ITS BEEN A LONG TIME, NOT TO LATE

2 Chronicles 30:1-5 (KJV) 1 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. 4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation. 5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

2 Chronicles 30:26-27 (KJV) 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.

THERE WAS NEVER A GREATER KING THAT FOLLOWED DAVID THAN KIING HEZEKIAH.

THROUGH HIS REIGN CAME THE GREATEST PERIOD OF REVIVAL

IN FACT HEZEKIAH LED THE GREATEST REVIVAL TO GOD EVER RECORDED IN JUDAH’S HISTORY

HEZEKIAH RECEIVED THE THRONE FROM HIS WICKED FATHER AHAZ AT AGE OF 25

IMMEDIATLEY HE BEGANS TO CLEAN HOUSE

HE BEGAN BY REPAIRING THE HOUSE OF GOD

2 Chronicles 29:4-5 (KJV) 4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, 5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.

IN OUR TEXT HE HAS IT IN HIS HEART TO KEEP THE “FEAST OF PASSOVER”

FEAST OF PASSOVER—REMEMBER GOD BRINGING THEM OUT OF EGYPT.

ISRAEL HAS BEEN IN A BACKSLIDEN STATE FOR NEARLY 700 YEARS.

THEY WORSHIPPED HEATHEN GODS, SACRIFICED THERE CHILDREN IN THE FIRE.

IT HAD BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE A KING WANTED TO KEEP THE PASSOVER.

AT THIS TIME ISRAEL AND JUDAH WERE SEPERATED TRYING TO OUTDO ONE ANOTHER.

EPHRIAM AND MANASSAH HAD SETTLED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF JORDEN

V1 SAYS HE SENT LETTERS TO ALL OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH TO COME TO JERUSALEM AND KEEP PASSOVER.

HE SENT LETTERS ACROSS JORDAN TO EPHRIAM AND MANASSAH TO COME.

VS 6-9 IS A COPY OF THIS LETTER SAYING “RETURN TO THE LORD”

2 Chronicles 30:10 (KJV) 10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

CAN YOU HEAR THE MESSENGERS FROM THE KING “TURN AGAIN TO THE LORD, COME KEEP PASSOVER”

SAYING “REMEMBER HOW GOOD GOD HAS BEEN TO US”

I HEAR SOME SAYING “ITS BEEN ALONG TIME SINCE I’VE HEARD THE WORD PASSOVER”

MESSANGERS HOLLARING “I KNOW ITS BEEN A LONG TIME, BUT ITS NOT TO LATE”

NO DOUBT HEZEKIAHS ADVISORS SAID:

“WAIT ONE MORE YEAR”

“PRIESTS ARNT READY”

IF YOU WANT AN EXCUSS, YOU’LL FIND ONE

HEZEKIAH KNEW THAT DELAY’S ARE DANGEROUS

JOEL DESCRIBED LIFE AS A VALLEY OF DECISION

Joel 3:14 (KJV) 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

MOST MEN THINK “ANYTHING WORTH DOING, IS WORTH DOING TOMORROW”

JUST LIKE HEZEKIAH’S DAY WE NEED A SOUL STIRRING MOVE OF GOD.

IS IT TOO LATE FOR REVIVAL?

HOW LONG SINCE YOU REALLY HAD REVIVAL?

GOD SENDS REVIVAL TO JUDAH AND USES HEZEKIAH GREATLY

V26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

FROM SOLOMON TO HEZEKIAH WAS 700 YEARS

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HASN’T SEEN REVIVAL IN NEARLY 700 YRS

BUT THE KING SENT LETTERS SAYING “ITS NOT TOO LATE, COME ON TO JERUSALEM AND LETS RETURN TO GOD”

COME ON LETS YOU AND I RETURN TO GOD AND HAVE REVIVAL!

ITS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE ACTS 2, 5, 10

BEEN LONG TIME SINCE AZUZA STREET, A J TOMLISON SHEER SCHOOL HOUSE

HAVE SOMEONE READ: ACTS 2:17

Acts 2:17 (KJV) 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

I KNOW SOME FEEL LIKE THE CHURCH IS TO FAR GONE

ELIJHA HAD REVIVAL IN A VALLEY FULL OF DRY BONES.

