2 Chronicles 30 - Study the King James Bible

And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

A NOTABLE PASSOVER FEAST
‘Then had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.’
2 Chronicles 30:5
Hezekiah was a good king. This was all the more remarkable, because his father was one of the worst kings who had ever sat on the throne of David. This shows that a son is not foredoomed to a bad life by his father’s evil ways. It is possible for a lily to grow up pure and sweet, and to keep its purity and sweetness, in a black bog. After all, every one builds his own character. We cannot charge our evil ways to any other one’s sins. Each one’s choice determines the spirit of one’s life. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.
I. Hezekiah’s name shines very brightly in the list of the kings of Judah.—He was faithful to God in times when it was hard to be faithful, when nearly all public men were corrupt. We learn from him that it is possible to live worthily when others are living most unworthily. We need not be like those about us. We cannot blame our wickedness on the times; it is in ourselves that the fault lies if we fail. Indeed, when others are wrong we should try specially to be right.
II. We should use all our influence to bring people to God.—That is what Hezekiah did. There was a great revival of religion. All this was brought about by one man who wrought earnestly for God. We may say that he was a king and that we have no such power as he had. But we all have influence in a certain sphere, and we should use it always to make people better.
III. We may get a lesson from the king’s postmen.—They went over the country everywhere, carrying the letters from the king, telling the people of the great feast soon to be given, and inviting them all to come to it. We may be our King’s postmen, for there is another great feast to which He wants everybody invited. The letter He wants us to carry out is the good news of the Gospel which is for every one. We should be glad to be the King’s letter carriers.
IV. Too many people now treat the King’s letters as the people of Israel treated Hezekiah’s letters.—They only sneered—laughed the postmen to scorn, and paid no heed to the message. It seems strange that any one will so treat the Gospel invitation. The King’s letter carriers bring the message to tens of thousands of young people. What will the answer be?
V. Those who turn to the Lord will find Him ready always to hear their prayers and bless them.
Illustrations
(1) ‘Hezekiah was one of the three most perfect kings of Judah, and one of the best and wisest men who ever sat on any throne. He was a statesman with large and noble aims; he was a military leader of remarkable skill; like David, only in a lesser degree, he had the gift of song as well as of leadership; and, like all men who are truly great, he impressed himself on the imagination of the people. But deeper than all that, he was a profoundly religious man. The controlling influence in his life was God. It was his strong desire to hold fast to Jehovah that was determinative of his high career. When Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God,” I do not imagine that He thought of Hezekiah. But if ever there was a life rich in a hundred interests, all dominated by the supreme interest of religion, it was the life of this great king of Judah.’
(2) ‘If we are always in our place at the services of the church, taking an earnest and devout part in the worship, we are doing a great deal, for others will follow our example. We may do much also to induce our neighbours and friends to attend these services. In many places the church-going habit is falling into decay. Especially in cities and large towns there are thousands of persons who never enter a church door. Those who love Christ should first of all be faithful themselves in church attendance and then should seek to bring others.’

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

10.

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

11.

Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

12.

Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.

13.

And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

14.

And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron.

15.

Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.

16.

And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites.

17.

For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the LORD.

18.

For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one

19.

That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

20.

And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

21.

And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.

22.

And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

23.

And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

24.

For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.

25.

And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.

26.

So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.

27.

Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, even unto heaven.