2 Chronicles 30:15
And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.
And they slaughtered the Passover lamb
The act of slaughtering the Passover lamb is deeply rooted in the Hebrew tradition, originating from the Exodus narrative where the Israelites were commanded to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts with its blood. This act symbolizes deliverance and redemption. The Hebrew word for "slaughtered" is "שָׁחַט" (shachat), which implies a ritualistic and purposeful act of sacrifice. This moment in 2 Chronicles signifies a return to covenant faithfulness and a desire to honor God through obedience to His commands.

on the fourteenth day of the second month
The timing here is significant. According to the Law, Passover was to be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the first month (Nisan). However, due to the unpreparedness of the people and the priests, King Hezekiah allowed for a second Passover in the second month, as permitted in Numbers 9:10-11 for those who were unclean or on a journey. This demonstrates God's grace and flexibility within His law, allowing for repentance and restoration.

The priests and Levites were ashamed
The shame of the priests and Levites indicates a recognition of their previous neglect in fulfilling their sacred duties. The Hebrew word for "ashamed" is "בּוֹשׁ" (bosh), which conveys a deep sense of disgrace and conviction. This acknowledgment of failure is the first step towards genuine repentance and renewal of their commitment to God.

and they consecrated themselves
Consecration involves setting oneself apart for holy purposes. The Hebrew root "קָדַשׁ" (qadash) means to be holy or sanctified. The priests and Levites, recognizing their previous shortcomings, now dedicate themselves anew to the service of the Lord. This act of consecration is essential for spiritual leadership and service, emphasizing purity and devotion.

and brought burnt offerings
Burnt offerings, or "עֹלָה" (olah) in Hebrew, were sacrifices that were completely consumed by fire, symbolizing total surrender to God. By bringing these offerings, the priests and Levites express their renewed commitment and devotion. It is an act of worship that signifies atonement and reconciliation with God.

to the house of the LORD
The "house of the LORD" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship for the Israelites. It is the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. Bringing offerings to the temple signifies a return to proper worship and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty. It underscores the importance of communal worship and the centrality of God's presence in the life of the nation.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hezekiah
The king of Judah who initiated religious reforms and called for the celebration of the Passover, even inviting the northern tribes to join.

2. Priests and Levites
Religious leaders responsible for temple duties, who initially were not prepared but later consecrated themselves for the Passover.

3. Passover
A significant Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites' deliverance from Egypt, which Hezekiah reinstated as part of his reforms.

4. Jerusalem
The central place of worship where the Passover was celebrated, emphasizing the unity and centrality of worship in the life of Israel.

5. The House of the LORD
Refers to the temple in Jerusalem, the focal point of worship and sacrifices.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Repentance and Consecration
The priests and Levites felt shame and responded by consecrating themselves. This highlights the need for personal repentance and dedication before serving God.

God's Grace in Second Chances
The Passover was celebrated in the second month, a provision for those who were unclean or away during the first month (Numbers 9:10-11). This demonstrates God's grace in allowing second chances for worship and obedience.

Unity in Worship
Hezekiah's invitation to the northern tribes to join in the Passover celebration emphasizes the importance of unity among God's people in worship.

The Centrality of Sacrifice
The slaughtering of the Passover lamb and the offering of burnt offerings point to the central role of sacrifice in atonement and worship, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the response of the priests and Levites in 2 Chronicles 30:15 challenge us in our own spiritual preparation and service to God?

2. In what ways does the celebration of Passover in the second month reflect God's grace and patience with His people?

3. How can we apply the principle of unity in worship from Hezekiah's invitation to the northern tribes in our own church communities today?

4. What parallels can we draw between the Passover lamb in 2 Chronicles 30:15 and Jesus as our Passover lamb in the New Testament?

5. How does the concept of sacrifice in the Old Testament deepen our understanding of Christ's sacrifice on the cross?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 12
Provides the original instructions for the Passover, highlighting its importance and the need for proper observance.

2 Chronicles 29
Describes Hezekiah's earlier reforms, including the cleansing of the temple, setting the stage for the Passover celebration.

Leviticus 23
Lists the appointed feasts of the LORD, including Passover, underscoring its significance in the religious calendar.

1 Corinthians 5:7
Paul refers to Christ as our Passover lamb, drawing a parallel between the Old Testament Passover and the sacrifice of Jesus.
A National Passover At JerusalemT. Whitelaw 2 Chronicles 30:13-27
People
Asher, Dan, David, Hezekiah, Isaac, Issachar, Levites, Manasseh, Solomon, Zebulun
Places
Assyria, Beersheba, Dan, Jerusalem, Kidron
Topics
Ashamed, Bring, Burned, Burnt, Burnt-offerings, Consecrated, Death, Fourteenth, Hallowed, Holy, Killed, Lamb, Lambs, Levites, Month, Offerings, Passover, Passover-offering, Priests, Sanctified, Sanctify, Shame, Shamed, Slaughter, Slaughtered, Temple, Themselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Chronicles 30:15

     1654   numbers, 11-99

2 Chronicles 30:1-20

     7266   tribes of Israel

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

     8466   reformation

2 Chronicles 30:13-15

     4951   month

2 Chronicles 30:13-20

     7406   Passover

2 Chronicles 30:15-17

     4663   lamb

2 Chronicles 30:15-20

     7316   blood, OT sacrifices

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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