WHEN THE OFFERING BEGAN, THE SONG BEGAN

"And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel." KJV (2 Chron 29:27)

Hezekiah began to reign over Israel when he was twenty-five years old. He reigned twenty nine years in Jerusalem. It is said of him, "And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done" (29:1-2). In the very first month of his reign, he "opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them." He also brought in the priests and the Levites, gathering them together on the East side of the temple. He strictly charged them to "sanctify" themselves for the work of the Lord. As holy men, their first assignment was to "sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place." Hezekiah reminded them that their predecessors had sinned, did evil in the eyes of the Lord, forsaken Him, and turned their faces from the habitation of the Lord.  They had shut up the doors of the temple porch, put out the lamps and stopped burning incense and offering burnt offerings in the holy place (29:6-7). As a result, the Lord's wrath had been upon Judah and Jerusalem. The Almighty had delivered them into trouble, their fathers had fallen by the sword, and their children were in captivity because of these grievous sins (29:8). It was time for that all to be changed. Hezekiah declared it was in his "heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us." He charged the priests not to be "negligent," but to stand before the Lord and minister as they had been appointed. They responded by going into the Lord's house and removing all the "uncleanness" found there. They also repaired holy vessels which had been thrown away, sanctified them, and put them in their proper place. After appropriate sacrifices had been prepared, their blood was placed upon the altar, to make atonement for the sins of the people.  The Levites all took their station and the king put the Levites in the house of the Lord "with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet" (29:25). With the instrumentalists in place, Hezekiah commanded the offering to begin. At that point, our text records: "And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also."
It seems to me we are living in a time much like that of king Hezekiah. Much rubbish has accumulated in the house of the Lord, and a time for cleansing is required. As we give due honor to Christ, and His atoning sacrifice again becomes dominant, the song of praise will once again rise to the Lord, bringing pleasure to Him and encouragement to saints. May it again be said throughout our land, "And all the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued . . . " (29:28)