2 Chronicles 35:18-19 (ESV)
No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.
The significance of the above two verses can’t be understated. The verses come at the end of a great worship service King Josiah orchestrated for Judah. When he became king he started cleaning and rebuilding the Temple. They came across a copy of the Book of the Law (the first five books of the Bible). When Josiah read the book, here was his response:
2 Chronicles 34:19 (ESV)
And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes.
He didn’t just respond by tearing his clothes, however. He also started to obey the words of the Law. He must have read about having the Passover, because that is what he did. He reinstated the Passover feast. This is the startling point made. NO ONE had done this like this since the days of Samuel. The time frame from Samuel to King Josiah was 400 years. For numerous generations of leaders we did not see the Passover done in this way. This was the reason for the division between Israel and Judah. This was the reason Israel was in captivity and Judah was about to into captivity. Disobedience to the word of God results in walking away from the way of God. Josiah was brining them back to God. To do that he needed to obey the words of the Book. Obedience to God’s word will change the direction of a heart, a community and a nation. Without obeying God’s word people don’t change. When we do obey God’s word we can worship Him properly.
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