2Ch 31:2 | KingComments | STEP | After the cleansing is completed, Hezekiah’s concern goes to the service of the priests and the Levites ( ). They must resume their usual services “by their divisions, each according to his service”. In the course of time great disorder will have come into it. Hezekiah appoints each to the task which suits him to accomplish it. The service of the priests and the Levites is “for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise”. This is a wonderful service. We are priests and servants. This we are not for ourselves, but for God and His church. As priests we bring God the burnt offering, that is, we speak with Him about the Lord Jesus in His full dedication and surrender to Him. That’s the basis of all the blessings we have received. We also bring peace offerings, which means that we seek fellowship with God, with the Lord Jesus and with all the members of God’s people who are clean. As Levites we are given by God as a gift to the priests ( ). Through the teaching of God’s Word we may know how to sacrifice as priests. We may also pass on that teaching and serve others by teaching them how best to perform their priestly service. That is, we share with others what we have discovered of the Lord Jesus in God’s Word. This will lead all to give thanks and praise the Lord. It is about the service for the LORD “in the gates of the camp of the LORD”. This indicates that the service takes place in a closed environment, closed to hostile elements and directed at the LORD, in the consciousness of His presence. They are His camps. King Hezekiah gives “of his goods” for the burnt offerings for all occasions “as it is written in the law of the LORD” ( ). God has prescribed daily, weekly, monthly, and annual burnt offerings. The Lord Jesus gives us out of His fullness what we need to worship God. No particular days or occasions have been set for our worship. God’s Word calls us to continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God ( ). We may worship the Father at any time. After Hezekiah himself has set a good example (cf. ), he can command that the inhabitants of Jerusalem also give their portion ( ). The portion that the people give is for the livelihood of the priests and the Levites. They can therefore fully “devote themselves to the law of the LORD” without the care for their livelihood (cf. ). To devote oneself to the law means to train themselves in it in order then to teach what they have learned from it also to the people. The Word of God must be studied and applied, first in one’s own life and then in that of others (cf. ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 31:2

Hezekiah Appoints the Tasks

After the cleansing is completed, Hezekiah’s concern goes to the service of the priests and the Levites (2Chr 31:2). They must resume their usual services “by their divisions, each according to his service”. In the course of time great disorder will have come into it. Hezekiah appoints each to the task which suits him to accomplish it.

The service of the priests and the Levites is “for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise”. This is a wonderful service. We are priests and servants. This we are not for ourselves, but for God and His church. As priests we bring God the burnt offering, that is, we speak with Him about the Lord Jesus in His full dedication and surrender to Him. That’s the basis of all the blessings we have received. We also bring peace offerings, which means that we seek fellowship with God, with the Lord Jesus and with all the members of God’s people who are clean.

As Levites we are given by God as a gift to the priests (Num 18:6). Through the teaching of God’s Word we may know how to sacrifice as priests. We may also pass on that teaching and serve others by teaching them how best to perform their priestly service. That is, we share with others what we have discovered of the Lord Jesus in God’s Word. This will lead all to give thanks and praise the Lord.

It is about the service for the LORD “in the gates of the camp of the LORD”. This indicates that the service takes place in a closed environment, closed to hostile elements and directed at the LORD, in the consciousness of His presence. They are His camps.

King Hezekiah gives “of his goods” for the burnt offerings for all occasions “as it is written in the law of the LORD” (2Chr 31:3). God has prescribed daily, weekly, monthly, and annual burnt offerings. The Lord Jesus gives us out of His fullness what we need to worship God. No particular days or occasions have been set for our worship. God’s Word calls us to continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God (Heb 13:15). We may worship the Father at any time.

After Hezekiah himself has set a good example (cf. 2Thes 3:7 ; 9), he can command that the inhabitants of Jerusalem also give their portion (2Chr 31:4). The portion that the people give is for the livelihood of the priests and the Levites. They can therefore fully “devote themselves to the law of the LORD” without the care for their livelihood (cf. 2Tim 2:4). To devote oneself to the law means to train themselves in it in order then to teach what they have learned from it also to the people. The Word of God must be studied and applied, first in one’s own life and then in that of others (cf. Ezra 7:10).