Religious Enthusiasm
W. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 30:21-27 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness… This chapter reads as if written by an eyewitness of the scenes described, so vivid is the account, so much colour is in the picture. It was evidently a time of very great enthusiasm, of spiritual exuberance. These are very pleasant, and they may be very profitable occasions; but they need to be rightly directed and well controlled. Of religious enthusiasm, we may consider - I. ITS ONLY FIRM FOUNDATION. This is a true sense of the Divine favour. Unless God be with us, granting us his own approval, intending to further us with his blessing, all our congratulations are ill-timed and all our action will be fruitless. And it is needful that we know that we have his approval. It is too often assumed in its absence. Hezekiah and his people, with Isaiah among them, were resting in a well-grounded confidence. Without such prophetic guidance, we must inquire of ourselves whether our repentance and our faith are deep and real; whether we have in truth "yielded cur-selves unto the Lord" (ver. 8), whether we are "Christ's disciples indeed" (John 8:31). II. ITS NATURAL ATMOSPHERE. Sacred joy. They "kept the feast... with great gladness" (ver. 21); "There was great joy in Jerusalem" (ver. 26). There are many sources of happiness, reaching upwards from the most gross to the most spiritual and refined. There is none deeper or purer, none more elevated or enlarging, than the joy of the human spirit in the worship and service of the Supreme. To be holding hallowed fellowship with our Divine Father and Saviour, and to be so doing in unison with a multitude of our Christian brethren and sisters, or to be engaged with them in doing some earnest and faithful work, - this is a source of truest and worthiest human joy. III. ITS BEST MANIFESTATIONS. 1. In sacred song. The Levites "praised the Lord day by day" (ver. 21). A large measure of spiritual fervour finds utterance in song, happily to ourselves and acceptably to God. There is no phase of sacred feeling which may not find fitting expression thus. 2. In wise and kind encouragement. Hezekiah "spake comfortably unto all the Levites" (ver. 22). He no doubt congratulated them on their good spiritual estate and on their opportunity of service, and invited and urged them to exercise their sacred functions in all fidelity. A few words of timely encouragement from one that is in a higher position go a long way; such words constitute a stronger inducement to duty and devotion than many words of criticism or censure. 3. In religious instruction. "That taught the good knowledge of the Lord" (ver. 22). 4. In re-dedication. "A great number of priests sanctified themselves." Some of the priests, probably many, if not most of them, had shown slackness and had held back (2 Chronicles 29:34); they had some reason for being ashamed (see ver. 15). But in this hour of widespread enthusiasm they came forward and made themselves ready for their sacred functions. At such a time, much is gained if those who have become cool in the service of their Lord, whose faith is failing and whose zeal is dying down, re-consecrate themselves to him, take afresh upon them his vows, and solemnly and formally undertake to live and labour in his cause. 5. In expansiveness. Room was found for "the strangers that came out of the land of Israel" - room in the hearts and at the tables of the people. Nothing can be better than that our own great gladness of heart in God should overflow to those beyond our own pale. By all means let there be a generous expansiveness at such a time; let the stranger, let the "outsider," let the outcast, let the "abandoned," let those who have come to despair of themselves, be remembered, be sought out, be encouraged, be enlightened, be admitted and welcomed. We tread closely in the steps of our Leader when we act thus. 6. In liberality. In the generous use of our substance (see ver. 24). When we are receiving freely of God's good gift of sacred joy, we should give freely of the good he has entrusted to our care. - C. Parallel Verses KJV: And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD. WEB: The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, [singing] with loud instruments to Yahweh.