30:1The Passover celebration commemorated the time when God spared the lives of tsrael’s firstborn sons in Egypt. God had promised to send a plague to kill all the firstborn sons except in those homes where the blood of a slain lamb had been painted on the doorposts. The Israelites obeyed, and when the destroyer saw the blood, he “passed over” the house and did not harm anyone in it (Exodus 12:23). After this plague, Pharaoh freed the Israelites from slavery. This celebration was to be a yearly reminder of how God delivered his people. The careful preparations, both in the Temple and for the festival, show that this was not a temporary or impulsive revival, but a deep-seated change of heart and life.
Life Application Study Bible2 ChroniclesChapter 30
2 Chronicles 30
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 707, 708
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
302 Chronicles 30
Preparations for Passover
13 King Hezekiah now sent word to all Israel and Judah, and he wrote letters of invitation to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh. He asked everyone to come to the Temple of the LORD at Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel. 2The king, his officials, and all the community of Jerusalem decided to celebrate Passover a month later than usual.*?They were unable to celebrate it at the prescribed time because not enough priests could be purified by then, and the people had not yet assembled at Jerusalem. 4This plan for keeping the Passover seemed right to the king and all the people. 5So they sent a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba in the south to Dan in the north, inviting everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel. The people had not been celebrating it in great numbers as required in the Law. SAt the king’s command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said: 6O people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,* so that he will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings. 7Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see. 8Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the LORD. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the LORD your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. 9“For if you return to the LORD, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.”
Celebration of Passover
1010The runners went from town to town throughout Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as the territory of Zebulun. But most of the people just laughed at the runners and made fun of them. t!However, some people from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. 12At the same time, God’s hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials, who were following the word of the LORD. 13So a huge crowd assembled at Jerusalem in midspring* to celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 14They set to work and removed the pagan altars from Jerusalem. They took away all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 15On the fourteenth day of the second month, one month later than usual,* the people slaughtered the Passover lamb. This shamed the priests and Levites, so they purified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Temple of the Lor. 16Then they took their places at the Temple as prescribed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. The Levites brought the sacrificial blood to the priests, who then sprinkled it on the altar. 17Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had to slaughter their Passover lamb for them, to set them apart for the LORD. 18Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon those 19who decide to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.” 20And the LORD listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. 21So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the LORD, accompanied by loud instruments.* 22Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the LORD. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 23The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week. 24King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves. 25The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived inJudah. 26There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one
Textual footnotes
- calendar). 30:6 /srae/is the name that God gave to Jacob, 30:13 Hebrew in the second month. The second month
- of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar usually occurs within the months of April and May.
- 30:2 Hebrew in the second month. Passover was normally observed in the first month (of the ancient Hebrew lunar
- 30:15 Hebrew On the fourteenth day of the second month. Passover normally began on the fourteenth day of the first
- 30:21 Or sang to the Loap with ail their strength.
Life Application Notes 9 notes
30:2,3God's law had a provision that, under certain circumstances, the Passover could be celebrated one month later (Numbers 9:10, 11).
30:6-9Hezekiah was a king dedicated to God and to the spiritual progress of the nation. He sent letters throughout Judah and Israel urging everyone to return to God. He told them not to be stubborn but to submit to the LORD. To submit means to obey him first, yielding our bodies, minds, wills, and emotions to him. His Holy Spirit must guide and renew every part of us. Only then will we be able to temper our stubborn selfishness.
30:10The northern kingdom of Israel had recently been conquered by Assyria, and most of the people had been carried away to foreign lands. Hezekiah sent a proclamation to the few people who remained, inviting them to come to the Passover (30:1), but most responded with scorn and ridicule. People may mock you when you try to promote spiritual renewal and growth. Are you prepared to be ridiculed for your faith? When it comes your way, do not waver. Stand strong in your faith, as Hezekiah did, and God will honor you.
30:11These people invited to the Passover scorned Hezekiah’s messengers, but some accepted the invitation. Our efforts to tell others about God often meet with similar reactions. Many people will laugh at an invitation to accept Christ. But this must not stop us from reaching out. If you know and understand that rejecting the gospel is common, you can guard against feelings of personal rejection. Remember that the Holy Spirit convicts and convinces. Our task is to invite others to consider God’s actions, his claims, and his promises.
30:14Just as the priests had purified the Temple (29:4, 5), so the people cleared the city of pagan idols and then purified themselves to prepare for worship (30:17-19). Even the good kings of Judah found it difficult to get rid of the idols and altars in the pagan shrines (2 Kings 14:4; 2 Chronicles 20:33). Finally, Hezekiah, with the help of his people, completed this task.
30:15The people were so zealous to celebrate the Passover and bring offerings to the Temple that the priests and Levites were ashamed they did not share the same enthusiasm. The Zeal of common people’s taith motivated the ministers to take action. Devout laypeople today can motivate professional church staff to rekindle their enthusiasm for God’s work. Laypeople should never be shut out of church government or decision making. The church needs their good examples of faith.
30:22One important purpose of the peace offering was to express gratitude to God for health or for safety in times of crisis.
30:26It had been more than 200 years since there had been such a celebration in Jerusalem.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 708
🗺 This feature includes a map, chart or picture — view the original page image.