Bible Talks

2 Chronicles 30:5-205So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not done it of a long time in such sort as it was written. 6So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the Lord God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see. 8Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you. 9For if ye turn again unto the Lord, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him. 10So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. 11Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem. 12Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord. 13And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. 14And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron. 15Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the Lord. 16And they stood in their place after their manner, according to the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood, which they received of the hand of the Levites. 17For there were many in the congregation that were not sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord. 18For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good Lord pardon every one 19That prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. 20And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. (2 Chronicles 30:5‑20).
HAVING offered sacrifices for all Israel, Hezekiah sent letters to the ten tribes inviting them to come to the house of the Lord to keep the Passover. He besought them to turn again unto the Lord God of Israel saying, "He will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the king of Assyria." He also told them that if they turned again unto the Lord God of their fathers, He would have compassion on them and would bring back those that had been carried away captive. This was indeed a message of hope and a promise of mercy to a people under judgment. The messengers passed from city to city; but the people laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. Perhaps they did not realize it, but when they mocked the messengers the Lord, counted it as mocking Him. Nor did they realize that this was a last appeal from the Lord to them, for in 2 Kings 18:1010And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken. (2 Kings 18:10) we read that in the sixth year of Hezekiah's reign, the king of Assyria came and carried all of the ten tribes away, and they have never been heard from since.
The rejection of Hezekiah's invitation by the people of Israel and their judgment which followed reminds us of the solemn position of those who in this day of grace reject the message of the gospel. "To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life." 2 Cor. 2:1616To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? (2 Corinthians 2:16). How solemn the word of the Lord, "My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Gen. 6:33And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3). If the reader is yet unsaved, we urge you to come to the Saviour now, before it is too late; "Seek ye the LORD while He may be found."
Still it is nice to see that some in Asher, Manasseh, Zebulun, Ephraim and Issachar did turn to the Lord and came to Jerusalem. Perhaps you will remember that in Luke, chapter 2, 36-38 read about Anna, a widow of great age, who was of the tribe of Asher. She departed not out of the temple, and served God day and night with fastings and prayers, so that she was there and saw the Lord Jesus when as a babe He was brought in. What a reward for her faithfulness! And those who love the Lord Jesus now will be rewarded soon when He shall come as the bright and Morning Star to take them to be with Himself, just before the dawn of the millennial day. May the Lord direct our hearts "into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ" (2 Thess. 3:55And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)), and help us meanwhile to speak to others of His wondrous love. of His precious death, and of His coming glory.
The result of Hezekiah's appeal was that a great company assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Passover. But many of them had not cleansed then. selves so Hezekiah prayed for them. saying, "The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers. though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." We read that "the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people." It was a very serious thing for one who was unclean to attempt to eat the Passover. The Lord had said that such a one was to be cut off from the congregation. But it was not indifference on the part of those who came out of the ten tribes. They had been away from the teaching of the law for so long that they were in great ignorance; so the Lord was gracious with them.
Messages of the Love of God 11/23/1958