◄ 2 Chronicles 30:2 ►
For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,
Study Bible
For the king
The term "king" here refers to King Hezekiah, a ruler of Judah known for his faithfulness to God and his efforts to restore proper worship. The Hebrew word for king, "melek," signifies not just a political leader but one who is ideally a shepherd to his people, guiding them in righteousness. Hezekiah's leadership is pivotal in this narrative, as he seeks to bring the nation back to God, demonstrating the importance of godly leadership in guiding a nation.

and his officials
The "officials" or "princes" in Hebrew, "sarim," were the leaders and nobles who assisted the king in governance. Their inclusion in this decision highlights the collective responsibility of leadership in spiritual matters. It underscores the biblical principle that leaders should work together in unity to achieve God's purposes, reflecting the importance of collaboration in leadership.

and the whole assembly
The "whole assembly" refers to the congregation of Israel, the people of God gathered in Jerusalem. The Hebrew word "qahal" denotes a community called together for a specific purpose. This assembly's involvement signifies the communal aspect of worship and obedience to God, emphasizing that spiritual renewal is a collective endeavor, not just an individual one.

in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the city of David, holds profound significance as the spiritual and political center of Israel. It is the chosen location for God's temple, symbolizing His presence among His people. The decision to gather in Jerusalem for the Passover underscores the city's role as the heart of Jewish worship and the focal point of God's covenant with Israel.

had decided
The phrase "had decided" indicates a deliberate and thoughtful choice. The Hebrew root "ya'ats" implies counsel and determination. This decision reflects a conscious return to God's commandments, illustrating the importance of intentionality in spiritual practices and the need for deliberate action in aligning with God's will.

to keep the Passover
The Passover, or "Pesach" in Hebrew, is a foundational feast commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt. It is a time of remembrance and celebration of God's salvation and faithfulness. By choosing to keep the Passover, Hezekiah and the assembly are reaffirming their identity as God's people and their commitment to His covenant, highlighting the significance of remembering God's past acts of deliverance.

in the second month
The decision to observe Passover in the second month, rather than the prescribed first month, is significant. According to Numbers 9:10-11, God provided a provision for those who were unable to celebrate Passover at the appointed time due to impurity or being on a journey. This flexibility demonstrates God's grace and the importance of heart posture over ritual precision, emphasizing that God values sincere worship and repentance over mere adherence to ritual.

Persons / Places / Events
1. King Hezekiah
The king of Judah who initiated religious reforms and sought to restore the worship of Yahweh, including the observance of the Passover.

2. Officials
The leaders and advisors who supported King Hezekiah in his religious reforms and decisions.

3. The Whole Assembly in Jerusalem
The gathered people of Judah and Israel who were called to participate in the Passover celebration.

4. Passover
A significant Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt, traditionally observed in the first month of the Hebrew calendar.

5. Jerusalem
The capital city of Judah, where the temple was located and where the Passover was to be celebrated.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Obedience and Worship
Hezekiah's decision to celebrate the Passover, even in the second month, underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands and the centrality of worship in the life of God's people.

Flexibility in Observance
The allowance to celebrate Passover in the second month demonstrates God's understanding and provision for human circumstances, emphasizing that the heart of worship is more important than rigid adherence to timing.

Leadership in Spiritual Renewal
Hezekiah's leadership in calling the nation back to God highlights the role of leaders in guiding spiritual renewal and reform.

Unity in Worship
The gathering of the whole assembly in Jerusalem for the Passover illustrates the unifying power of worship and the importance of communal participation in religious observances.

Revival and Restoration
Hezekiah's actions serve as a model for personal and communal revival, showing that returning to God and His ways can lead to spiritual restoration and blessing.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Hezekiah's decision to celebrate the Passover in the second month reflect God's grace and understanding of human circumstances?

2. In what ways can we apply the principle of flexibility in worship to our own spiritual practices today?

3. What role does leadership play in initiating and sustaining spiritual renewal in a community or church setting?

4. How can we foster unity in worship within our own faith communities, drawing from the example of the assembly in Jerusalem?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced personal or communal revival. What steps did you take to return to God, and how did it impact your spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 12
Provides the original instructions for the Passover, highlighting its importance and the regulations for its observance.

Numbers 9:10-11
Offers a provision for observing the Passover in the second month if someone is unclean or on a journey during the first month, which Hezekiah utilized.

2 Kings 18:1-6
Describes Hezekiah's reign and his commitment to following the Lord, setting the context for his religious reforms.

2 Chronicles 29
Details Hezekiah's efforts to cleanse and restore the temple, setting the stage for the Passover celebration.
Sermons
Letters to Ephraim: GenerosityW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 30:1, 10, 11
Preparations for a Grand National PassoverT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 30:1-12
People
Asher, Dan, David, Hezekiah, Isaac, Issachar, Levites, Manasseh, Solomon, Zebulun
Places
Assyria, Beersheba, Dan, Jerusalem, Kidron
Topics
Assembly, Body, Celebrate, Chiefs, Congregation, Counsel, Decided, Decision, Discussion, Heads, Hold, Jerusalem, Month, Passover, Princes, Taketh
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 30:1-5

     7406   Passover

2 Chronicles 30:1-10

     5463   proclamations

2 Chronicles 30:1-20

     7266   tribes of Israel

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

     8466   reformation

2 Chronicles 30:2-3

     1654   numbers, 11-99

Library
A Loving Call to Reunion
'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. 2. For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month. 3. 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. …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The New Temple and Its Worship
'And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo: and they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 16. And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Quotation in Matt. Ii. 6.
Several interpreters, Paulus especially, have asserted that the interpretation of Micah which is here given, was that of the Sanhedrim only, and not of the Evangelist, who merely recorded what happened and was said. But this assertion is at once refuted when we consider the object which Matthew has in view in his entire representation of the early life of Jesus. His object in recording the early life of Jesus is not like that of Luke, viz., to communicate historical information to his readers. …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above.
That the Lord gave special token of his approbation of the exercise of Covenanting, it belongs to this place to show. His approval of the duty was seen when he unfolded the promises of the Everlasting Covenant to his people, while they endeavoured to perform it; and his approval thereof is continually seen in his fulfilment to them of these promises. The special manifestations of his regard, made to them while attending to the service before him, belonged to one or other, or both, of those exhibitions …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Covenanting a Duty.
The exercise of Covenanting with God is enjoined by Him as the Supreme Moral Governor of all. That his Covenant should be acceded to, by men in every age and condition, is ordained as a law, sanctioned by his high authority,--recorded in his law of perpetual moral obligation on men, as a statute decreed by him, and in virtue of his underived sovereignty, promulgated by his command. "He hath commanded his covenant for ever."[171] The exercise is inculcated according to the will of God, as King and …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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