2 Chronicles 30:1–12 (October 21, 2025)

Passover Celebrated

30:1 Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— 3 for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— 4 and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. 5 So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. 6 So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying, “O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. 8 Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

10 So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. 11 However, some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord.

Return to the Lord: The Grace of a Second Chance

Summary

After cleansing the temple and restoring worship, King Hezekiah sent couriers throughout Judah and Israel with a remarkable invitation:

This was no small act. The northern kingdom had already fallen to Assyria. Many of its people were exiled, scattered, or living in fear. Yet, instead of condemnation, Hezekiah sent a gracious appeal, a call to repentance and reunion.

He invited even the remnants of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Zebulun to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover together. For the first time in generations, the doors of mercy were open again.

Sadly, some mocked the messengers (v. 10). But others humbled themselves and came (v. 11). Hezekiah’s invitation was a picture of God’s heart. It is persistent grace calling a wayward people "home."

Who Is God

God is the covenant Lord whose mercy is greater than our rebellion. Even after judgment fell on the northern tribes, God called them. He does not erase His covenant promises because of our failures.

The same God who had every right to abandon His people instead sent an invitation. God's message, "Return to Me, and I will return to you," echoes the timeless covenant refrain of Zechariah 1:3 and Malachi 3:7. He is still calling us today.

What Is Our Guilt

Like Israel, we too have often drifted from the Lord while convincing ourselves that we still belong to Him. The doors of our hearts, like the temple under Ahaz, can easily close when comfort, compromise, or cynicism take over.

Our guilt is not only rebellion but indifference. We may hear God’s call, but often we make light of it by mocking it, or worse, ignoring it altogether. The people who laughed at Hezekiah’s messengers (v. 10) mirror our modern tendency to dismiss repentance as outdated or unnecessary.

We may even prefer isolation to humility, staying in our “own kingdom” rather than joining the messy, beautiful work of corporate worship and renewal. But the truth is, when we resist God’s invitation, we also resist His healing.

How Does Grace Shine

Grace shines in God’s offer of a second chance, not to the deserving but to the brokenhearted. The couriers Hezekiah sent northward were messengers of grace, bearing the same message the gospel still proclaims today. The Grace of God calls us to come "home."

This grace does not overlook sin. It overcomes sin. It does not erase the past. It redeems sin. The Passover Hezekiah prepared was a foreshadowing of the greater redemption in Christ, who is the true Passover Lamb. Through His blood, God calls not only Israel but all nations to return and live.

Even when mocked, God’s Word is not silenced. Some laughed, but others humbled themselves. And God accepted them. Grace does not depend on numbers or responses. It depends on God’s faithfulness.

We who carry the gospel are God’s “courier” sent to the world, declaring to prodigals, skeptics, and wanderers alike: “Return to the Lord, and He will return to you.” Hezekiah’s Passover call is our mission. We are not the gatekeepers of grace but its messengers. And every time we proclaim the gospel, we echo this timeless call:

Prayer

O Lord,

You are gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Thank you for calling us back when we turn away.

Forgive us for ignoring Your voice and for mocking what is holy.

Give us humble hearts to respond to Your invitation,

and one heart as Your people to worship You together in truth.

May the couriers of grace continue to go forth through us,

that many may return to the Lamb who was slain for our redemption.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our true Passover, we pray. Amen.