◄ 2 Chronicles 30:21 ►
The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD.
Study Bible
The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem
This phrase highlights the gathering of Israelites in Jerusalem, the central place of worship and the location of the Temple. Jerusalem was the spiritual heart of Israel, and its significance is rooted in its selection by God as the place for His name to dwell (1 Kings 11:36). The gathering of Israelites here underscores the unity and communal aspect of worship, as well as the importance of pilgrimage to the holy city, which is a recurring theme in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 16:16).

celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a significant Jewish festival that follows Passover, commemorating the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their liberation from slavery (Exodus 12:17-20). The seven-day duration symbolizes completeness and perfection in biblical numerology. This feast required the removal of leaven from homes, symbolizing the removal of sin and corruption, and it was a time of reflection and dedication to God.

with great joy
The joy experienced during this celebration reflects the spiritual renewal and revival under King Hezekiah's reforms. Joy is a recurring theme in the Psalms and is often associated with worship and the presence of God (Psalm 16:11). This joy also signifies the people's gratitude for God's deliverance and blessings, aligning with the biblical principle that true joy comes from obedience and fellowship with God.

and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day
The Levites and priests were responsible for leading worship and maintaining the Temple services. Their continuous praise indicates a revival of proper worship practices, as prescribed in the Law of Moses (Numbers 3:5-10). This dedication to daily worship highlights the importance of consistent devotion and the role of spiritual leaders in guiding the community in worship.

accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD
The use of loud instruments in worship was a common practice in Israelite worship, as seen in the Psalms (Psalm 150:3-5). Instruments such as trumpets, cymbals, and harps were used to enhance the worship experience and express exuberant praise to God. This practice underscores the biblical principle that worship should be vibrant and wholehearted, reflecting the majesty and glory of God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Israelites
The people of Israel who gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This event marked a significant moment of unity and worship among the tribes.

2. Jerusalem
The central place of worship for the Israelites, where the temple was located. It was the spiritual heart of Israel and the site of the festival.

3. Feast of Unleavened Bread
A seven-day festival following Passover, commemorating the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their reliance on God. It involved eating unleavened bread and was a time of reflection and celebration.

4. Levites and Priests
The religious leaders responsible for conducting worship and sacrifices. They played a crucial role in leading the people in praise and maintaining the spiritual atmosphere.

5. Loud Instruments
Musical instruments used by the Levites and priests to praise the LORD, emphasizing the joy and exuberance of the celebration.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Corporate Worship
Gathering together as a community to worship God strengthens faith and unity among believers. The Israelites' celebration in Jerusalem serves as a model for the church today.

Joyful Praise as an Expression of Faith
The use of loud instruments and rejoicing highlights the importance of expressing our joy and gratitude to God through worship. Our praise should be vibrant and heartfelt.

The Role of Spiritual Leaders
The Levites and priests led the people in worship, underscoring the importance of spiritual leadership in guiding and nurturing the faith community.

Remembering God's Deliverance
The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a time to remember God's deliverance from Egypt. Similarly, Christians are called to remember and celebrate God's saving acts in their lives.

Unity in Diversity
The gathering of Israelites from different tribes in Jerusalem illustrates the power of unity in diversity. The church today is called to embrace and celebrate its diversity in Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2 Chronicles 30:21 inspire us to prioritize corporate worship in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we incorporate joyful praise into our daily worship practices, both individually and as a community?

3. What role do spiritual leaders play in facilitating worship and spiritual growth within the church, and how can we support them?

4. How can we, as modern believers, remember and celebrate God's deliverance in our lives, similar to the Israelites' commemoration of the Exodus?

5. What steps can we take to foster unity within our diverse church communities, drawing inspiration from the gathering of Israelites in Jerusalem?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 12
Provides the background for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, detailing its institution and significance as part of the Passover celebration.

Psalm 150
Highlights the use of musical instruments in worship, encouraging the use of loud and joyful praise to honor God.

Acts 2
Describes the unity and communal worship of the early church, reflecting the spirit of togetherness seen in 2 Chronicles 30:21.
Sermons
A National Passover At JerusalemT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 30:13-27
Religious EnthusiasmW. Clarkson 2 Chronicles 30:21-27
People
Asher, Dan, David, Hezekiah, Isaac, Issachar, Levites, Manasseh, Solomon, Zebulun
Places
Assyria, Beersheba, Dan, Jerusalem, Kidron
Topics
Accompanied, Bread, Celebrated, Feast, Giving, Gladness, Held, Instruments, Jerusalem, Joy, Kept, Levites, Lord's, Loud, Making, Melody, Praise, Praised, Present, Priests, Rejoicing, Sang, Seven, Singing, Sons, Unleavened
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 30:21

     1653   numbers, 6-10
     7960   singing

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

     8466   reformation

2 Chronicles 30:21-22

     4410   banquets

2 Chronicles 30:21-23

     4975   week
     8288   joy, of Israel

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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