Dave Burnette's Commentary

2 Chronicles Chapter 30

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Ezra
Date Penned: (430 BC)
Overview: A History of God's Chosen People (c 1-36)
Theme: The Kingdom of Judah (c 10-36)
Message: Hezekiah Reinstates the Passover (1-27)

2 Chronicles 30 Commentary 

(30:1) The Passover - The Passover celebration commemorated the time when God spared the lives of Israel's firstborn sons in Egypt. God had promised to send a plague to kill all the firstborn sons except in the homes where the blood of a slain lamb had been painted on the doorposts. The Israelites obeyed, and when the Lord saw the blood, he made the destroyer pass over the house and not harm anyone in it (Exodus 12:23). After this plague, Pharaoh freed the Israelites from slavery. The Passover celebration was to be a yearly reminder of how God had delivered his people. The careful preparations, both in the temple and for the feast, show that this was not a temporary or impulsive revival but a deep-seated change of heart and life.


(30:2-3) A Time To Celebrate - God's law had a provision that under certain circumstances the Passover could be celebrated one month later (Numbers 9:10-11).


(30:6-9) A Heart Toward God - Hezekiah 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 yield themselves to the Lord. To yield to him means to obey him first, submitting 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.


(30:10) Stand Strong In Your Faith - The 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 mockery and ridicule come your way, do not waver. Stand strong in your faith, as Hezekiah did, and God will honor you.


(30:11) Delivering The Message - Most 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. People new to ideas of Christian faith and the Bible may react negatively, but this must not stop us from reaching out. If we ask no one, no one will respond. If we ask lots of people, some will respond. If you know and understand that some will reject the gospel, 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.


(30:14) Removing False Idols - Just as the priests had sanctified the temple (29:4-5), the people cleared the city of pagan idols and then sanctified 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 at the pagan shrines (2 Kings 14:4; 2 Chronicles 20:33). Finally Hezekiah, with the help of his people, completed this task.


(30:15) A Zeal To worship - The 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 the common people's faith motivated the ministers to take action. The devoted faith of laypersons today should motivate professional church staff members to rekindle their enthusiasm for God's work. Laypersons should never be shut out of church government or decision making. The church needs their good examples of faith.


(30:22) Expressing Gratitude - One important purpose of the peace offering was to express gratitude to God for health or for safety in times of crisis.


(30:26) A Celebration - It had been more than 200 years since there had been such a celebration in Jerusalem.


Dave Burnette's Life Application

Spread the Good News

 Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we Continue in the book of 2 Chronicles with Chapter 30 and we see Hezekiah reinstates the Passover. What catches my eye is how Hezekiah reached out to the nation with letters pleading with the nation to repent and come to the Lord. In making application, we too should be as Hezekiah reaching out to our nation asking them to repent and come to the Lord. It reminds me of some of my friends that reach out to others giving them Gospel Tracts showing them the way to Jesus. In our lives we to should spread the Good News of Christ with any of the many ways we can communicate today. How about you? Do you communicate the Gospel with those in your world? Let us learn from our text today and the life of Hezekiah to remember to fulfill the Lord's calling to reach the world with the Gospel.

 

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2 Chronicles 30

2 Chronicles 30

 1And 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.

 2For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

 3For 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.

 4And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

 5So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba 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.

 6So 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.

 7And 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.

 8Now 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.

 9For 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.

 10So 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.

 11Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

 12Also 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.

 13And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

 14And 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.

 15Then 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.

 16And 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.

 17For 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.

 18For 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

 19That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

 20And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

 21And 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.

 22And 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.

 23And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.

 24For 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.

 25And 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.

 26So 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.

 27Then 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.