Monday, November 4, 2013

Josiah Celebrates The Passover

II Kings 23:15-23, II Chronicles 34:33-35:19

“Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.  And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.” (II Kings 23:15-16)

Two hundred years before, Jeroboam started a religion based on the Jewish religion and history to further his political aspirations.  He deliberately made it enough like the Jewish religion god had given that people would not have trouble accepting it but enough different so they didn’t have to go to Jerusalem or follow all the same rules and commandments so it would be more appealing to the people.   It had been accepted as the official religion of Israel and practiced the entire time, but God was not pleased with it.

II Kings 13:1-2 states, “And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.  And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.”

Two hundred years later, Josiah fulfilled that prophecy, going into Assyrian held territory and removing the bodies of the priests from the sepulchres around the altars and burning them on the altar in a mockery of Jeroboam’s religion.

“Then he said, What title is that that I see? 

And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel. 

And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.” (II Kings 23:17-18)

Because he disobeyed God in stopping to visit and eat in the city, the prophet who delivered the prophecy was killed and buried nearby.  Learning whose tomb it was, Josiah gave orders that his tomb was not to be disturbed.

“And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the LORD to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.  And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to Jerusalem.” (II Kings 23:19-20) 

“And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God.  And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.” (II Chronicles 24:33)

Josiah then went through the rest of Samaria and all the area that had once belonged to Israel destroying the altars and killing the priests who served at them to prevent people from going back to that religion and giving orders that they were to serve God instead.  As a result of his commands, the Samaritan people practiced the Jewish religion as long as Josiah lived to enforce them.

“And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.  Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.” (II Kings 23:21-23) 

“Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.” II Chronicles 35:1) 

The Passover had not been celebrated at all since Hezekiah’s day, and Josiah was unaware that Israel was to keep it every year until they found and read the copy of the law.  One of his first actions after learning about the command was to order the Passover kept.  Even David, Solomon or Hezekiah had not celebrated the Passover like they did under Josiah.

“And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD, And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the LORD your God, and his people Israel, And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 

And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites.  So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (II Chronicles 35:2-6)

He directed the priests to concentrate on their priestly duties, and set the Levites who had kept the command to be sanctified to teach the people and assist the priests in offering the sacrifices since they were not needed to move the tabernacle or the ark so the people could offer the Passover the way God had commanded.

“And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance. 

And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen.  Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen.” (II Chronicles 35:7-9) 

Josiah personally gave thirty thousand sheep and three thousand young bulls for the offerings and his princes voluntarily gave another eight thousand four hundred head of cattle and oxen because they believed in the decision.  What a difference from leaders who refuse to participate in the programs they force others into.

“So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment.  And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.  And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 

And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people.  And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 

And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king's seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for Passover. 

So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.” (II Chronicles 35:10-16)

Not only  were they celebrating their independence from Egypt, but that they had been a nation for over eight hundred years because of God’s power.  During the seven days of unleavened bread following Passover, they offered thousands of burnt offerings of thanks giving and held giant barbecue for everyone with concerts and all the fanfare.

“And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.  And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept.” (II Chronicles 35:17-19)

2 comments:

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    As always, thanks for the thorough and clear presentation of God's Word, and God bless,
    Laurie

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