“The good LORD pardon all who set their hearts to seek God, the LORD the God of their ancestors, even though not in accordance with the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.”

So the people ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing offerings of well-being and giving thanks to the LORD the God of their ancestors.

Then the priests and the Levites stood up and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; their prayer came to his holy dwelling in heaven.

Have you ever experienced the joyful release of a new start? A renewed life, cleaned up and ready to forge a hopeful future? The prayers in this story about King Hezekiah and the Temple renewal are excellent models for our own prayers.

Background

Under King Hezekiah, the Temple had been renovated and repaired. The worship and sacrificial systems were reviewed and reinstituted properly. After all was in place, the first regular Festival was to be held at the Temple: the Passover. The King wanted to use this important event as a way to bring the north and south together, so he sent couriers throughout Judah and Israel with invitations. Though not all in the north (Israel) responded (some even mocked the couriers and the concept) many did come.

The priests began the preparations, and the writer tells us that they were ashamed, though not why. Perhaps it is because in the preparation for the Festival they realized how far they had strayed from their function and practices. Or it could be what came next: they realized that many people (including priests!) had not been purified for the ceremony, as required by the Law of Moses. They offered a sacrifice for this problem, but the author also tells us that some still ate the Passover meal in improper ways. (Maybe this had to do with how one was to prepare in the days and weeks leading up to the ceremony; once it had begun, it was too late to remedy.)

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