The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Chronicles — Section 359

HOMILETICS. "Vers. 1-27.-The celebration of the Passover, with its sacred suggestions. The whole of thi, chapter is concerned with Hezekiah's call of priests, Levites, princes, and con- gregation of the people to observe and celebrate with himself the grand solemnity of the Passo"\"er. From the analogy of the precedent provided for individual cases of certain kinds of necessity (Numb. ix. 10), this celebration for the whole nation is fixed for the fourteenth day of the second month instead of the first. This wa.s the fourth of the seven ~pecial occasions, of which description with detail is given us in Scripture-the first of all in Egypt (Exod. xii.), the first in the desert (Numb. ix.), a.nd that of Joshua. at Gilgal, after the circumcision of the people and when the manna. ceased (Josh. v.), being the tl,·ee which preceded; and those that came after being the Passover celebrated by Josiah (eh. :xxxv.), by Ezra. on the return from the captivity at Babylon (Ezra vi.), and that ever-memorable one, the last of our blessed Lord's life on earth. 'l'he Passover was the first in time of the three great annual feasts which called wgether to Jerusalem all-yes, in happier times, all-from Dan even to Beersheba, the other two being tbe Feasts of Pentecost and of Tabernacles. It was also the first in the lifetime of the nation, and always the first in solemn significance. Not only the energy and earnestness, therefore, of Hezekiah in carrying through this celebration from first to last, but his Diviner wisdom and piety in determining and appointing it, may be noted, and dwelt upon in useful and suggestive detail as adapted to modem days: That great revival, for instance-one of the greatest the world and Church have ever seen-of modern Cburch-life, familiarly known to ourselves, was rooted in, and has grown up proportioned to, zealous attention to the sacraments, faith in them, and faithful observance of them. This goes to the root of all a nation's evil and malady! " If once," thought Hezekiah-" if but once a healthy breeze could pass over this erring and idolatrous, fevered and long-forlorn people, all might yet be well! " .A.t his prayer, and as the reward of his effort, the breeze came, nnd swept over the land. It refreshed weary and parched wastes; and some signs of healthiness, mingled with some signs of suspiciousness, appeared. Perhaps all was too late ; the disease too deep, and gone too far, too long! Nevertheless, it was none the less right on the part of Hezekiah to have tried the religious means, and used the highest of them. We may notice in them-not as matter of historic interest in the life of another nation merely-how, in virtue mainly of the presence of the Passover, they were fitted to touch all that was deepest, all that baply might "remain" (Rev. iii. 2) deepest and best in the hearts of the people. For instance, the Passover was undoubtedly- !. THE VIVID MEMORIAL OF AN UNPRECEDENTED BIRTH OF A NATION. Nor can it be said that this was an instance of a "nation born in a day." It gives more point, and it is just and true, to remember, that now it may be said of it that it was a. nation burn in a night ! One supreme, extraordinary effort of faith and obedience ushered that nation out of darkness into light. It might, indeed, have been hoped that this would stamp it for eve~ wit_h tbe corresJ?Onding native _and heredita.ry gr~nd qualiti~s. 'l'l,ere are senses in which it may be said that the nation had received 1n yet earlier ages its existence. Certainly the promise and the earnest of this ~au ~een fact. The germ of its existence had been in Abraham, and God's covenant with him. It showed to view in distinctness and separateness at the time and in the fact of its compact col'• porale descent into Egypt. There was a semblance of truth to support thla, and thete err. xxx. 1-27.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. 363