“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”—Jesus, Luke 15:7

“Heaven rejoices over one sinner” is a core message from Jesus that reminds us that all people have been created by God and matter to God.  God’s immense joy and celebration in heaven when even a single lost person repents and returns to Him extends to all the inhabitants of heaven with loud, joyous, worshipful celebration!

Take a minute to imagine it! Do we realize just how important each one of us is to God? The One who created us “in His own image” and so loved us that He sent His Son, Jesus to demonstrate His love for us—with His own life?  Do we believe, really believe that Jesus come down from heaven to show us the Way to God, told humanity the Truth of God, and then sacrificed His life to provide eternal Life with God for all who would believe, repent and turn back to God?

Repentance on earth gets the attention of God and triggers a joyous celebration in heaven!Repentance from one or from many sets off a rapturous, celebratory “party” for every person who turns from sin. 

Jesus emphasizes the immense worth of each person, even those who have gone far astray, contrasting the search for the lost with the security of those who are already “found”.  Wouldn’t we leave the ninety-nine sheep to go and search for the one sheep lost from the fold,” teaches Jesus. All the parables found in Luke (lost sheep, lost coin, lost son) reveal God’s heart for the lost and His desire for their restoration. 

True, Humbled Repentance involves a change of heart and life, turning from past sins and seeking God’s purpose, a humbled act of surrender worthy of divine celebration.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

Hezekiah, the King who proclaimed repentance with a return to God, sought restoration from God for all who would come to Jerusalem.  In the past, three times each year, the Israelite men were required to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, Harvest (Pentecost), and Tabernacles (Final Harvest) according to God’s Law given to Moses.  But “not since Solomon” had the celebrations been done with real repentance with a desire to return to God, seeking restoration from God.

Hezekiah’s proclamation to return to Jerusalem for the purpose of returning to the Lord, their God led to revival and exuberant rejoicing with true worship to God.  God was pleased with their seeking of Him.  God heard their prayers from heaven and their rejoicing and celebration from heaven of Him.  After King Hezekiah’s prayer for all; God then healed His people!  Read on…this is so awesome!

2 Chronicles 30

Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. ² The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. ³ They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. ⁴ The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. ⁵ They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written.

⁶ At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:

“People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. ⁷ Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. ⁸ Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the Lord. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the Lord your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. ⁹ If you return to the Lord, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.”

¹⁰ The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but people scorned and ridiculed them. ¹¹ Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. ¹² Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.

¹³ A very large crowd of people assembled in Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. ¹⁴ They removed the altars in Jerusalem and cleared away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley.

¹⁵ They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of the Lord. ¹⁶ Then they took up their regular positions as prescribed in the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splashed against the altar the blood handed to them by the Levites. ¹⁷ Since many in the crowd had not consecrated themselves, the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all those who were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the Lord. ¹⁸ Although most of the many people who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone ¹⁹ who sets their heart on seeking God—the Lord, the God of their ancestors—even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” ²⁰ And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.

²¹ The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests praised the Lord every day with resounding instruments dedicated to the Lord.

²² Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites, who showed good understanding of the service of the Lord. For the seven days they ate their assigned portion and offered fellowship offerings and praised the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

²³ The whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully. ²⁴ Hezekiah king of Judah provided a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep and goats for the assembly, and the officials provided them with a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep and goats. A great number of priests consecrated themselves. ²⁵ The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, along with the priests and Levites and all who had assembled from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and also those who resided in Judah. ²⁶ There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷ The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13

The repeated word “return” reveals the desire of Hezekiah’s heart. If the people all turned in repentance to God, God would return to bless His people with restoration and healing.  The restoration of the Passover celebration was the ideal way to “return” to God with their whole hearts.  Here was an opportunity to make a new beginning and glorify the Lord by seeking His compassion, grace, and mercy.

Many common people in the large congregation were unclean, perhaps because they had left their homes quickly or because they had been defiled during the journey to Jerusalem according to the stipulations in God’s Law for “cleansing”. Hezekiah knew that God was concerned about the hearts of the worshipers, not the details of meeting ceremonial requirements, and he asked God to cleanse and accept them.  God did. 

“To obey is better than sacrifice” Samuel once said to King Saul. (1 Samuel 15:22)  “Man looks at the outer appearance; but God looks at the heart,” Samuel said he anointed the shepherd boy David  as the next King to succeed Saul—in front of his father and brothers!  (1 Samuel 16:7)

God answered Hezekiah’s prayer because God wants the heart’s devotion and not mere religious ritual. Today if God’s people would prepare their hearts for worship with as much care as they prepare their appearance; the Lord would send His blessings on His church, heal, and restore them.

Repent, return to God, and be restored in relationship with God! 

Lord,

May we come with a grateful heart, a humbled mind, with a soul ready to be filled with you. Help us to daily prepare our whole being for worship of You, the Most High and Holy God!  May we hear with understanding your purpose and plan for each one of us who seek you with all our hearts.  I think I can hear the joyful noise of heaven now!

In Jesus Name, Amen