Time Passes Quickly

O. T. #1,001  "Time Passes Quickly"
June 12, 2017
2 Chronicles 35

LET IT GLOW

King Josiah made a total commitment to God on the part of Judah. There was no halfhearted service; no going with the world and trying to go with God as well. There was a clear-cut dedication of heart and life to God When that takes place, the Spirit of god is free to move. (McGee)

All the days of his life they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers. (34:33)

Did you notice that we only have 2 more chapters left in this book that Ezra wrote to the Jews returning to Jerusalem?

What happened in this chapter?

• Josiah kept the Passover in Jerusalem. (verse 1) This was confirmation of his obedience to the newly found Law. 
• He assigned the priests to their duties and encouraged them to work in the Temple. (verse 2)
• He ordered the Levites, who taught all Israel and had been set apart to serve the LORD, to put the Ark in the Temple, which was built by Solomon. (verse 3)
• The Levites were to no longer needed to carry the Ark back and forth on their shoulders.
• They were told to spend their time serving the LORD their God and His people Israel.
• They were to report for duty according to the family divisions of their ancestors, according to the directions of King David. (verse 4)
• The Levites were to stand in the sanctuary at the place appointed for their family division and help the families assigned to them as they brought their offerings to the Temple. (verse 5)
• The Levites were told to purify themselves, slaughter the Passover lambs, and prepare to help those who came to the Temple, following the directions the LORD gave Moses. (verse 6)

Liberty Bible Commentary explains:

Apparently, the Ark had been removed, possibly for one or two reasons:                       (1) It had been removed from the Most Holy Place during the reign of one of the preceding wicked kings, either by a king himself of by the priests to protect it from the king by hiding;                                                                                                                   (2) It had been removed while the Temple was being repaired.

Since the Ark was permanently housed in the Temple, King Josiah noted that the Levites were free to perform other responsibilities. (In Moses' day, the Levites carried the Ark as the Israelites traveled through the wilderness some 40 years.)

Are we freed from our sinful lifestyle to serve God? It comes from repentance and turning to Christ.


LET IT GROW

In verses 7-9, we read of the huge amounts of animals which Josiah and his princes provided the people: 30,000 lambs, 3,000 bulls, 2,600 cattle, and 300 oxen.
The service was prepared;the priests and Levites stood in their place. The Passover lambs were roasted. Then the following week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread meat was boiled in pots. It all lasted a total of seven days.
The singers and musicians, in addition to the gate keepers, were serving in their assigned  places.

Never since the time of the prophet Samuel had there been such a Passover. (verse 18)


Even the 17,000 lambs of Hezekiah's great Passover did not compare to Josiah's 30,000 lambs offered at the Passover.

God's people remembered their ancestors being freed from the slavery in Egypt as they observed the Passover, which was symbolic of the death of Christ to come. Four hundred years had passed since this happened.

Time seems to pass quickly the older you get. I had heard that from my elders, but didn't understand until my experiencing it in my own life. As children we can't wait to be a teenager. Then we want the twenty's to come. After that, it doesn't seem to be a big deal, until the middle ages hit. Then we realize our life may be half over and what have we accomplished? Soon we older folks will be in heaven, waiting on the younger ones to join us. Then we will all enjoy a new heaven and new earth together with Jesus. What a joyous time!

LET IT GO

Do not depart from God's Word.

Freely serve our Lord Jesus while we have time here.

Share His love and salvation so others can be in heaven with us.