deemed to be the word of God. They have already done the right thing with their handling of the monies and the use of the proceeds to make Jerusalem worthy and strong. The reading of the word, first to Josiah and his leaders and prophets and then to the rest of the people had lasting impact. The first was the repentance of sin in Josiah's life. We don't know if it was anything specific but he recognized that he fell short of God's standards. Not only did he but the rest of the nation and they saw that particularly with their memories of their past. They heard the words of a prophet as well who forewarned of their demise if they didn't change their ways.It was because of their repentance which gave them a second chance. They showed true repentance and the tribes that comprised Judah swore a renewed allegiance to the Lord and his ways.v33 Josiah removed all the awful images of gods from all the country of the Israelites. He made all the people in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they followed the LORD God of their ancestors.

Decent day yesterday, got to use my near expiring coupon for shoes and did some food shopping. Praying for a good one today and a decent drive home so that I could attend FW. Busy day tomorrow with the Missions day in Queens and church on Sunday. Got most of my stuff done on my message and that's a good thing. Prayers for the family and their well being and their walk with the Lord.

Praise for today: The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. Psalm 93:1

2 Chr 34: 1-13

With Joash ascending the throne, there is "peace in the valley". He was only 8 when he took office but decided right from the start to follow the Lord and to remove and destroy the idols and places of idol worship that permeated the land and the people. He not only took them down in Jerusalem but in distant cities as well. Locally, the Lord's temple was also restored to worship as he purged the items that were brought in by his father and others. The Levites also were instrumental in gather cash to restore the temple as the people contributed towards this cause. The temple was under neglect for many years and the restoration was under way under Joash's rule. What was interesting was that the lineage of Korath and Merari were mentioned as they were mentioned in the Psalms as well.

Not a bad day at work yesterday and last night. Still tough to get motivated to finish off my message but hopefully will get a chance tonight. Glad to hear that GG got a chance to have dinner with my sister - way overdue. Glad to hear that he will be home for Thanksgiving and praying for him to finally get his long overdue tax refund from NJ. H&R Block is terrible for out of state returns. I guess I have to bite the bullet and get Colorado on Turbo Tax next year.

Praise for today: May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is with you. Psalm 25:21

2 Chr 33: 21-25

It didn't take long for the leaders of Judah to repeat their mistake and mistrust. Amon, son of Manasseh, took the reigns after his father died at the age of 22. He continued the evil ways of his father and quickly changed what the deeds of his repentant father did. In fact, it was reported that he was worse! Go figure.  His reign only lasted two years before he was killed by his servants who in turn were killed by the people. It was apparent that they wanted nothing to do with Amon or his ways. They made Josiah, king of Judah.

Overall good day at work and here. Still working on the message and should finish it shortly. Many thanks to Emily for all her preparations for the weekend. Surprised by the light turnout but we do live busy lives and maybe some apathy is setting in.

Praise for today: Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved. Psalm 80: 3

2 Chr 33: 14-20

With the king of Assyria allowing Manasseh to return home, he was a changed man. He saw the wickedness of his ways and began the process to restore what he had done. He fortified the city of Jerusalem, took down the idol worship sites and set up the Lord's temple again. He sent officers to help restore the land as well in the surrounding cities. He was not successful in removing all of the high places for idol worship since the people continued their practices, still he did his part. The balance of the section detailed the rest of his deeds and life and were recorded in 2 Kings 21 although the repentance part that was recorded here.He was dead in 642 BC and was buried in his palace. His son, Amon succeeded him.

All in all, a decent day yesterday and was culminated in the restoration of my cable bill to its original amount for another year - minor victory!!! Had a good convo with PAL's cousin and invited her to church as well. That would be a major victory! Tonight, have to work on the message and will look forward to the missions weekend with Barry Jordan. Praying for safe passage for GG and Irene today back home.

Praise for today: Praise be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. Psalm 41: 13

2 Chr 33: 10-13

Pride goes before the fall. It is a pattern that continues even today. Manasseh truly was a man who was caught up in his own press and surrounded himself with those that led him astray. He did such evil in the sight of the Lord that he allowed the Assyrians to capture him and ridicule him (in a painful way- bronze nose ring) in chains to be brought to the Babylonians as a slave. The commentary mentioned him as potentially as a soldier in the Egyptian army to get away from the Assyrian rule. Whatever the case, this was the start of the Babylonian captivity that would play a big part in the history of Israel. In prison, Manasseh "found" the Lord. He repented of his ways and vowed to change his ways to please the Lord. However, this was too late to change the course that was slated for Israel. Despite Manasseh's ways and heart, the Lord did forgive him and allow him to make good his vows of repentance in prison as he returned to his rule in Jerusalem.

