Unity And Healing Are Possible
We live in a divided society. We are divided over political ideologies, over skin color, over sexual preferences, and any number of other things that God never intended. In 2 Chronicles 30:1–9, 26–27, king Hezekiah decided to transcend centuries old divide between the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom and call all of God’s people to unity in celebrating the Passover, remembering God’s deliverance from their bondage. The result? The people responded to Hezekiah’s call. There was joy, blessing and God’s grace to hear His people… just as He promised to do if His people would humble themselves and turn back to Him (see 2 Chronicles. 7:14). May God bless us to seek unity in Christ instead of the divisions that build walls of hatred and enmity between us. Amen
Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. The king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They had not been able to celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. The plan seemed right both to the king and to the whole assembly. They decided to send a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, calling the people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel. It had not been celebrated in large numbers according to what was written. (2 Chronicles 30:1-5)
King Hezekiah was intent on returning God’s people back to Him. He invited all of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) to join in with those in the Southern Kingdom to gather at the temple in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover. The Passover had been mandated by God for Israel to commemorate His delivering them from bondage in Egypt. Sadly, God’s people had not observed Passover as a nation in Jerusalem since Solomon’s reign as king over a united kingdom. Even more alarming was that there had not even been enough priests who would consecrate themselves. The people who were set apart by God to lead His people spiritually, to know God and keep His commands, had themselves fallen away from God.
At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:
“People of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your parents and your fellow Israelites, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. Do not be stiff-necked, as your ancestors were; submit to the LORD. Come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you. If you return to the LORD, then your fellow Israelites and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will return to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.” (2 Chronicles 30:6-9)
King Hezekiah sent couriers throughout the northern and southern kingdoms with formal written invitation announcements to encourage the people to attend the Passover in Jerusalem. His message to the people was that they needed to return to God and He would not turn His face from them. He implored them not to go the way of their ancestors who refused to come back to God and therefore suffered His anger. In the case of the Northern Kingdom (Israel), God had allowed Assyria to take many of them away into captivity in foreign lands. So king Hezekiah’s letter encouraged those who were left and had not been taken into captivity, to come back to God for Him to show mercy on them and those who had been taken away by Assyria.
There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place. (2 Chronicles 30:26-27)
Hezekiah was successful in leading the people back into national observance of the Passover. The scripture indicates that there was great joy in Jerusalem. The priests and Levites blessed the people… and most importantly, God was pleased. How do we know that? Because He heard their prayers! (see 2 Chronicles 7:14 on God’s promise to hear Israel’s prayers when they turned back to Him).
For over 200 years Israel had been divided into 2 separate kingdoms. They were a divided people to the point that they had devolved into civil war. Ultimately, the northern kingdom was conquered by Assyria and many people were taken into captivity in foreign lands.
In the midst of this deep division and spiritual disappointment, King Hezekiah was able to call God’s people into unity and encourage them to turn back to God. He started with a call throughout both kingdoms to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem as required by the law. While some refused, many heeded the call. The result was that the people were blessed by the priests, the Passover was celebrated with great joy by everyone…. and God heard the prayers of His people. What would happen today if God’s people put their differences and their divisions aside to focus on their unity in Christ? Is it possible that our joy would be restored, our idols would be discarded and destroyed, and we would be blessed by God who would hear our prayers and heal our land? Unity and Healing are not only possible, they are God’s promise to ahis people when we humble ourselves and turn to Him!
