Notes on the texts for Reformation Sunday-2nd Chronicles
10/27/06 16:31
Here are some ideas
about the texts for Reformation Sunday. The texts are
2 Chronicles 29:12-19, Revelation 14:6-7, and Matthew
11:12-15.
All three texts speak to the Church as she makes her way in the midst of a very difficult and often violent struggle, as she walks toward to wedding feast of the lamb. The Bible pictures the entire history of the Church in midst of battle. The texts for today reflect this quite clearly. The Old Testament lesson, 2 Chronicles 29, is just one scene from the Old Testament, in which we find the Church in need of reformation. King Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, had become King in Judah, and began the process of opening up and repairing the temple. Ahaz had led the people away from Word of God, from the Temple, Sacrifices and promises which pointed them to the coming of Christ. Ahaz himself, trusting in the power of men, when threatened, ignored a beautiful reminder and promise/prophecy through the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 7, that God would take care of Judah, for Immanuel, the Christ, God in the flesh, must come. Ahaz trusted in the strength of men and so darkness reigned in Judah at that time (cf Isaiah 8:19ff), even as the Lord was proclaiming the coming light (cf Is 9:1ff), who would come through the person of Ahaz (cf Mt 1:9). (Ahaz was in the line of the Messiah who was to come, even though he was a wicked King).
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, sought to lead the people of Judah back to the promises which God made to them concerning the coming of the Christ. He determined to send men to repair and open up the temple so that the people could again hear and see the promises of the Christ. Hezekiah reestablished the sacrifices, passover, and made sure that the priests and Levites were being taken care of. The reformers liked to say that the church is always being reformed, and so we see in the midst of this historical point in time, evidence of just that. At the same time, the devil and all of his instruments, seek to turn Hezekiah's face away from this critical work. Assyria would come with a huge army, threatening to destroy Judah, weak and frail as she was. But the Lord was faithful, even as He is today.
All three texts speak to the Church as she makes her way in the midst of a very difficult and often violent struggle, as she walks toward to wedding feast of the lamb. The Bible pictures the entire history of the Church in midst of battle. The texts for today reflect this quite clearly. The Old Testament lesson, 2 Chronicles 29, is just one scene from the Old Testament, in which we find the Church in need of reformation. King Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, had become King in Judah, and began the process of opening up and repairing the temple. Ahaz had led the people away from Word of God, from the Temple, Sacrifices and promises which pointed them to the coming of Christ. Ahaz himself, trusting in the power of men, when threatened, ignored a beautiful reminder and promise/prophecy through the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah 7, that God would take care of Judah, for Immanuel, the Christ, God in the flesh, must come. Ahaz trusted in the strength of men and so darkness reigned in Judah at that time (cf Isaiah 8:19ff), even as the Lord was proclaiming the coming light (cf Is 9:1ff), who would come through the person of Ahaz (cf Mt 1:9). (Ahaz was in the line of the Messiah who was to come, even though he was a wicked King).
Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, sought to lead the people of Judah back to the promises which God made to them concerning the coming of the Christ. He determined to send men to repair and open up the temple so that the people could again hear and see the promises of the Christ. Hezekiah reestablished the sacrifices, passover, and made sure that the priests and Levites were being taken care of. The reformers liked to say that the church is always being reformed, and so we see in the midst of this historical point in time, evidence of just that. At the same time, the devil and all of his instruments, seek to turn Hezekiah's face away from this critical work. Assyria would come with a huge army, threatening to destroy Judah, weak and frail as she was. But the Lord was faithful, even as He is today.
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