The definition of the word rededicate, according to merriamwebster.com, is: to commit (oneself, one’s life, etc.) anew to a cause, enterprise, or activity.
This act reveals that we have drifted away from whatever we are now committed anew.
An example of this is rededicating ourselves to living a healthy lifestyle with how we eat and the amount of activity we get.
But today’s study is not about physical fitness.
It is about spiritual fitness.
Join me in studying a passage from 2 Chronicles 29 as well as some verses from the book of Hebrews to get a fully rounded concept of how we can rededicate ourselves to worshiping God.
How Do We Rededicate Ourselves to Worshiping God?
A Study of 2 Chronicles 29:20-36 | The Passage Study
20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early and gathered the officials of the city and went up to the house of the Lord. 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.[1]
What had happened prior to this section? (Review 2 Chronicles 29:18-19)
Why did Hezekiah start the rededication of the cleansed temple with a sin offering? (See 2 Chronicles 29:3-10)
Who was this sin offering for?
22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and threw it against the altar. And they slaughtered the rams, and their blood was thrown against the altar. And they slaughtered the lambs, and their blood was thrown against the altar. 23 Then the goats for the sin offering were brought to the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them, 24 and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel. [2]
Leviticus 1:1-17 details the Lord’s instructions on how to conduct a burnt offering to the Lord.
Leviticus 4:1-5:13 details the Lord’s instructions on how to conduct a sin offering.
How well did King Hezekiah and those assembled follow the Leviticus instructions?
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.[3]
Review 2 Chronicles 8:12-15 for King Solomon’s example of this.
What motivated Hezekiah to order this rededication of the house of the Lord according to how their predecessors David, Gad and Nathan had previously instructed? (Also see 2 Chronicles 29:10)
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.[4]
Review 1 Chronicles 23:5. How many musicians did King David assign to lead worship?
These musicians cast lots to determine their time to lead worship.
Stop and take a moment to imagine the scene with singing, trumpets, cymbals, harps, lyres, and the smell of continuous burnt offerings.
Remember, this is taking place immediately after the priests and the Levites had cleansed the temple from years of misuse and neglect.
28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30 And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped. [5]
Describe the mood of this rededication of worshiping God.
31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now consecrated yourselves to the Lord. Come near; bring sacrifices and thank offerings to the house of the Lord.” And the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 The number of the burnt offerings that the assembly brought was 70 bulls, 100 rams, and 200 lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the Lord. 33 And the consecrated offerings were 600 bulls and 3,000 sheep.[6]
Who brought additional sacrifices, thanks, and burnt offerings? Why?
34 But the priests were too few and could not flay all the burnt offerings, so until other priests had consecrated themselves, their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was finished—for the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in consecrating themselves. 35 Besides the great number of burnt offerings, there was the fat of the peace offerings, and there were the drink offerings for the burnt offerings.[7]
What challenge did this worship service face? Why?
How does this challenge confirm the need for this service of rededication ordered by King Hezekiah?
Thus the service of the house of the Lord was restored. 36 And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because God had provided for the people, for the thing came about suddenly. [8]
Why did Hezekiah and all the people rejoice?
Use 2 Chronicles 28:1; 29:1-5, and 17-19 to explain “for the thing came about suddenly.”
How Do We Rededicate Ourselves to Worshiping God?
A Study of 2 Chronicles 29:20-36 | Application Questions
King Hezekiah came into a position of authority after his own father, King Ahaz, had led the nation of Judah far away from worshiping God.
The heart of King Hezekiah was set on fixing this error as his first action as king.
How did King Hezekiah know what to do? (See Deuteronomy 17:14-20)
King Hezekiah clearly took the instructions of Deuteronomy 17:14-20 seriously, unlike his father, King Ahaz.
Based on Deuteronomy 17:14-20, how do we rededicate ourselves to worshiping God?
How Do We Rededicate Ourselves to Worshiping God?
A Study of 2 Chronicles 29:20-36 | The New Testament Connection from Hebrews
19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. [9]
Using the above verses from the book of Hebrews, explain the reason for the Old Testament animal sacrifices.
23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.[10]
Based on this, how do we rededicate ourselves to worshiping God today?
Are you ready to worship the Lord? Why or why not?
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the example of King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 29 who rededicated himself and all he governed back to worshiping you with sacrifices and praises. Even more, we thank you that with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross of calvary that we no longer need to offer the sacrifice of animals, but instead it truly is the sacrifice of a humble heart of gratitude and praise for your amazing act of grace. Keep our hearts steadfast in worshiping you. Amen.
Warmly,
Barbara Lynn
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:20–21.
[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:22–24.
[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:25.
[4] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:26–27.
[5] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:28–30.
[6] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:31–33.
[7] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:34–35.
[8] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), 2 Ch 29:35–36.
[9] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 9:19–22.
[10] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Heb 9:23–26.