Good weekend and was able to have lunch with David @ RR. The balance of Saturday was cleaning up and and then a concert with Danny Kalb (Blues Project) and Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals at a church in Chatham, NJ. Late night as I was waiting for David to get home and an early rise to church made me a hurting puppy. At least the ride home from NYC was decent and got down here and scored a great parking spot.

Praise for today: If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37: 23-24

2 Chr 33:1-9

All good things must come to an end so was the age of Hezekiah. Manasseh, his son, who co-ruled with him as a child, took over the throne when he was 12. He ruled officially from around 687 BC to 642 BC and he was horrible as a follower of God. He was the longest tenured ruler of Judah or Israel. With his father's independence from the Assyrians now over, Manasseh felt that he would now succumb under their rule. Most of that was because he chose not to follow the ways of his father Hezekiah and love the Lord. Instead, he chose to worship idols. According to the commentary;

The nations that were in the country before Israel worshipped many false gods. Manasseh built again the high places to worship those gods. He built altars to the Baal gods. He made images for Asherah, the female god. And he worshipped the sun, moon and stars. For these, he built two altars in the LORD’s temple. He did the same as his grandfather Ahaz had done (28:3). He made his children go through fire in the Ben-Hinnom Valley. This was a sacrifice to the god Molech. And he did many other evil deeds.

 

 So the stage was set for a long and painful road ahead for the nation as they were led like sheep to the slaughter. He also desecrated the Lord's temple by putting idols for worship and sacrifices there as well. This didn't sit well with the Lord. In turn, Judah had become worse than the nations that had the land before them and were around them. Needless to say, bad things were on the horizon.

 

Overall a good day at work but was dismayed to see my cable bill jacked up by $20 p/m. That coupled with my rent being raised will lead to more tightening of the belt to make ends meet down here. Seeing if I could get it reduced or if not consider Verizon as an alternative. Need to investigate that...

 

 

Praise for today: Every word of God is flawless, he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30: 5

2 Chr 32: 25-33

This is a capsulized summary of what went on in 2 Kings 19 and 20. Hezekiah became ill and almost died. He prayed to the Lord for mercy and was granted 15 more years of life. His prayer was confirmed by the Lord allowing him to see that it was truly God behind the scenes by performing a miracle. Unfortunately, neither he or the people became closer to God because of it. Despite saving him and the people, they grew proud and haughty. Hezekiah was given great wealth by the Lord and he in turn felt that it was worth displaying as if he was the reason behind it. This angered the Lord and also the people became proud as well. They did repent of their sin so God didn't punish them or Hezekiah while he was alive. However, Hezekiah still flaunted his wealth and in turn was told that these riches would be gone and swept away (by the Babylonian empire). He died and was given an elevated place in the tombs of his ancestors.

All in all, a good king who did much to benefit the people that he served. His episodic lapses were true of even the best of kings which only points to the fact that there is truly one perfect king - Jesus Christ.

All in all, a good day yesterday. Still plugging away at my sermon and hopefully will have all of the loose gaps finished for the Missions weekend. Trying to maneuver my Fridays so that I am done with late nights for that day to the rest of the year. Also established my work schedule to get my Princeton days as well.

Praise for today: I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints. Ps 42: 9

2 Chr 32: 20-24

This was how it was supposed to work. When the going got tough, the tough went to the Lord. Both Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah went before the Lord to plead for His people and their defense. The prophet did what he did (2 Kings 19:21-34) and the Lord sent his angel of death and killed 185,000 of Sennacherib's men. Sennacherib went back alone and defeated without a single Judean harmed. He was literally like a scolded dog with his tail between his legs. He went back to his created god's temple and there his sons killed him. News of this traveled fast and the Lord and Jerusalem were respected and revered. The Lord protected them on all sides and in turn they received the wealth of surrounding nations.

