“Also 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.” — 2 Chronicles 30:12

During a drive through the Redwood Forest in northern California, my wife and I stopped for a closer look at the massive trees. Craning to peer toward the treetops, I quickly realized that you cannot look at that angle for very long without hurting your neck! Still, I could hardly bring myself to stop looking. What I knew of redwood trees was based mainly on my East Coast upbringing, where we had no trees of that species. I’d never seen redwood trees before, except in an encyclopedia. 

It probably was from an encyclopedia or in a grade school science class that I learned redwood trees grow in groves, and that this growth habit is for a reason. Although redwoods can become over three hundred feet tall, their root system is usually only about six to twelve feet in depth. Instead of growing down, their roots spread outward, sometimes stretching as much as one hundred feet from the tree. Because the trees are in groves, their roots intertwine with other nearby trees, and that combined root system is what holds them up in storms. 

As with the mighty redwood trees, there is strength in standing together as the family of God. In today’s text, the people of Judah were united in their purpose to follow King Hezekiah’s directions and fulfill God’s commandment to keep the Passover. The result of their unity of purpose was God’s blessing. 

The mighty redwoods stand century after century, breaking the force of the wind through a team effort, just by holding ranks. Today, as members of the body of Christ, we can picture ourselves standing side by side with others of like faith. If each of us does our parts, the result is strength and stability. We support each other, and God’s Word indicates that is His plan for His Church. 

The most obvious way to “stand together” in the faith is to make a concerted effort to engage in worship simultaneously. Yes, we can and should approach God as individuals, but there is an added dimension to worship that comes only when we look to God in a united manner. Faithfully fulfilling our church-related responsibilities is also necessary when it comes to standing together in the Lord—we depend upon one another! And we can support our brothers and sisters when they face challenges by praying for them, sharing an encouraging word, or offering a listening ear. 

May God give each of us a purpose to cherish and preserve unity with our fellow believers. As our spiritual roots “intertwine” with theirs, we are all benefitted. As we support and bolster each other by being united in our faith, our God who never changes will be there to help us all keep standing firm for Him, even when storms come.

BACKGROUND

The account of the reign of King Hezekiah, which began in chapter 29, continues in this chapter. It focuses on the king’s reinstatement of the Passover observance, the annual feast that memorialized God’s deliverance of Israel in the days of the Exodus (see Exodus 12). Verses 1-12 describe the invitation to the Passover and the preparations made for it. Verses 13-27 describe the convocation itself and the joy of the people as they celebrated this sacred event. 

Verse 1 indicates that the invitation to the Passover was extended to both Israel and Judah. Israel’s capital, Samaria, had fallen to the Assyrians and the king had been deported, but the kingdom as a whole seemingly had not yet been completely dispersed into exile. Hezekiah evidently felt this was a good opportunity to unite the nation in religious revival. 

While the Passover was typically held during the first month of the year, allowance was made in Jewish Law for it to be observed one month later in certain circumstances (see Numbers 9:10-11). In this case, it was delayed because the priests “had not sanctified themselves sufficiently” (verse 3) and time was needed for the notification to go out and the people to assemble in Jerusalem. 

According to verse 5, the invitation was extended “from Beer-sheba even to Dan,” the traditional boundaries of Israel. This verse also indicates that the people “had not done it [held the Passover] of a long time in such sort as it was written.” Verse 26 of this chapter indicates that “since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.” Most Bible scholars point out that these verses refer to far more than the passage of time. Passover had undoubtedly been observed by some Jews since Solomon’s day. The idea being conveyed is that since that time, Passover had not been observed in such magnitude, by so many, in such unity, and with such widespread reverence to the original intent. 

In the invitation to assemble in Jerusalem for the Passover, Hezekiah admonished the people of the northern tribes not to be stubborn like their forefathers, but to yield themselves to God. He asserted that if they would do so, “your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land” (verse 9). Verses 10-12 record that some of the people in the Northern Kingdom of Israel responded to Hezekiah’s message with scorn and mockery, but others humbled themselves and journeyed to Jerusalem to join with the people of Judah who had “one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.” 

Verses 13-20 describe the preparations and observance of the Passover. There were many in the assembly who were not cleansed, primarily those from the northern tribes who had come hastily to Jerusalem. Since their nation of Israel had rejected God and proper forms of worship for many years, these individuals likely were ignorant about how to properly prepare for the Passover. However, their coming to Jerusalem was evidence that they desired to seek the God of their fathers, so Hezekiah prayed for them, asking God to pardon them. Verse 20 indicates that God responded to the king’s prayer on their behalf, and healed (forgave) the people. 

The gathering at Jerusalem was a time of great joy and rejoicing. According to verse 22, it was also a time of teaching, which the participants from the northern tribes especially needed. The fact that the whole assembly agreed to extend the celebration an additional seven days (verse 23) indicated a remarkable response to their experience of worship, teaching, and fellowship. It is noteworthy that the spirit of joy and revival was so evident that even the “strangers” of the land were impacted (see verse 25).

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

III. The history of the kings of Judah
     M. The reign of Hezekiah
          2. The reformation during his reign
               c. The observance of the Passover (30:1-27)
                    (1) The preparations for the Passover (30:1-12)
                    (2) The celebration of the Passover (30:13-22)
                    (3) The concluding festive days (30:23-27)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. Who came to the Passover that Hezekiah instituted? (verses 11-13)
2. Why do you think the people rejoiced at this Passover celebration?
3. What are some ways other believers have helped you stand for the faith?

CONCLUSION

May our purpose today be to hold ranks and be united with other believers in our desire to please God and to keep our trust in Him.