“On the fourteenth day of the second month, one month later than usual, the people slaughtered the Passover lamb. This shamed the priests and Levites, so they purified themselves and brought burnt offerings to the Temple of the Lord. Then they took their places at the Temple as prescribed in the Law of Moses, the man of God. The Levites brought the sacrificial blood to the priests, who then sprinkled it on the altar. Since many of the people had not purified themselves, the Levites had to slaughter their Passover lamb for them, to set them apart for the Lord. Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.” And the Lord listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. So the people of Israel who were present in Jerusalem joyously celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. Each day the Levites and priests sang to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. The entire assembly then decided to continue the festival another seven days, so they celebrated joyfully for another week. King Hezekiah gave the people 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats for offerings, and the officials donated 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Meanwhile, many more priests purified themselves. The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced, including the priests, the Levites, all who came from the land of Israel, the foreigners who came to the festival, and all those who lived in Judah. There was great joy in the city, for Jerusalem had not seen a celebration like this one since the days of Solomon, King David’s son. Then the priests and Levites stood and blessed the people, and God heard their prayer from his holy dwelling in heaven.”
2 Chronicles 30:15-27 NLT
Rules and regulations are from God, but they are for men. Their purpose is to help a finite creature navigate in the world of an infinite one. They may appear to keep us safe, but only in so much as they are graces given to us. It is not them that maintain our safety but the Hod who loves us. Here we see a rare but undeniable proof that the God of the Old Testament is that same God of the New. This Passover was different. It was a celebration too late and too long, but it was done in spirit and in truth. It was true in its worship. It was such a movement that it shamed the people who didn’t participate initially into joining, as well as the Levites who felt it to be disordered. But Hezekiah knew that the people were already disordered. He knew that the rules were already broken. This was an act of faith amidst those broken rules that God would bless them, not because of congruence to his rules, but because of congruence to his character. It was a bold move from a king who would dare to initiate a covenant rather than just accept it. God not only saw this, but he was pleased. This was one of only a handful of moments where the insolence of a king actually worked in the favor of his people. It is a reminder that we follow a person and not a set of rules. Thankfully we now know his name, Jesus, to be able to worship in spirit and truth more fullly. Let us do so with Hezekiah in mind. Let us worship too late and too long if it is truly for our king.
Purpose of Rules: Rules are graces given to help navigate the world, but true safety comes from God’s love.
Hezekiah’s Passover: A celebration of worship that transcended rules, demonstrating faith in God’s character over strict adherence to regulations.
Worship in Spirit and Truth: Emphasizes worshiping Jesus, not just following rules, and encourages passionate devotion even if it deviates from traditional norms.
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