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. – 2 Chronicles 30:6b

Today's Scripture Reading (April 19, 2023): 2 Chronicles 30

I have always been intrigued by French Resistance during World War II, and I don't seem to be the only one. Even the popular Science Fiction Television Series "Star Trek" paid homage to these freedom fighters when they called their freedom fighters "The Maquis" after those who fought in rural France. The country might have been under the control of Nazi Germany, but these brave men and women fought, and many died, to restore a France that, at that point, only existed in the minds of the fighters and other like-minded people.

As a result of the presence of the resistance in fighters in France, the Allied forces, led by Britain and later the United States, went to great lengths to try to communicate with these fighters. Even though part of the struggle with the resistance is that they seemed to often opt for splash, doing something that would get a lot of publicity, over substance, hitting military targets that might not get much fanfare but would advance the aims of the Allied military forces in their fight against the Nazi war machine, the resistance movement in areas occupied by the Nazi's played a significant role in the outcome of the war.

For the northern Kingdom of Israel, the war is over. Most of the people of substance have been exiled by their Assyrian conquerors. But there was still a remnant left behind in the land once ruled over by the northern tribes of Israel. They were most likely the poor and those who had never possessed any kind of power to shape their lives. But this northern remnant were still the descendants of Jacob and the cousins to their southern neighbors. And so, Hezekiah makes what might be considered a surprising move. Judah's great reformer demonstrates that he is worthy of the throne of David by not just considering the spiritual need of the Kingdom of Judah but also extending an invitation to the remnant in the Northern Kingdom still living in the land. The invitation was to attend the religious festival and repent of their sins to the God of both Judah's and Israel's forefathers.

Even after all that had happened in the Kingdom of Israel, Yahweh was still their God, and he was still calling them to return to him. And because Hezekiah was a servant of God, he understood that his invitation to worship was not just for his people but also for all the people that God loved.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 31