2 Chronicles 29:7-8
“Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.”
It is possible to be delivered like a “FedEx” package to trouble. God told Israel “I will deliver them to trouble.” This trouble was going to astonish or shock them: “hiss”
Three reasons are offered, let’s examine them.
1. They shut up the doors of the temple.
This means they were no longer serving God so the churches were locked or attended by few.
2. They put out the lamps.
The lamp is symbolic the scriptures. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and and a light unto my path” Psalm 119:105. This means they no longer obeyed or read the scriptures.
3. They stopped burning incense.
Incense can be symbolic of prayer. Psalm 141:2 states “let my prayer be set before thee as incense.” They stopped praying.
4. They stopped offering burnt offerings.
They were not holy. We are told in Romans 12 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice or burnt offering. This means holiness.
When you don’t go to church, read the word, pray or lead a holy life you will be inadvertently inviting trouble into your life.
