From the King's Hand

From the King's Hand

 

2 Chronicles 35:7 (NIV)

 

"Josiah provided for all the lay people who were there a total of thirty thousand sheep and goats for the Passover offerings, and also three thousand cattle--all from the king's own possessions."

 

Josiah was the last of the "good" kings that served Judah before the nation fell into captivity and exile in Babylon.  He was the final king to bring reforms to the nation.  He became king when he was only eight years old and reigned thirty one years.  During that time he proved to be a great king removing idolatry and repairing the temple.  The Book of the Law was found during his reign and he poured his heart into leading the nation back into obedience, renewing the covenant with God.  In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, after all his reforms, the Passover was celebrated and not just any Passover, this was the greatest Passover that was seen in a long time.  "The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem. (verse 18)."

 

The Passover was a major event in the life of the nation.  It was the celebration and memorial to the greatest event of their lives.  When the Lord delivered them from Egypt with His mighty hand and made them into His people, He did so with a lamb that was sacrificed and blood that was placed on their doorpost.  The Passover was the annual celebration of their salvation.  As King Josiah recognized the need to return to all the practices that were outlined in the book of the law, he saw the importance and significance of the Passover as commemorating the very fact of their deliverance and salvation.  Now when the Passover was instituted for the Israelites, each family was to provide a lamb without blemish for the sacrifice to be roasted and eaten to celebrate what the Lord had done for them.  Over the years the Passover had sometimes been celebrated and sometimes forgotten.  Either way it had certainly lost a lot of it's importance throughout the years.  When King Josiah read the Book of the Law and began to understand just how great the deliverance from Egypt was and just how important the Passover should be in the lives of the people, he prepared for a great celebration.  One thing about this Passover that could be overlooked which I feel is extremely significant is the fact that King Josiah provided the animals for the sacrifices from his own possessions.

 

The king himself provided a great abundance from his own wealth for the people.  The sacrifice that the people were to provide was provided for them.  The celebration and commemoration of the deliverance and salvation that was to be a part of the covenant people's lives was planned by the king, provided by the king and was an incredible amount of abundant blessing given so that the people could celebrate the fact of their deliverance and salvation.

 

King Josiah in this story is a picture of our King Jesus.  He is the King of King and Lord of Lords and He is the GREATEST King of all time.  He is the beloved and only begotten of God and all the riches of heaven belong to him.  The deliverance and salvation of the Nation of Israel is a shadow of the deliverance from sin and the great salvation provided to us through the sacrifice of the true and perfect Passover Lamb.  The eating of the lamb represents our feeding on the Body of our Lord the bread of life, celebrated with the bread of communion.  While we enjoy the benefits of deliverance and salvation and celebrate it, it was all provided for us through the abundant provision of all good things that are in our Lord Jesus Christ.  Our King has planned and ordained the whole system of salvation for us.  It is He who provides the sacrifice for us, one that is rightfully ours to provide He gives from Himself.  Even the ability to rejoice and celebrate in worship is given from Him.  

 

He gives from His own glorious supply of riches to us.  Romans 8:17 says that we are co-heirs with Christ.  Phillipians 4:19 tells us that our God provides all we could ever need according to the riches of His Glory in Christ Jesus.  And in the story of the prodigal son we here the father telling the older son that all he had was his.  The abundance of riches, of supply, of goodness, of blessing, of health and wholeness belong to the King and they are given to you and I freely.  Josiah gave abundantly but our King gives without measure.  The people rejoiced in the day of good king Josiah but we celebrate the greatest days ever, the days of the New Covenant.  Our King provides everything necessary for our salvation, our celebration, our joy, our peace, our rest, and our life.  It all comes from the Kings hand and nothing is required from us receive and enjoy.  This is our God!  Unmerited, unearned, undeserved and unlimited favor supplied and freely given by his GRACE!  Receive the gift and rejoice! 

 

Grace to you,

 

Pastor Tony

Freedom Church, USA