II Chronicles 30: Restoring The Passover

Imagine what it would be like if Christians stopped celebrating Christmas and Easter.  The faith would continue, but something would definitely be missing.  There would be less joy and celebration to share among family and friends, and valuable aspects of our faith would go unpracticed.  As Hezekiah is renewing Judah's spiritual commitment to the Lord, he realizes that an important annual tradition has fallen by the wayside: Passover!

Hezekiah decides to restore the observance of the Passover, and he even resolves to expand it beyond Judah's national borders.  The Passover at the Temple in Jerusalem should be for all God's people!  "So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the passover to the Lord the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers as prescribed" (vs. 5).

This truly was unprecedented.  Judah and Israel were ruled by different kings and were often hostile toward one another.  But Hezekiah wants to unify the people in a grand celebration of God's saving acts in the Passover.  He sends heralds throughout both kingdoms to spread the word that everyone is invited to the party.  However, his message receives more of a hearing in Judah than in Israel: "So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Only a few from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.  The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the officials commanded by the word of the Lord" (vs 10-12).

Unbowed, Hezekiah prepares to host a Passover the likes of which hasn't been seen since Israel's golden age.  The priests sacrifice the lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month - late, because they had not sanctified themselves in time.  So they invoke the clause of Numbers 9:11 to be able to observe it a month later.  Many of the people who come to Jerusalem to participate in the Passover are themselves ritually unclean.  Hezekiah prayed for them that God would not hold their uncleanness against them (vs. 18-19).  God heard Hezekiah's prayer (vs. 20).

There was great gladness for seven days, and the priests praised the Lord with loud instruments each day (vs. 21).  I guess there ain't no party like a Jerusalem party, 'cause a Jerusalem party don't stop!  The celebration was extended for another week.  "Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the festival for another seven days; so they kept it for another seven days with gladness" (vs. 23).

All in all, it was an incredible Passover, the best one since the days of the united kingdom under Solomon.  "There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem" (vs. 26). Faithful religion is being restored in Judah!