Idols Are Destroyed
31 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the [a]Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, [b]until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.
2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.
Reforms Continued
3 He also appointed the king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, as it is written in the law of the Lord. 4 Also he [c]commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the [d]order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all. 6 The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of [e]sacred gifts which were consecrated to the Lord their God, and placed them in heaps. 7 In the third month they began to [f]make the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok said to [g]him, “Since the contributions began to be brought into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the Lord has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”
This is just a fun passage… the people were brining their tithes and offerings and there was so much leftover they put it all in heaps. Not the animals I’m sure, but the grain offerings just had to be piled up. The priests and Levites were eating well with “plenty left over”.
This was all an overflow from the blessings of God, and there was an overflow from the overflow. God doesn’t want bad things for His children, but He does desire to give us what is best for us. That varies from person to person, and He only gives what we are able to handle.
Yes, he will bring trials to strengthen and test us, to change us and make us more like his Son. Be thankful for it all, for in the trials, He increases your ability to handle more responsibility from Him. Ultimately, our treasure is not of this world though, so hold onto it lightly as the people of Israel did.
Do not crave material gain, and do not let it master you, but from your blessings, pour them out to others. Be generous as He is generous, and let Him work in and through you.