2 Chronicles 35-36

READ: 2 Chronicles 35-36

REFLECT:

King Josiah soon realised the trouble Judah was in. They had abandoned the LORD again and the wrath of the LORD was imminent. However, because Josiah humbled himself, the day of the LORD would be delayed. In addition to finding the book of the covenant and embarking on another cleansing of the nation there was something else Josiah is famous for. Josiah was also famous for conducting an amazing Passover.

The Passover you may remember was an event where Israel remembers the LORD’s act of deliverance (Ex 12). Israel was in slavery in Egypt. The LORD told them to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood over the lintels of their doorframes and eat the cooked sacrifices in haste. That night they would be delivered. During the evening an angel passed through Egypt and killed every firstborn in the city. Human and animal. Every house that was not protected by the blood experienced death. Old and young. Many people died that night. The Egyptians knew it was from the LORD and they finally agreed to let them go. The practice of the passover is repeated every year to remember and celebrate the LORD’s deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

Josiah brought the priests back to the house of the LORD. They were described as holy to the LORD. Set apart from the people for some special service. The role of the priests was to teach the people the law of Moses. This would have been hard to do when they didn’t have the book of the law. But now they have found it they can teach it. In addition to all this of course they were to offer sacrifices and facilitate the worship of the LORD.

Josiah assured them they didn’t have to carry the ark anymore. They had to put it back. No one really knew what they were doing with the ark outside the temple. It could be they didn’t want to leave it in the temple. They had been invaded several times and the temple looted. Perhaps some removed it from the temple for protection so it wouldn’t be stolen by invaders.

Josiah referred to David’s and Solomon’s instructions for proper worship. David prepared for the temple. Solomon built it and starting using it. Under the LORD’s guidance, both had inputs on how worship should be conducted in the temple.

Now for the moment they had been waiting for. Josiah got them to slaughter the passover lamb and consecrate themselves for the event. However this was not a small passover. Many people were involved. People started giving. There were a large amount of contributions. Thousands gave towards the passover. These were offered as sacrifices to commemorate the Exodus. Consequently they gave lambs, young goats, and bulls for the event. The Passover was observed. They slaughtered the lambs, threw the blood is designated places and flayed the sacrifices (removed the skin). They then roasted and boiled their offerings.

In the passover the people were meant to eat the sacrifices. It was a feast. They distributed the burnt offerings and the cooked offerings to the people. There was so much and so many people they did all this into the night. People were singing and praising God. They were supporting one another in their work. No one had to leave. 

The passage ends with a larger summary statement of the event. Like all passovers following the first it was followed by the feast of unleavened bread. A seven day festival. Again more eating and celebration for the LORD’s goodness to them.

No Passover had been observed like this in the longest time. A sign of the sin and rebellion of Judah up to this point.

RELATE:

The greatest passover commemorates the death of Jesus. In the gospel Jesus redefined the passover around Himself and His upcoming death. I don’t think His disciples really understood the significance of what He was saying at the time. Every month the church remembers Jesus' sacrifice on the cross by celebrating this ceremony. In it we come together. We eat and drink remembering the Lord’s body and blood spilled for us. And we give thanks for all He has done.

REST:

Keep doing this in remembrance of what our Lord Jesus has done for us.

TAN TEE KHOON