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INTRODUCTION <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n God is a God of music. <\/span> The Spirit-breath glorifies the Word of the Father, and is the music of the Triune life. <\/span> Made in the image of this God, we are musical instruments, created for praise. <\/span> Jesus speaks with a voice like the sound of many waters (Revelation <\/span> 1:16 <\/span> ), and when we gather for worship we mimic that sound (Revelation 19:6). <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n THE TEXT <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNow they began to sanctify on the first <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> day <\/span> <\/em> <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days . . . \u201d (2 Chronicles 29:17-46). <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n RENEWED <\/span> <\/span> TEMPLE <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The reign of Hezekiah\u2019s father Ahaz was one of the low points of <\/span> <\/span> Israel <\/span> <\/span> \u2019s history. <\/span> He plundered the temple to bribe the king of <\/span> <\/span> Assyria <\/span> <\/span> (2 Chronicles 28:20-21), sacrificed to the gods of <\/span> <\/span> Damascus <\/span> <\/span> (v. 23), and closed down the temple (v. 24). <\/span> In his first year, Hezekiah began to reverse everything his father did. <\/span> He exhorted the Levites to consecrate themselves and the house of Yahweh (29:3-11), and they removed all the impurities of Ahaz (vv. 15-16). <\/span> After the house was consecrated, Hezekiah gathered the Levites, priests, and princes of <\/span> <\/span> Jerusalem <\/span> <\/span> to rededicate the house (v. 20). <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n PURIFICATION, ASCENSION, FEAST <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The sequence of sacrifices in 2 Chronicles 29 is the same that we find in the law (Leviticus 8; Numbers 6:9-12): First a purification offering to purge the altar and <\/span> <\/span> Israel <\/span> <\/span> (vv. 21-24), then an ascension offering (vv. 25-28), and finally sacrifices and thank offerings (vv. 31-33). <\/span> This is the same sequence we use in worship: Cleansing by confession (purification), ascension to the presence of God, and a Eucharistic feast in the Lord\u2019s presence (sacrifice, peace offerings). <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n SACRIFICE OF PRAISE <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In contrast to tabernacle worship, temple sacrifice is accompanied by song. <\/span> Music has a large role in Chronicles. <\/span> David reorganizes the priesthood to include singers and musicians (1 Chronicles <\/span> <\/span> 15:16 <\/span> <\/span> -24; 16:4-43); at Solomon\u2019s temple dedication, the choir and orchestra played as the glory descended on the Most Holy Place (2 Chronicles 8:6-7); when Jehoshaphat is threatened by <\/span> <\/span> Moab <\/span> <\/span> and Ammon, he gathers the people to defend the city with singing (2 Chronicles <\/span> <\/span> 20:14 <\/span> <\/span> -30). <\/span> In Hezekiah\u2019s rededication ceremony, the Levites play and sing during the ascension offering (2 Chronicles 29:25-30). <\/span> Their offerings ascend with song; they <\/em> ascend in song. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n HEZEKIAH\u2019S WORSHIP AND OURS <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We can draw several conclusions from Hezekiah\u2019s example. <\/span> First, <\/span> <\/span> Israel <\/span> <\/span> \u2019s worship matures. <\/span> It does not start as glorious as it becomes. <\/span> This maturation comes through appointing specialized music leaders, introducing musical instruments (2 Chronicles 29:25). <\/span> Second, music especially accompanies the ascension of the people into the presence of the Lord. <\/span> This is why we have an \u201cascent of music\u201d after the absolution. <\/span> Finally, the music of the temple was loud and vigorous. <\/span> Echoing her Lord, <\/span> <\/span> Israel <\/span> <\/span> \u2019s voice was like the voice of many waters. <\/span> Our voice should be the same. <\/span> <\/span> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" INTRODUCTION God is a God of music. The Spirit-breath glorifies the Word of the Father, and is the music of the Triune life. Made in the image of this God, we are musical instruments, created for praise. Jesus speaks with a voice like the sound of many waters (Revelation 1:16 ), and when we gather […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-theology-liturgical"],"yoast_head":"\n