V.34 It took time for priests to be cleansed, according to the sanctuary, but it is evident that the Levites responded more quickly to this call than the priests.  We shall see in tomorrow's reading that not all people could be sanctified in time for the feast, and yet Yahweh allowed them to eat it (30:17-21).  This is a testimony to Yahweh's magnanimity in reading and responding to the contrite heart over ordinance (Psa 51:17).

The dominant power at this time was Assyria.  Ahaz, Hezekiah's father, had allowed Judah to become subservient to Assyria.  As a consequence of the assyrianization of Judah, Ahaz had brought paganism and idolatry to the nation.  Thus, Hezekiah's religious reforms were remarkable given the damage that his father had done. 

In implementing these changes, Hezekiah necessarily pulled away from the influence of the Assyrians.  This, of course, was sure to upset the powerful Assyrians who would subsequently make their displeasure known to Hezekiah.

29:5  In calling the priests to ‘sanctify’ themselves we have to conclude that during the reign of his father they had not kept themselves ceremonially clean. However there is place for repentance. Hezekiah moves on, taking the priests with him, spiritually reformed and ready to serve God again. No recrimination – just a call to dedication. How do we view those of our brethren who fall away? Do we see them as beyond hope or do we try to encourage them to re dedication and service to our Father?

29:3  Ahaz ad shut the doors of the house of God – 2Chron 28:24 – and so one of Hezekiah’s first acts is to open them. That is to make the temple accessible again. A pre requisite for all the other reforms he was to make in his reign.

29:4 When he begins his reforms he ‘brings in the priests’. This might seem the natural thing to do but it is nt. The natural thing would be to sort out the army. The spiritual thing to do is to get the worship right.

29:2 Hezekiah was a good king doing what his father David did. However his father was Ahaz. The record is making the point that Hezekiah took David as his role model rather than imitating his own natural father.

29:9-11 Hezekiah clearly recognised the problems that had come upon Judah were not accidents or chance happenings. He realised that they were ‘of God’ because of the sins of the people.

2Chron 29:1 - "Abijah" [(29) means "Jah is (my) Father"], "Zechariah" [(2148) means "Jah remembers"], "Hezekiah" [(3169) means "strengthened of Jah, Jah has made strong"] and when combined the meanings could apply to Christ, or Hezekiah who can be viewed as a type of Christ.

2Chron 29:3 - when Christ returns to reign on earth people will be allowed to enter through the "door" (John 10:7,9) of the kingdom. 2Chron 29:15-16 - brethren are gathered, sanctified and allowed in the temple, uncleanness is cast out (Luke 13:28).

2Chron 29:10 - "covenant" [Heb. "beriyth" (1285) means "cutting, a compact (made by passing between pieces of flesh), covenant, alliance, pledge"]; Christ too made a covenant which can protect us from the consequences of our misdeeds.

2Chron 29:21 - "seven" [Heb. "sheba" (7651) means "a week, seven" and is from the Heb. "shaba" (7650) means "seven, to take an oath, to swear"] is thought by some to indicate "completeness, God's covenant number, the millenial day of rest".

2Chron 29:17 - "eight" is thought by some to indicate immortality, the two "eights" perhaps remind us of immortality offered for both Jews and Gentiles of faith.

V.1  It should be noted that Darius was a title rather than a proper name.  Examples of other such titles in the Bible are: Abimelech; Pharaoh; Ben Hadad; Ahasuerus; Herod. 

V.2 Notice that, although Yahweh had direct communication with Daniel (via Gabriel), Daniel still consulted the scriptures. This strongly answers those who think they can bypass reading the scriptures for some other religious experience. 

Vs.24-27 Apart from announcing pertinent time information about Christ's crucifixion, the seventy weeks' prophecy was meant to warn those living in Jerusalem in the time of Christ concerning the destruction of the city. 

Jesus reminds His listeners to take cognizance of Daniel's prophecy and prepare themselves (Mark 13:14).  Those who did escaped the horrors of the fall of Jerusalem.  Likewise, we should heed the words of prophecy concerning the coming destruction on earth and prepare ourselves.  We do that by reading the Word of God, praying without ceasing, and living our lives according to the commands of Christ whatever the conditions are which surround us (Rom 12:12).

