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SCRIPTURE: II Chronicles 29

Celebrate with me one more revival story. It is found in II Chronicles 29. It is the story of King Hezekiah leading the people of God into a heart felt revival. Their revival has some parallels we have seen in ours. It is easy to see that this story is a paradigm; a schematic; a blueprint; a model of personal and sudden revival.

First there was cleansing. A confession of failure. An admittance of not living up to the expectation that God had for our lives in recent days. For Hezekiah, and the people it had been 16 years of neglect. But suddenly Hezekiah led them in a sudden cleansing from the inner most center to the outermost circumference of the Temple. In the Old Testament God had a Temple for His people. In the New Testament He had a People for His Temple. That is were the cleansing must take place. The uncleaned things were recognized and removed from the Temple and cast away and carried away by the Brook Kidron. At the Passover time the Brook Kidron flowed "river-red" with sacrificial blood. Confession takes all the unclean things in the center of our lives and carries them away in the cleansing blood of Jesus. Remember the "blood shall never lose it's power!" I John 1:9 "If we keep on confessing our sins...He will keep on cleansing us".

Secondly, there comes a consecration. It says in vs. 20, early the next morning Hezekiah led the people in Consecration. Levitcus required that 1 bull;1lamb; 1 goat; 1 ram should be brought to sacrifice. Instead they brought 7 of each. 7 times what the Law required. They said "We will not do the minimum!". We will not be stingy in our surrender! Whatever it takes to know the touch of God on our lives and sustain it-we will do it! Whatever it takes, or much, much more! Paul said, in Rom.12:1 "I beseech you brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present you bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE!". Many serve the Lord because it a duty! Your loyalty to the Lord comes out of grim determination. A stoic committment to duty! It is as if we clench our teeth and say, "We've got to go through with it!" But the revived heart goes beyond duty. Jesus said, "He who is forgiven much , the same loves much!"

Thirdly, revival leads to Celebration! 29:27 points out that Hezekiah's revival led to a new joy. As they sacrificed to the Lord they burst into singing and shouting. They worshipped in song with instruments and singing. Surrender, cleansing and consecration, leads to Song! The Virgin Mary was asked by the angel to be the vessel to give birth to the Messiah. When she placed her fragile teenage body on the altar saying, "I will be with child, without a husband, to give birth to the Savior", she burst into the song of the Magnificat! Paul and Silas, beaten for their witness, consecrated themselves anew while in stocks, found themselves burst into songs at midnight! Their celebration was not only in song, but also expressed itself in sacrifice! vs.31 says they brought their "thank offerings" to the Lord. These were voluntary! They brought over 600 bulls; 3,000 sheeps/goats. The priests were totally overwhelmed. They had to get help to carry the "offering plates" out! What a spectacle! When real revival comes the work of God is not limited by lack!