All in all a decent day at work. I got a little further on my sermon and will plug away at it over the next week or so. Also got some more confirmation regarding the Missions weekend so that is good as well. Glad to hear that GG and Irene are enjoying themselves in FL and that the condo is good as well. Hoping that David has a good time at the NYY games but he better bundle up!!!

Praise for today: Gather to me my consecrated ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah Psalm 50: 5&6

2 Chr 32:9-19

Actions speak louder than words but in this case, Sennacherib was hoping his rhetoric was enough to scare the Judeans into submission,  He tried to play to their fears - losing basics like food and water. He attributed the taking down of Asherah poles as the equivalent of not giving the people local worship areas. He tried to destroy the people's trust in the Lord by saying that God would not and could not save them against he and his army. He failed to grasp that the God of Israel was the Creator of all things, including he and his armies as well. His officers tried to use their native language to persuade them to give up as well. He felt he could play on their fears and that they would surrender without a fight. He and his armies wrote letters of propaganda to encourage them to give up. They shouted to them to intimidate them into a corner to act.

How often does Satan use these intimidation tactics on us to push us further away from God. The deceiver often uses our fears and anxieties to garner an advantage for him as we question the Lord's goodness and protection. We tend to lose sight of the fact that we are co-heirs and children of God. The promises seem distant not because we don't have them but because we don't claim them.

Good day yesterday even though it was a nightmare using Windows 7 and MO. Still got much done and was able to have lunch with a younger co-worker and get to know him as well. Prayers for Irene as she goes to FL for a week.

Praise for today: O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Ps 8:9

2Chr 32: 1-8

This was the first test to the kingdom of Hezekiah - they have grown self-sufficient in garnering water as an agricultural resource as well as for their daily needs. Additionally, Hezekiah stopped paying taxes to Assyria once King Sargon 2 died. Assyria held power over most of Israel and Judah since they were under their captivity. Four years later under Sennacherib, son of Sargon 2, the Assyrians would threaten to attack Jerusalem but Hezekiah would pay some taxes to them to appease them and not have the city under siege. Hezekiah did much to the city as far as refortifying it and restoring the prominence it once had. The problem was that this was not enough for Sennacherib and he still wanted to press the issue not only politically but also spiritually. He mocked the Lord and what He could do for his people. Hezekiah not only restored the city but he also restored the people's faith in the Lord. and that did not sit well with Sennacherib. As a result, he wanted to set Jerusalem as an example. Despite being outnumbered as far as soldiers, Hezekiah rallied the troops and the people around the Lord and was willing to put himself and the people at the Lord's mercy rather than Sennacherib's army.  He actually used the "be strong and courageous" line from Joshua (6). What he said is true, if God is for us who can be against us?

Excellent test and his response was truly heroic as well as scripturally sound.

Good weekend. Had my first taste of college football with Rutgers' win over UConn. Had some issues Sunday morning with a transit cop over street closures and ended up apologizing for my actions and praying with him . God was truly with me in that circumstance. Easy ride home and down here. All in all a good weekend. Prayers for Irene who is heading down to FL tomorrow and for GG who will be with her for part of the trip. Today should be a light and stressfree day, ha!

Praise for today: With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. 2 Chr 32: 8

2 Chr 31: 9-21

It seemed that the people responded with vigor as it became apparent to Hezekiah and the officials that the people gave from the bounty that the Lord had blessed them with. Their tithes were so generous and overflowing that they had to address the giving by utilizing the storehouses they had and creating new ones for the overflow. They gave over and above their tithes which was duly noted. They gave their share to each Levite over the age of 3 (since they were in their mother's feeding up until then) and were put into service (as was the Davidical way) when they turned 20. There were a group of 6 that was put in charge of the storage. The bottom line - they were turned to the Lord, the people and the priests in turn were blessed, Hezekiah was a good king who loved and served the Lord and he and the kingdom were blessed. He was sincere in his faith.

Week is almost over and heading home later. The earliest I will be able to start my drive is around 5:30 but still should be alright. Looking forward to going to the Rutgers game tomorrow (1st college football game ever!) and since they are nationally ranked - should be good.

