◄ 2 Chronicles 30:12 ►
Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.
Study Bible
Also, the hand of God
The phrase "the hand of God" signifies divine intervention and guidance. In Hebrew, "yad" (hand) often symbolizes power and authority. This expression indicates that God's influence was actively working in the hearts and minds of the people of Judah. Historically, the "hand of God" is seen throughout the Old Testament as a force that directs, protects, and sometimes disciplines His people. Here, it underscores God's sovereign role in unifying Judah for a spiritual purpose.

was on Judah
Judah, the southern kingdom, was the remnant of the Israelite nation that remained after the division of the united monarchy. The phrase "was on Judah" suggests a special focus or favor from God towards this tribe. Judah's significance is rooted in its lineage, as it is the tribe from which King David and ultimately Jesus Christ descended. This divine attention highlights God's ongoing covenantal relationship with Judah, despite the nation's previous failings.

to give them one heart
The concept of "one heart" implies unity and collective purpose. In Hebrew, "lev echad" (one heart) suggests a harmonious alignment of will and intention among the people. This unity was essential for the spiritual reforms King Hezekiah was implementing. Biblically, a "new heart" is often associated with renewal and transformation, as seen in Ezekiel 36:26. Here, it reflects a divinely inspired consensus to return to faithful worship and obedience.

to do what the king and his officials had commanded
This phrase indicates the people's willingness to follow the leadership of King Hezekiah and his officials. Hezekiah was a reformer king, intent on restoring proper worship and adherence to God's laws. The people's compliance was not merely political but spiritual, as it was in response to divine prompting. Historically, this period marked a significant religious revival in Judah, emphasizing the importance of godly leadership in guiding a nation back to righteousness.

in accordance with the word of the LORD
The "word of the LORD" refers to the divine instructions and commandments given through the Scriptures and prophetic revelation. This phrase underscores the authority and foundation of God's word in guiding the actions of both the king and the people. It highlights the importance of aligning human actions with divine will, a central theme throughout the Bible. The reforms led by Hezekiah were not arbitrary but rooted in a return to covenantal faithfulness as prescribed by God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hezekiah
The king of Judah who initiated religious reforms and called for the celebration of the Passover.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Hezekiah reigned and sought to bring the people back to the worship of Yahweh.

3. The Hand of God
A metaphorical expression indicating God's influence and power in uniting the people.

4. The Princes
Leaders and officials in Judah who supported Hezekiah's reforms.

5. The Word of the LORD
The divine command or instruction that guided Hezekiah and the leaders in their actions.
Teaching Points
Unity as a Divine Gift
True unity among believers is a work of God. Just as God gave Judah one heart, He can bring unity in the church today.

Obedience to God's Word
The people of Judah were united to follow the commands given by the word of the LORD. Our unity should also be grounded in obedience to Scripture.

Leadership and Influence
Godly leadership, as demonstrated by Hezekiah and the princes, plays a crucial role in guiding people towards God's purposes.

The Role of Divine Intervention
Recognize that human efforts alone cannot achieve spiritual unity; it requires the hand of God moving among His people.

Celebrating God's Faithfulness
The context of this verse is the celebration of Passover, a reminder of God's deliverance. Regularly celebrate and remember God's faithfulness in your life.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of "one heart" in 2 Chronicles 30:12 challenge our understanding of unity in the church today?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our actions and decisions are aligned with "the word of the LORD" as seen in this passage?

3. Reflect on a time when you experienced unity in a group setting. How did you see God's hand at work in that situation?

4. How can we, as individuals, support and encourage godly leadership within our communities, similar to the support Hezekiah received?

5. What are some practical steps we can take to celebrate and remember God's faithfulness in our lives, akin to the Passover celebration in this context?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Ezra 1:1
Similar to how God stirred the heart of Cyrus to fulfill His purposes, God moved the hearts of the people in Judah.

Philippians 2:13
This verse speaks of God working in believers to will and to act according to His good purpose, paralleling how God gave Judah one heart.

Acts 4:32
The early church is described as being of one heart and mind, reflecting unity brought about by the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 133:1
Highlights the beauty and goodness of brethren dwelling together in unity, which is a result of God's work among His people.
Sermons
Preparations for a Grand National PassoverT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 30:1-12
People
Asher, Dan, David, Hezekiah, Isaac, Issachar, Levites, Manasseh, Solomon, Zebulun
Places
Assyria, Beersheba, Dan, Jerusalem, Kidron
Topics
Captains, Carry, Command, Commanded, Commandment, Heads, Heart, Judah, Matter, Mind, Officials, Ordered, Orders, Power, Princes, Unity
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 30:12

     1265   hand of God
     5783   agreement
     7032   unity, God's people

2 Chronicles 30:1-20

     7266   tribes of Israel

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

     8466   reformation

Library
A Loving Call to Reunion
'And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel. 2. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The New Temple and Its Worship
'And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo: and they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16. And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above.
That the Lord gave special token of his approbation of the exercise of Covenanting, it belongs to this place to show. His approval of the duty was seen when he unfolded the promises of the Everlasting Covenant to his people, while they endeavoured to perform it; and his approval thereof is continually seen in his fulfilment to them of these promises. The special manifestations of his regard, made to them while attending to the service before him, belonged to one or other, or both, of those exhibitions …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Covenanting a Duty.
The exercise of Covenanting with God is enjoined by Him as the Supreme Moral Governor of all. That his Covenant should be acceded to, by men in every age and condition, is ordained as a law, sanctioned by his high authority,--recorded in his law of perpetual moral obligation on men, as a statute decreed by him, and in virtue of his underived sovereignty, promulgated by his command. "He hath commanded his covenant for ever."[171] The exercise is inculcated according to the will of God, as King and …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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