Throughout the Bible we come across repeated teachings of the tabernacle and temple, all of which teach us something about ourselves personally and the church corporately. God dwells in His temple, which is no longer made of stone or other earthly materials but us, members of the body of Christ. What happens when we mis-treat our temple? Or allow ungodly influences to take root inside what is supposed to be holy and dedicated to God and God alone? How do we keep the temple pure?
Q: Who was the father of Hezekiah, and what kind of a king was he (the father)?
A: [See 28:1-4.] His father was Ahaz and “he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel…” He was not only a bad king but he sacrificed some of his children (sons). Through God’s providence, Hezekiah was not one of those sons.
Q: What kind of a king was Hezekiah?
A: Good king. “And he did right in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Kings 18:5 notes that Hezekiah’s trust in the Lord had not been equaled by any king who preceded him nor by any who followed (cf. 2 Chronicles 31:21).
Q: In view of the current psychological teaching “We go bad because our parents didn’t treat us well (didn’t affirm us/we’re victims/we hated our father/mother),” how do you explain Hezekiah’s difference from his father?
A: It may very well have been the influence of his mother. His mother was “Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.” Because Zechariah is not identified here as “the son of…” we can assume that Abijah was the daughter or granddaughter of the Zechariah in chapter 24 who was murdered by Joash, Zechariah himself being the grandson of the high priest Jehoiada. In other words, Hezekiah may have had priestly influences/good teaching from sources other than his father.
But...it also shows that every person ultimately makes their own choices.
Q: Who were the prophets who influenced Hezekiah?
A: Isaiah, Micah and Hosea.
Q: Of all the things Hezekiah did regarding running the country and strengthening the country militarily, what is the one thing the writer of Chronicles focuses on?
A: Verse 3, “…he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them.”
Q: Why did Hezekiah have to “open the doors”?
A: Obviously the Temple had been shut down. [See 28:24.] The purpose was to keep the Levites and priests out so as not to influence the people away from the false religions back to the One True God.
Q: Who were the first “helpers” to be called by Hezekiah?
A: The priests and the Levites, those originally set apart for service to God.
Q: The cleansing of the Temple took place in phases. What were they?
A: First, the Levites had to consecrate themselves (v. 5, 15). Then they cleansed the Temple (first, the outer porch, then the “inner part of the house.”) This took a total of 16 days (v. 17).
Q: What did they need to do to “clean” the inside of the Temple?
A: In verse 16, they removed everything that was not supposed to be there. In verse 19, they put everything back in it that was supposed to be there.
Q: What is the significance of the fact that both the priesthood and the temple itself had to first be “consecrated”?
A: In order to come into the presence of God, everything must undergo purification to be clean—not just literally but spiritually, free of sin. It’s an indication that the very first work is our relationship with God, making things right personally with Him before conveying His work to others. Spiritual renewal begins at the personal level first.
Application: Why is pride not acceptable in God’s temple? How would you address it either in an individual or the congregation as a whole? What does it mean “the temple of God is holy” as applied to the fact that WE are His temple?
Application: Why is immorality not acceptable in God’s temple? In this context, why does Paul point out “you are not your own...you have been bought with a price”? How does rejecting immorality fulfill the command, “therefore glorify God in your body”?
Application: Although this is an extension of the need to remain free from immorality, why is it also a teaching concerning our spiritual faithfulness? How does this fit it with the two previous admonitions to keep God’s temple holy and to glorify God?
Q: What are the basic points as they relate to being built into His temple?
Application: Now apply to this the 3 previous points of why we need to be rid of pride, rid of immorality, and established in faithfulness. In other words, why is it important to cleanse His temple and keep it clean?
Q: What is a general principle that we can connect between the cleansing of the Temple by Hezekiah and the Levites, and ourselves?
A: If we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we need to keep the temple clean. For some, it may be starting from a very dirty perspective (having been influenced by Ahaz, a type of Satan), and for others it may merely mean “dusting” and setting things in order. Compare this to the 4 Scriptures cited above and what WE ought to do.
Q: To where did the Levites carry the “dirty” things out of the Temple?
A: To the Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley is the place that the blood of the sacrifices flowed into. (See also 29:16 and 30:14). Jesus was betrayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, which is on the west slope of the Mount of Olives as you ascend up from the Kidron Valley (John 18:1).
Q: Who cleansed the Temple, and for whom?
A: The priests cleansed the Temple for the king.
Q: Who cleanses our temple, and for whom?
A: Christ, our High Priest, cleanses our temple for Himself, our King.