2Ch 35:16-19 | KingComments | STEP | Now that the priests, the Levites, and the service are prepared, the Passover can be celebrated. All take their places according to the commandment of the king ( ). So they stand there at the right time, in the right place, with the right sacrifices and the right mind of heart. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, it must also be done as the Lord Jesus said, in the place where He is, in the way He wants and in the right mind. We have to understand that the Lord’s meal is not an ordinary human meal. If we consider that, it will save us from the misconduct that Paul must admonish the Corinthians about ( ). The slaughter of the Passover lamb is a serious matter ( ). The death of an innocent, spotless animal and the sprinkling of blood are reminders of what was necessary for the redemption of the people out of Egypt. It is a picture of the great sacrifice of Christ through Whose blood we are redeemed from the power of sin ( ). The skinning is done to give certain parts of the sacrifices to the people to offer them to the LORD( ). The parts of the sacrifice are dealt with in different ways ( ). The Passover lamb is roasted, and the holy things that are for the people are boiled in various objects ( ; ). After their preparation, the meat is speedily carried to the celebrating people, after which the meal can begin. What is roasted is exposed to the fire. This is seen in Christ Who has been in the fire of God’s judgment. The cooking of the parts of the sacrifice given to the common people is an expression of the people’s appreciation of the work of Christ. That appreciation means that God’s people feed on Christ. The priests have been so busy sacrificing the burnt offerings that the Levites must prepare the Passover lamb for them ( ). Here we see a beautiful cooperation in the service for the LORD. As said before, today we know no distinction between priests and Levites. All believers are priests before God and all serve Him also as Levites with the different task each one has. As Levites we are busy to do our priestly task all the better, to become better worshipers. In the celebration of the Passover is extended with singing. At the first celebration of the Passover, at the exodus from Egypt ( ), there is no singing. Singing is part of the Supper. We remember the Lord and proclaim His death. At the same time, we are glad that He has done it and that the work has been accomplished through which God has been glorified and we have been saved and have received so many blessings. We cannot help but praise and honor Him for that. The cup of the Supper is therefore referred to as “the cup of blessing which we bless” or “the cup of praise for which we praise” ( ). The gatekeepers remain at their post. As they faithfully perform their service, they receive their share of the Passover lamb “because the Levites their brethren prepared for them”. Here we see that while we are busy for the Lord, we can feed on Him. There is a danger that through our zeal we may forget to feed on the Lord. He is the true strength for our service. is the conclusion of the previous part. To speak of “all the service of the LORD“ means that it is not a service of men. It is a service by men. However, they must do their service in the prescribed manner. It happens “on that day”, the day determined by the LORD when the Passover is to be celebrated. It also happens “on the altar of the LORD” and not on an altar of men. Finally everything happens “according to the command of King Josiah”. Josiah is the God-fearing leader who gives his people the right instructions. It is also necessary today that the leaders among God’s people give the people the right directions from God’s Word.

‏ 2 Chronicles 35:16-19

Preparing the Offerings

Now that the priests, the Levites, and the service are prepared, the Passover can be celebrated. All take their places according to the commandment of the king (2Chr 35:10). So they stand there at the right time, in the right place, with the right sacrifices and the right mind of heart. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, it must also be done as the Lord Jesus said, in the place where He is, in the way He wants and in the right mind. We have to understand that the Lord’s meal is not an ordinary human meal. If we consider that, it will save us from the misconduct that Paul must admonish the Corinthians about (1Cor 11:20-21).

The slaughter of the Passover lamb is a serious matter (2Chr 35:11). The death of an innocent, spotless animal and the sprinkling of blood are reminders of what was necessary for the redemption of the people out of Egypt. It is a picture of the great sacrifice of Christ through Whose blood we are redeemed from the power of sin (1Pet 1:18-19). The skinning is done to give certain parts of the sacrifices to the people to offer them to the LORD(2Chr 35:12).

