Chapter 29
Starts just like 18 did. 2Ch contains a LOT more detail about the early days of Hezekiah's reign, and the steps taken to overhaul the idol worship that was taking place, to purge, and then cleanse Judah and the southern parts of Israel, and rid them of all the false Gods. Much much detail on how this was done.
This chapter adds that Hezekiah had the Temple opened, repaired, and put back into use by the Levites in the first month of his reign. It takes 16 days to get everything cleaned up, restored, and ready for use in making sacrifices to God. I did not remember that Ahaz had closed up the Temple and kept the people from worshiping there at all, but that is the indication here.
Hezekiah comes to the Temple, and they begin sacrificing, to atone for the sins of Israel under Ahaz, Hezekiah's own father.
2024 - This verse:
21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. And he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. [2Ch 29:21 ESV]. Isn't it a little sad that each time the Temple has to be repaired and reopened and there is a national revival in Judah, the sacrifices offered for their sin is smaller and smaller. 7 of each here. After the sins of Ahaz, the terrible falling away, even to the point of closing the doors of the Temple entirely to "force" worship of false gods, this is all they muster up as a sin offering. Compare to this:
5 King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. [2Ch 7:5 ESV]. This was only 22 chapters ago. Barely 200 years have passed, and this is how far God's chosen people have fallen. (Note: This is the sin offering. As you read further, a burnt offering was also offered, and we have no details about that here in 2Chr. Might be in the 2 Kings parallel passage.
2026 - This passage: 25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king's seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the LORD through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. [2Ch 29:25-28 ESV]
Music as part of worship came from the LORD through his prophets. This means God approves of music and worship being linked, done at the same time. This is INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. There was also singing - as in "the singers sang" accompanied by the trumpeters. It just isn't a real question. I know from his "Confessions" that Augustine also wondered whether hymns were ok to sing in church and that ultimately, if they were from Psalms, he decided it was ok. I think this passage is even broader, much broader than that.
Once this is done, the rest of the people are encouraged to bring their sacrifices, if they are willing, and many many people do so. There are so many sacrifices that there are not enough priests to do the work. So the priests - sons of Aaron - get the Levites to help them, until such time as additional Aaronic priests can be consecrated. It is a worshipful day of re-dedication to God under Hezekiah. Temple worship and sacrifice are thus restored.
This verse:
36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly. [2Ch 29:36 ESV]
Possible FB post. The point here is that Jerusalem and Judah went from worshiping idols and false gods to a restored Temple and priesthood, and became a nation under God again almost overnight. God can restore, God's wrath can be averted, but in this case, that change in the nation came from the top down - from the King down to the people. Leadership matters. If leadership does not worship God, then the nation does not. And things can change overnight!