TO US DRY BONES IS TOO LATE

LAZURUS HAD BEEN DEAD 4 DAYS AND THE CROWD SAYS “ITS TO LATE”

MARY AND MARTHA HAD 4 DAY AGO FAITH AND FUTURE FAITH.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

WE NEED SOME RIGHT NOW FAITH

STORY: PLACE IN SALISBURY THAT EMPOYS MENTALLY IMPAIRED TO WORK, AT A PLACE LIKE THAT A YOUNG MAN NAMED BILLY BROUGHT A BROKE TOASTER (TO FIX) AND A LOAF OF BREAD

HE KNEW WHEN WE FIX THIS I’LL HAVE SOME TOAST

YOU’RE HERE WITH YOUR BROKEN STUFF TODAY, I’M TRYING TO PUT A LOAF OF BREAD UNDER YOUR ARM

JESUS WENT TO LAZURUS TOMB AND CRIED “LAZURUS, COME FORTH”

I’M PRAYING THAT GOD WILL SET SOME OF YOU COLD, LUKEWARM, HALF HEARTED SOULS ON FIRE.

ITS NOT TOO LATE FOR THE PRODICAL

PRODICALS HAVE SPIRITUAL AMNESIA

STORY: 2009 MAN FOUND IN COLORADO WANDERING STREETS, DIDN’T KNOW HIS OWN NAME AND TO THIS DAY DOSNT KNOW HOW TO GET HOME

I’D LIKE TO ASK THE PRODICAL TODAY “DO YOU STILL KNOW HOW TO GET HOME?”

ILLUSTRATION: 6 YEAR OLD BOY ASKED HIS DAD TO COME TO CHURCH FOR LONG TIME (DAD BACKSLIDE)

THE MAN WAS VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO BOY.

NEXT DAY WHILE PLAYING BALL IN YARD HIS BALL WENT TO THE ROAD AND HE WAS HIT TRYING TO GET IT.

LAST WORDS THE BOY SAID WHILE HIS DAD HELD HIS BROKEN BODY “DAD WILL YOU GO TO CHURCH WITH ME?”

HIS TESTIMONY NOW IS “I’M BACK HOME, BUT IT COST ME MY SON”

WHAT WILL YOUR SIN COST YOU?

ITS NOT TO LATE, YOU CAN COME HOME

TEXT: WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE IN V10 THAT LAUGHED AT HEZEKIAH’S INVITATION

3 YEARS LATER THEY WERE CARRIED AWAY BY KING OF ASSYRIA

IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT

2 Chronicles 30:11 (KJV) 11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES AND CAME TO JERUSALEM.

IF YOU DON’T HUMBLE YOURSELF, GOD WILL HUMBLE YOU

PRIDE CAUSES A MANY OF PRODICALS TO DIE IN THE HOG PEN

STORY: (I BELIEVE MY DADS FAVORITE) YOUNG PREACHER CAME TO TOWN AND GOT A BURDEN FOR THE TOWN DRUNK

DRUNK SAID “MY DAD DIED A DRUNK, HIS DAD DIED A DRUNK, I’LL DIE A DRUNK”

OLD DRUNK GOT SICK AND WAS IN HOSPITAL, YOUNG PREACHER VISITED HIM AND ASKED HIM TO PRAY

DRUNK SAID “I’VE TRIED TO PRAY AND I CANT GET THROUGH”

YOUNG PREACHER VISITED HIM SEVERAL DAYS AS THE MAN GOT WORSE, HIS REPLY WAS THE SAME “I CANT GET THROUGH”

ONE DAY THE YOUNG PREACHER WENT TO VISIT AND THE ROOM WAS EMPTY AND HE ASKED THE NURSES STATION

THEY SAID “ARE YOU FAMILY?” HE SAID “NO, JUST A PREACHER THAT VISITIED HIIM”

NURSE BEGAN TO CRY AND SAID “PREACHER I WAS WITH HIM WHEN HE DIED AND HE KEPT MOTIONING ME DOWN TO HIS EAR AND I HEARD HIM SAY TELL….THE…PREACHER….LAST NIGHT….I GOT THROUGH!”