2 Chronicles 30:1-11

“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. 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 fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see. Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the 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 brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back 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.” The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and ridiculed them. Nevertheless, some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.”

Influence is a talent of vast importance; but it is often most abused, where it exists in the highest degree. Kings and princes are rarely to be found among those who are foremost in the work of reformation; and, where their exertions are used, they are most often actuated as much by political principles as by those which are religious.

Here however we see a monarch uniting with all his princes in a work of piety, in which politics bore no part at all. Hezekiah, not content with calling on his own subjects to serve the Lord, sought to bring his very enemies to the same blessed state, even those enemies who not long before had “smitten them with a great slaughter,” even “with a rage that reached up to Heaven, 2 Chronicles 28:5; 2 Chronicles 28:9.”

The account is so circumstantial and so beautiful, that I have comprised it all in my text; which will lead me to show,

I. The efforts which Hezekiah used in the service of his God.

The object he sought to accomplish was one of primary importance.

The Passover was the greatest of all the Jewish feasts, as the mercies which it was intended to commemorate were the greatest that had ever been given to that people. The destruction of the Egyptian first-born was confined to them. The Israelites throughout the whole land were exempt from the judgment inflicted on all others without exception. In order to their deliverance, they were to kill a lamb, and sprinkle the posts and lintels of their doors with its blood; and then the destroying angel was to pass over their houses without inflicting a stroke either on man or beast that was so protected.

In commemoration of this wonderful event the Passover was to be kept with great strictness in all future ages. But it had been shamefully neglected during the reign of his father Ahaz; and was now therefore appointed to be kept with peculiar solemnity.

This ordinance above all others typified our redemption through the blood of Christ. The appointment of God was, that it should be kept at Jerusalem; and this command was as binding upon the ten tribes of Israel as it was upon Judah and Benjamin. Hezekiah summoned all therefore, as well the tribes of Israel who were not under his government, as the two tribes who were his immediate subjects, to engage in this holy duty; and he spared neither trouble nor expense to attain his end.

The way in which Hezekiah endeavored to accomplish his end was peculiarly amiable and praiseworthy.

Though a king, he used not so much the language of authority as of affectionate counsel and entreaty, “Return,” said he, “unto the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel.” “Be not stiff-necked, as your fathers were.” He reminds them of the bitter consequences of their past departure from God, consequences which they could not but trace to that source, since the very judgments which God’s prophets had denounced against them were actually visible in the desolations that had come upon them, a great part of their nation having been already taken captive by the king of Assyria. He then urges every argument that could influence a sincere mind. He assures them, that God would still be gracious to them, if they would but return to him; yes, that he would even restore to their own land those who had been taken captive, if they would but seek him with their whole hearts.

In a word, he entreats them to “yield up themselves unreservedly unto God,” in an assured expectation, that, if they returned to him in a way of penitential sorrow, he would return to them in a way of love and mercy.

Now the whole of this affords as bright a pattern of wisdom, and piety, and love, as is to be found in all the Jewish records.

Let us then proceed to contemplate,

II. The success with which those efforts were attended.

This was far from being so complete as might have been expected.

Some only “scorned and ridiculed Hezekiah’s messengers.”

However closely we examine the message which he sent, we shall find in it nothing that could give just occasion for ridicule or contempt. But ungodly men deride everything which savors of piety. They have done so in every age. When Lot entreated his sons-in-law to escape out of Sodom, “he seemed,” we are told, “as one who mocked to his sons-in-law,” so ridiculous were his exhortations in their eyes. In precisely the same way were all the messages delivered by the prophets regarded; until God was provoked to give up his people to utter desolation, 2 Chronicles 36:16.

It might be supposed that the infinite perfections of our blessed Lord Jesus should disarm such malice; and that his words at least would be universally received. But many who heard them regarded him only as a deceiver and a demoniac. The very Pharisees, who from their knowledge of the Scriptures might have been supposed to form a more correct judgment, derided him as much as others; because they were addicted to the sins which he reproved, Luke 16:14.

The holy Apostles shared the same fate with their Divine Master; and when most “speaking the words of truth and soberness” were most virulently derided as babblers and as fools, Acts 26:24-25.

And thus it is at the present hour. Every man who seeks to reclaim those who dwell in wickedness, will be reproached and persecuted, and, generally speaking, will be persecuted in proportion to his fidelity.

Some however complied with Hezekiah’s exhortations.

Among the tribes of Judah and Benjamin there was a great unanimity in turning to the Lord, because “the hand of God was with them, to give them” an obedient heart. And from among the tribes of Israel also many “humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem.” These kept the feast with great joy and gladness, verse 21. Yes, so did they delight in the pious work, that when they had fulfilled the week which God had appointed for the celebration of the feast, they were anxious to continue it another week, verse 23, notwithstanding the protracting of the period interfered with the pressing engagements of the harvest.

Say whether this was not a rich compensation to Hezekiah for all the ridicule which the despisers of his piety had cast upon him? Yes, if one soul is of more value than the whole world, no doubt but that the welfare of so many souls was in his eyes an abundant recompense for all his toil and labor.

That we may not confine our thoughts to the events of that day, but may render them profitable to our own souls, I shall consider myself as a messenger sent on a similar occasion to you, not from an earthly monarch, but from the King of kings.

I would call you to keep a Passover unto the Lord; for “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” O consider the benefits you derive from his blood sprinkled on your souls!

Think of yourselves as the very first-born whom he has redeemed unto God, and who are Lord’s peculiar portion.

Think how grievously this mystery has been neglected by you and by all around you.

Think how manifest is his indignation against the despisers of his love and mercy!

See, and tell me: are not the great mass around you enslaved by sin, and carried captive by the devil at his will? Have not you yourselves too much reason to fear his displeasure on account of your multiplied iniquities? Turn then unto him in penitence and prayer; yes, turn unto him with your whole hearts! I would urge this by every consideration that is proper to influence the human mind.

Think how gracious your Redeemer is, and ready both to receive you to mercy, and to deliver you out of the hands of your spiritual enemies.

Think too how awful will be the consequence of continuing to rebel against him, “Be no longer stiff-necked,” but turn to him, and “yield yourselves entirely to him.” “This is your reasonable service, Romans 12:1.” If ungodly men deride and mock your piety, let it suffice that you shall at least have the approbation of your God.

And to you who have influence let me say: Exert that influence in behalf of all to whom it can extend. Use it abroad as well as at home; among enemies, as well as friends. Seek to recover the dispersed of Israel and of Judah to the service of their God, that they may participate with you in the mercies purchased for them by the blood of the Paschal Lamb.

Charles Simeon