Praise for today: My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion. Psalm 71: 24

2 Chr 31: 1-8

The result of the feast was that the people were now on board with Hezekiah and turned from their wicked ways. They went home to their lands and destroyed the Asherah poles that were erected for idol worship.Even Hezekiah had to destroy the bronze snake that Moses made (Numbers 21:8-9), which had become a source of idol worship according to the commentary. He then assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions - each according their duties as priests to sing praises at the gate of the Lord's dwelling. He also contributed out of his wealth, the sacrifices that were needed on each of the Sabbaths, New Moons and the feasts that were prescribed in the Mosaic law. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to tithe once again and especially give to the Levites and priests so that they could perform and live their tasks without fear of lack of provision. The Israelites responded generously with their first fruits. This was done with regularity and thus prompted Hezekiah and his officials to praise God and bless his people.

Jerusalem was finally returning to the glory that was due. The Lord was finally put in the forefront of the king and his people. Truly this was a taste of what heaven would be like. At least for now, all was in sync.

Decent day yesterday, now moving towards the weekend. Looking forward to seeing Rutgers play on Saturday afternoon and hope that the weather holds up.

Praise for today: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Psalm 51: 15

2 Chr 30:11-27

The time was ripe for the change to take place. More people got on board but there was still some hesitation. Still the faithful gathered at Jerusalem to take part in the Passover feast or the "feast without yeast". However, there were still things that had to be corrected before this to could take place. There had to be a cleansing of the priests and the people to make this effective and correct. As a result, the Levites had to perform sacrifices in order to cleanse the people and make them acceptable for worship. Hezekiah was also a man of prayer and he prayed over his people to make sure that their hearts and bodies were just right for this event. With the festivities going on strong, Hezekiah not only prayed for them but he encouraged them. As a result, there was a harmony that resembled the days of David and Solomon and the people ended up celebrating another 7 days after the initial feast was over. More priests got on board and sanctified themselves to participate as Hezekiah provided the necessary items to sacrifice and continue the feast. Joy permeated the land and the Lord was pleased.

What a a joyous revival! This is what our land needs - to return to God and pray and praise! This was also a foretaste of what heaven could be as well. Starting to prepare my message in early November and this is a great passage of what it could look like 24/7 for all eternity. WOW!

Slightly stressful day at work but all good when it was over! The weekend is coming!!!

Praise for today: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52: 7

2 Chr 30 : 1-10

The city of Jerusalem seem like it was on the right track to return to the Lord but there were things that were missing in their total return to the Lord. King Hezekiah wanted to reintroduce the feast of the Passover which was the basis of being restored to their freedom from captivity and as a thriving nation. He sent messages/letters to all of Judah and Israel to whomever would listen to bring them back to the Lord. Despite the fact that the feast would be celebrated a month later than usual, he was bent upon re instituting this ritual. In his letter, he reminded the Israelites of their roots and who was the true blessing of the people. Coming back to the Lord would mean the end of their captivity and exile due to the Assyrians and the Lord's wrath and towards prosperity. Some scoffed and rejected the plea but several tribes took this to heart and returned to the Lord. The letter encouraged them to return to Jerusalem to worship at the temple which was constructed for the Lord.

Such an encouragement to see that there were people who were tired of disobedience and suffering would take this opportunity to be restored. The Gospel for them appealed to those whose ground was ready to take seed. There is no difference between then and now, there may not be a feast to come back to but there is the Lord and his goodness. More importantly, there is eternal life and no condemnation for those who believe and are restored. What a wonderful Savior!

Hectic day at work yesterday. Seems like the rule rather than the exception and it was my late day to boot. Still much accomplished.

Praise for today: Am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord? Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord? Jeremiah 23: 23-24

2 Chr 29:25-36

The stage is set for the temple to finally be restored and functional for the return to the Lord. The priests (in stages - according to their commitment) moved towards their assigned tasks. The musicians as was in the days of David were getting their act together. Hezekiah gave the order for the ceremony to start and the fire at the altar was to be lit. The people began to rally behind this and gave praises to  the Lord. The preparation of the animals were more than the priests assigned could handle and thus the other Levites that were trained in this assisted as well. More priests were coming on board to assist in these tasks as well. The bottom line was that they were all working together to restore the people and officials towards the Lord. Good thing!

Long weekend with us going out to Queens for the QHC Missional conference. After lunch, there was an Elders' meeting where we got together to meet for the direction of the church. I think we are going towards the right direction and pray that the Lord will give us confirmation. Dinner at a Japanese restaurant and a late return home. Long day at church and late return down to Delly made it a long weekend. Ready to start this week off at the gym shortly...

Praise for today: Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Proverbs 30: 8