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appointed to "praise the beauty of holiness", and the heartening sequel is described in the
words:
"And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the
children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they
were smitten . . . . . every one helped to destroy another" (II Chron. 20: 22, 23).
On the fourth day the people assembled in a valley, and there blessed the Lord, the
place from that day being called the Valley of Berachah, or Blessing (verse 26).
Here therefore is another telling context associated with the meaning and adjuncts of
worship. The worshippers confess that they have neither power nor wisdom, but they
believe the Lord and His prophets; they set themselves in battle array, armed, not with
weapons known to men, but with praise, emphasizing the beauty of holiness and ending
with the blessing the Lord. The eye that has looked to Christ as the "power" and
"wisdom" of God will see in this passage much to illuminate the great subject of
"worship".
Turning now to II Chron. 29:, we come to the reign of Hezekiah, and the
restoration of worship carried out under his command. His first recorded act was to
"open the doors of the house of the Lord" and repaired them. The priests and Levites
were assembled, and sanctified themselves and cleansed the temple and the court,
beginning on the first day of the first month. Suitable offerings were selected, and
reconciliation made with their blood, "for the king commanded that the burnt offering
and the sin offering should be made for all Israel" (verse 24).
"And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with
him bowed themselves and worshipped" (II Chron. 29: 29).
Consecration and cleansing being accomplished, the congregation brought their thank
offerings, "as many as were of a free heart", but because the number was so great, and the
number of the priests too few, the Levites "did help them, till the work was ended, and
until the other priests had sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in
heart to sanctify themselves than the priests" (verse 34). At the end of the chapter we
read, "And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared the people: for
the thing was done suddenly" (verse 36).
There is much to exercise our hearts in this record, especially the breadth of view that
is manifested. The ten tribes, known as "Israel", were separated from Judah, Hoshea
being king of Israel, in the ninth year of whose reign (which year coincided with the first
year of Hezekiah), Samaria was taken, and Israel carried away captive. Hezekiah did not
exclude the captive Israelites from a place in this great service, but insisted (as previously
mentioned) that the offerings should be made "for all Israel" (verse 24). This is
comparable with the repeated use of the expression "all saints" found in the N.T., and
reveals a further and fuller aspect of worship, irrespective of the presence or absence of
many who should have made up the congregation.