The parts of the sacrifice are dealt with in different ways (2Chr 35:13). The Passover lamb is roasted, and the holy things that are for the people are boiled in various objects (Exo 12:8-9; Deu 16:7). After their preparation, the meat is speedily carried to the celebrating people, after which the meal can begin.

What is roasted is exposed to the fire. This is seen in Christ Who has been in the fire of God’s judgment. The cooking of the parts of the sacrifice given to the common people is an expression of the people’s appreciation of the work of Christ. That appreciation means that God’s people feed on Christ.

The priests have been so busy sacrificing the burnt offerings that the Levites must prepare the Passover lamb for them (2Chr 35:14). Here we see a beautiful cooperation in the service for the LORD. As said before, today we know no distinction between priests and Levites. All believers are priests before God and all serve Him also as Levites with the different task each one has. As Levites we are busy to do our priestly task all the better, to become better worshipers.

In 2Chr 35:15 the celebration of the Passover is extended with singing. At the first celebration of the Passover, at the exodus from Egypt (Exo 12:1-12), there is no singing. Singing is part of the Supper. We remember the Lord and proclaim His death. At the same time, we are glad that He has done it and that the work has been accomplished through which God has been glorified and we have been saved and have received so many blessings. We cannot help but praise and honor Him for that. The cup of the Supper is therefore referred to as “the cup of blessing which we bless” or “the cup of praise for which we praise” (1Cor 10:16a).

The gatekeepers remain at their post. As they faithfully perform their service, they receive their share of the Passover lamb “because the Levites their brethren prepared for them”. Here we see that while we are busy for the Lord, we can feed on Him. There is a danger that through our zeal we may forget to feed on the Lord. He is the true strength for our service.

2Chr 35:16 is the conclusion of the previous part. To speak of “all the service of the LORD“ means that it is not a service of men. It is a service by men. However, they must do their service in the prescribed manner. It happens “on that day”, the day determined by the LORD when the Passover is to be celebrated. It also happens “on the altar of the LORD” and not on an altar of men. Finally everything happens “according to the command of King Josiah”. Josiah is the God-fearing leader who gives his people the right instructions. It is also necessary today that the leaders among God’s people give the people the right directions from God’s Word.

A Special Passover

There are also Israelites present at the celebration of the Passover, i.e. members of God’s people from the ten tribes (2Chr 35:17). They should be all men of Israel, for according to the command they should go to Jerusalem three times a year, among other things to celebrate the Passover (Exo 23:14-17; Deu 16:7-17). Unfortunately, this is not the case. Even today, many do not come to the place where the Lord Jesus is in the midst of the church to honor Him there.

The Passover is followed by the celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a feast that lasts for seven days. The connection between the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Breast is very close and occurs more often (Lk 22:1; 1Cor 5:7-8). The meaning is that our life must be in accordance with our eating of the slain Lamb. Our whole life – seven is the number that indicates a complete period – must be ‘unleavened’, i.e. free from sin, of which leaven is a picture.

The Passover that Josiah celebrates is of a higher spiritual level than that of Hezekiah. The Passover celebrated by Hezekiah has not been so celebrated since the days of Solomon (2Chr 30:26). The Passover celebrated by Josiah even surpasses that Passover. To find a comparison for celebrating such a Passover, the chronicler must go back much further, to the days of Samuel (2Chr 35:18). This means that throughout the time of the kings, the Passover has not been celebrated in the way Josiah does now.

God in His grace can give such glorious things that have not been there for a long time. Josiah celebrates an unprecedented Passover, also because he by far is not as rich as his predecessors and yet makes such sacrifices and provides for the whole people. We must not restrict God and deny Him revivals. Across all the unfaithfulness of the people, He can give in His grace a restoration that reminds us of the beginning.

Josiah celebrates the Passover in the eighteenth year of his reign (2Chr 35:19). He has then cleansed the land and the house and ordered the restoration of the house of the LORD (2Chr 34:8). At the end of the description of his celebration of the Passover, the connection between a sanctified life and the house of God, on the one hand, and salvation on the basis of the death of the Lamb, on the other, is emphasized.