Prophesy of the Anointed One:

V.24-27 - The period is divided into 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 3 1/2 days. This comes out to 483 years or 486 1/2 years if Eze 4:6 (a day for a year) is taken into account. Daniel 9:25 notes the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Ezra 7:7,8,11,12,13,21 - Fixes the return to rebuild Jerusalem in the 7th year of Artaxerxes reign placing the date circa 457BC thus  the Anointed One would have been baptized around 26AD and sacrificed 29AD. Neh 2:1,5,6,7,8,11,14,17,19 - Refers to the granted wish to rebuild Jerusalem and perhaps has some symbolism echoing the Anointed One and his sacrifice such as the mention of timber, 3 days, riding on a mount to Jerusalem, with a few men, fountain, pool, taking away disgrace (sin?). Neh 3:1,3 - Additionally refers to sheep, fish. Luke 3:15 - Notes the people were expecting Christ at this time (perhaps as a result of this prophesy).

9:4  Whilst ‘Lord … commandments’ quotes Deut 7:7  these very words are used in Neh 1:5 by that faithful man to identify the reason why he was in Babylon.

9:13 Daniel is lamenting that the people had not turned to Jerusalem and prayed as Solomon had said. The inference being that, as Solomon had prayed, God would hear the prayer and act to save the people. 1Kin 8:48

9:25 The ‘beginning of the commandment’ would have been taken by Daniel to be the decree that Darius made Ezra 6:1 So those who heard Daniel speaking would have been expecting Daniel’s words to be fulfilled in their life time.

9:1 We should remember that this part of Daniel was spoken only about 12 months before the prophet Haggai started to speak, by which time Israel had returned to the land of Israel.

Dan 9:27;Matt 24:15;Mark 13:14.

Whence came the Godly influence on Hezekiah. As other brethren have commented , certainly not from his father Ahaz.Both  2 Kings 18 v 2 and 2 Chronicles 29 v 1 record his mother's name as Abi or Abijah " Yahweh is my father " presumably  the daughter of the Zechariah in 2 Chronicles 26 v 5 , one who is said to have " understanding in the visions of God" I suggest that the influence of his mother and maternal grandfather were the primary influences for good in the life of Hezekiah. He may also have had contact with the prophet Isaiah.

This chapter is written in the context of the dedication of the temple (1Kin 8-9), and it's destruction (2Chron 36). In 1Kin 9:1-9 God appeared to Solomon and warned him of the captivity, the wording of which Daniel uses in his prayer (e.g. compare 1Kin 9:7-8 with Dan 9:16).

9:1 So with the introduction of Darius we pass from the time of the supremacy of the Chaldeans to the time of the Medes and Persians.

V.18 reminds us of the necessity of baptism as a first step to salvation.  Paul had encountered the living Christ and had been given a special commission, and yet he still needed to be baptized.  This refutes the claims of some that baptism is either not necessary or that it is an option.

Dorcas was the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Tabitha meaning gazelle.

V.27 This verse tells us a lot about Barnabus. The first thing that we note is that he is the one who took the time to listen to Paul, this may not sound like much , but , how often do we take the time to listen to other's problems and difficulties. He also took the time to take Saul to the Jerusalem ecclesia after they had refused to believe what Saul had told them of his experiences on the road to Damascus. When we consider who the members of the Jerusalem ecclesia were it helps us to relate the respect that they had for Barnabus, this would include both Peter and James among others. He would have pointed out to the disciples Saul's immediate obedience and how praiseworthy it was. He was a "big brother"  to Paul during the early years of his ministry.

9:40 In sending the people out of the room in which Dorcas’ corpse lay Peter is behaving in the same way that Jesus did (Matt 9:25) when he raised Jairus’ daughter.

9:9 Saul, being blind and not eating for three days, experienced his own death and resurrection – Falling to the earth – Acts 9:4 and receiving his sight – Acts 9:18

9:6 That Saul immediately recognised who was speaking with him, no sign of doubts, indicates that Saul really already was aware of the certainty of the resurrection but did not want to recognise that fact. It is quite probable that many of the religious leaders already knew that Jesus had been raised from the dead but did not want their status undermined. Herein is a challenge for us. We know that Jesus is alive, but does that knowledge cause us to change our lives?

9:4 Notice how Jesus identifies with his servants. Saul had been persecuting the believers but Jesus sees it as persecution of him directly. This is just how Jesus spoke – Matt 25:40 –to his disciples.

When Stephen prayed "Lord lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60) and "Saul was consenting unto his death" (Acts 8:1), I wonder if he knew how remarkably his prayer would be answered.  The man that pursued Stephen to death for believing in and preaching Jesus Christ was soon to embrace the same faith. But Saul had to repent before Stephen's prayer could be answered. No doubt there were many present at Stephen's death who were not forgtiven of their sin because they did not repent.

9:8 That ‘he saw no man’ is explained by Paul himself in Acts 13:11 where he says he was struck blind.