Preparing for the Passover: A Call to Holiness and Obedience
"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." - 2 Chronicles 35:6
As we immerse ourselves in the words of 2 Chronicles 35:6, "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," we find a profound call to both reverence and action among God's people. This verse emphasizes a pivotal moment in the history of Israel when King Josiah reinstated the observance of the Passover, a fundamental feast that celebrated God's deliverance and covenant with His people.
The command to "kill the passover" reflects not only the physical act of preparing the sacrificial lamb but symbolizes the profound truth that in order to participate in a sacred event, one must first understand its significance and partake in it with a pure heart. This is a reflection of the need for personal sanctification. The sacrificial lamb, chosen and blemished, represented the innocence and holiness required to atone for sin. In a similar vein, we who come to observe and celebrate communion today should take time for introspection, ensuring our hearts are aligned with God’s will, cleansed from sin, and open to His guidance.
"Sanctify yourselves" is an imperative that cannot be overlooked in its importance. Holiness is not an option, but a requirement for the followers of God. To sanctify oneself means to set apart not just in physical actions but to cultivate a heart and mind that seeks God's righteousness. The call for personal holiness reiterates the truth found throughout Scripture: our God is holy and desires a people who reflect His character. The Apostle Paul echoes this in 1 Thessalonians 4:7, reminding us that we are called to holiness.
King Josiah understood that to fulfill God's command, the entire community needed to be prepared. "Prepare your brethren" reflects a communal responsibility to help each other walk in holiness. In today's context, as believers, we are called to support one another, exhorting and encouraging each other towards righteous living and obedience to God's Word. This preparation involves teaching, discipleship, and sometimes, it requires accountability, where we can speak truth and love into each other's lives. We cannot believe in isolation; we are part of a body—the body of Christ—to which we owe a duty to prepare each other for the journey of faith.
When Josiah declared, "that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses," he pointed to the importance of obedience. Understanding the law and the word of God is crucial for those who call themselves His followers. It is one thing to know Scripture; it is another to live it out. Faith requires action, and our obedience and the corresponding actions reflect our relationship with God. As we prepare for our own "Passovers" in life—those moments of reflection, communion, and worship—we must ground ourselves in the Word of God.
Thus, as we contemplate 2 Chronicles 35:6, let's embrace a culture of preparation in our personal lives and in community. Let us kill the passover, not in a literal sense but by embracing that sacrifice—realizing the depth of Christ's atonement for us. Let us sanify ourselves through the Spirit, purifying our bodies, minds, and souls. Let’s strive together to help each other grow in holiness and be a living testimony of what it means to obey the Lord's commands. Our preparations today will bear fruit in how we celebrate God’s presence in our lives tomorrow.
In conclusion, as we face our spiritual battles, remember: preparation is key. Let us engage in the sacred process of killing our own form of the Passover—acknowledging the sacrifice of Jesus, setting ourselves apart from worldly influences, and helping our brethren walk in the peace and righteousness of God. In doing so, we not only respect the traditions given by God but embrace the fullness of His grace in our lives, ensuring we are truly ready to respond to His call.
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2 Chronicles 35:6 - "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."
"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." - 2 Chronicles 35:6
2 Chronicles 6:35 - "Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause."
"Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause." - 2 Chronicles 6:35
2 Chronicles 35:23
2 Chronicles 35:10
2 Chronicles 35:11
1 Chronicles 6:35 - "The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai,"
2 Chronicles 35:2 - "And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD,"
2 Chronicles 35:19 - "In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept."
2 Chronicles 35:27 - "And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah."
2 Chronicles 35:10 - "So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's commandment."
2 Chronicles 35:26 - "Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD,"
2 Chronicles 35:17 - "And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days."
1 Chronicles 2:35 - "And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and she bare him Attai."
"The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai," - 1 Chronicles 6:35
2 Chronicles 35:1 - "Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month."
2 Chronicles 35:5 - "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."
2 Chronicles 20:35 - "¶ And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly:"
2 Chronicles 35:23 - "And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded."
"In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept." - 2 Chronicles 35:19
"And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD," - 2 Chronicles 35:2
2 Chronicles 6:13
2 Chronicles 35:4 - "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."
2 Chronicles 35:13 - "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."
2 Chronicles 35:12 - "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."
2 Chronicles 29:35 - "And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order."
2 Chronicles 35:25 - "¶ And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations."
2 Chronicles 35:16 - "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."
2 Chronicles 6:2 - "But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever."