Images of the Savior (Hezekiah’s Re-Institution of the Passover)

2 Chronicles 30:20-21 “And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people. And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness…”

In all the sacred histories of the nation of Israel, the reader who loves Christ and is taught by the Spirit is everywhere confronted with beautiful images, types, and foreshadows of the coming Messiah’s person and work. This sacred history as typical history no doubt reaches its peak in the golden era of David and Solomon; but even after their rich and fruitful reigns, there follows much history which is well-suited to instruct one in the gospel-truths of Christ. Perhaps this instructive quality finds its deepest expression in the person and reign of Hezekiah, a notable type of the Redeemer. And of the many ways in which his qualities and actions tend to signify the Savior who would come from his line, the most striking is certainly his re-institution of the Passover; which is the occurrence to which we hope to devote the majority of our time. God, open our eyes!

It is paramount, first of all, that we note the royal history which precedes Hezekiah’s advent to the throne. After Israel’s typical history had reached its zenith in the days of Solomon, in accordance with the prophecy of Moses (Deuteronomy 4:25-28), God gradually began casting off his people, and sending them into exile. First, he tore away ten tribes from the rightful heir of David (1 Kings 11:11-13); these tribes, even in the days of Hezekiah, he finally sent into exile, scattering them throughout the world (2 Kings 17:5-8). Moreover, he had at this time indicated through his servants the prophets, that he was soon to exact the same punishment of rejection, exile, and dispersion upon his people in Judah; indeed, even his holy city and the very temple of Solomon would soon be destroyed (e.g. Isaiah 5:1-7)! However, mingled with the threats of Moses and all the prophets were blessed assurances of a subsequent gathering and regenerating of a remnant of this exiled people, extending even to their entire re-constitution as the true people of God (e.g. Deuteronomy 4:29-31; Isaiah 1:25-27; Amos 9:11). This history of exile and restoration was no doubt typical of the future life of Christ, the suffering Servant of God, who would undergo God’s rejection, and, in consequence thereof, would restore God’s people; and he himself would enter into a far greater and vaster glory. Of which point the contemporary prophet Isaiah speaks much.

Consider now how well-fitted Hezekiah is to be a type of the coming Christ: for first of all, he is of the seed of David, as the Christ had to be. Then, he sits upon the throne of David, as it was said of the Christ that he should do. Moreover, when an overwhelming enemy confronts those who remain of the people of God, he mediates for them, and in consequence they are miraculously delivered; which we gather from the history of Sennacherib (2 Kings 18-19). Finally, and more to the point at hand, he restores to the remnant the true religion, on the basis of nothing but the blood of the spotless, substitutionary lamb; in result of which, the people of God celebrate a joyous feast such as had not been experienced since the days when Israel began to decline. This latter demands fuller attention.

Let us note some of the ways in which Hezekiah, as he re-established the Passover, was foreshadowing the work of Christ, by which he would re-constitute his people, restore their true worship, and provide for them a most solemn and joyful feast.

First, Hezekiah preserved and gathered together a remnant of God’s people, after the rest had been cast off; so Christ, after he had died, gathered together a remnant to be his true people, as we learn from Ephesians 2:11-19, and Romans 9:22-26; which is, moreover, in accordance with the prophecy, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called” (Acts 15:16-17). Second, at the occurrence of this re-instituted Passover, Hezekiah gathered together both the escaped survivors of Israel and the godly of Judah, so joining them together as one people again (2 Chronicles 30:1-13); which is again that which it was said of the Christ, that he should do (Ezekiel 37:15-25); and which he did, moreover, breaking down all barriers of ethnicity, so that all the remnant, from every nation, should be one people (Galatians 3:26-29). Third, Hezekiah, came into a time of godlessness, and, from a world of iniquity, raised up a godly band of worshipers (note that his reign followed that of Ahaz, who did not do that which is right in the sight of God. See 2 Chronicles 28). So Christ came into a godless world, and raised up out of it a band of true worshipers (see John 1:10-13). Fourth, Hezekiah celebrated his notable Passover, not in the first month, as was originally commanded, but in the second month, as the Law of God made provision for (Numbers 9:10-11); so also, Christ took a people who had failed to keep the covenant as it was first given; but, as the prophets made provision, he enacted a second, better covenant, which his true people did indeed keep by regenerative grace, although they had broken the first (see, for example, Jeremiah 31:31-33). Fifth, Hezekiah’s summons to the feast was mocked by the majority to whom it came; but a remnant of grace observed it (2 Chronicles 30:10-11); So Christ was rejected and mocked, but found a remnant who received his summons to the banquet provided by him (cf. Luke 14:16-27). Sixth, God gave the remnant who observed the worship a genuine unity of heart, through the word (2 Chronicles 30:12); as Christ also prayed that the Father would grant to his people unity, they having been sanctified by the word of truth (John 17:13-21). Seventh, when the people, whose heart was to worship, were still shot through with many notable flaws, Hezekiah interceded for them, and God therefore accepted there imperfect works as if they were wholly acceptable (2 Chronicles 30:18-20); so Christ intercedes for us, and so our well-intentioned but imperfect works are accepted by God, because he hears our Savior’s plea (see Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2). Eighth, Hezekiah, after having re-instituted the Passover, thoroughly re-structured the people of God, and their worship (2 Chronicles 31:1-21); which Christ also did, but much more thoroughly and fully (see John 4:21-24).

In all of these ways, Hezekiah foreshadowed in a marvelous and richly instructive way the coming Christ, who would fulfill, not the shadow, as Hezekiah, but the substance of all these things. Soon Christ was to come into a world having been utterly cast off and forsaken, but for a small remnant; soon he would restore them, and gather them all together into one new people; soon he would give them unity of heart; soon he would utterly renovate their worship, changing the shadow for the reality; soon he would provide for them a feast of great joy (Revelation 19:7-9); and he would do all these things on the sole basis of his sacrifice of himself as the pure, substitutionary lamb. How beautiful and encouraging must this glimpse have been to the remnant in the days of Hezekiah! And so must it also be beautiful and encouraging to us, for whom it has been preserved, by the inspiration and superintendence of the Holy Spirit, as an “admonition (1 Corinthians 10:11).

In conclusion, let us draw two lessons that we ought to learn from this account: first, there is no blessing, no joyous feast, no unity of heart, no restoration, that is not undergirded and made possible by the lamb-work of Christ, in whose blood we find our every gift of grace. This Hezekiah demonstrated, by the central position that the typical Passover played in all of the bountiful gifts with which God adorned his reign. We must learn this lesson well: for to ignore it is to cast our own souls upon the very brink of eternal and utter damnation! Second, the result of this marvelous Lamb-work of Christ is love and unity among all of his worshipers. If the Passover brought together in unity those who were formerly enemies, oh, how much more ought we to be united with our brothers in Christ, who have tasted, not just the firstfruits, but the whole harvest of God’s bountiful feast of grace! If we have been redeemed by Christ; if we have eaten his body and drunk his blood, and so have been brought into eternal life (John 6:53-56); then we are one lump and one loaf with all the saints (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). How tragic is the merest division and disunity among those who are Christ’s! Is Christ divided (1 Corinthians 1:13)? Are we in him (1 Corinthians 1:30)? Then let us seek true love and unity with our brothers. For in so doing, we will glorify Christ, who bled to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

Leave a Reply