In 2 Chronicles 29-32, we see the reign of King Hezekiah. Check it out.

One of the things Hezekiah did was to invite people from all over Judah and Israel to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, something they had not been doing. After seven days of celebration, “the whole assembly then agreed to celebrate the festival seven more days; so for another seven days they celebrated joyfully.”

The party was so good they just kept going for another week. How awesome is that?

So what happened after this great mountain top experience? Did they fall into sin again? Did they go back home and forget the Lord? Not this time.

There were at least two positive outcomes of the celebration:

1. When they went back home, “the Israelites…smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. They destroyed the high places and the altars…”

In other words, they got serious about worshiping the one true God. They got rid of their idols and lesser gods.

2. Hezekiah ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give to the priests and Levites and “as soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.”

The giving went on for four months. There was so much given that they piled everything in heaps. Hezekiah asked the priests about the heaps.

The chief priest said, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed His people, and this great amount is left over.”

So here’s what I wonder…does celebrating God lead to true worship and generous giving? And does a lack of celebration keep us in bondage to idols and inhibit our giving?