With each new year, numbers continue to grow in those who are wanting to keep the biblical appointed times. As most of you know (some may not), Passover is the first appointed time (in other words, the first biblical holiday) of the new year. It’s a beautiful time where we get to reflect on the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt, and also reflect and rejoice in the fact that Yahusha our Messiah became the Passover Lamb for us. This appointed time is so meaningful because His sacrifice changed EVERYTHING.
Passover is something we are commanded to keep as a memorial “forever” (Exodus 12:14).
As more people get excited to celebrate these important times, I see a lot of excitement met with anxiety, as many don’t know what day to keep it, what they should be doing, how to celebrate it, etc. Many are waking up to the fact that we were supposed to be honoring these special times all along, but as with everything else, we have to use discernment to make sure we aren’t falling into traditions of men along the way.
I want to talk about a passage in 2 Chronicles 30, in hopes that this will bring you some encouragement if you are new to keeping Passover (or any of the appointed times).
During Hezekiah’s reign as King of Judah, one of the reformations he made was to reinstitute the celebration of Passover throughout all of Israel and Judah. It says in 2 Chronicles 30:5 that “they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahuah Elohim of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.”
That last part though: “they had not done it for a long time.”
How many of us can relate to this?
Some of us (myself included!) have gone our whole lives without keeping this special day, and now the proclamation has gone out and has been received in our hearts and now we are truly desiring to keep His Passover! HalleluYAH! We are doing the same things that Hezekiah did—tearing down the idols, abomination, and sin in our lives so that we can truly return to Yah.
So, we read on in Chapter 30, and in verse 15 it says they celebrated Passover. But here’s the thing...they didn’t do it right according to the commandments. In verse 17 it says that “many in the congregation were not sanctified.” In verse 18 it says that “a multitude of the people...had not cleansed themselves, yet they did eat the Passover.”
BUT THEN...
But then it says in verses 19-20 that “Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘The good Yahuah pardon every one that prepares his heart to seek Elohim.’ And Yahuah hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.”
The point is, is that the people didn’t keep it the way they were supposed to, but guess what?
“YAHUAH HEARKENED TO HEZEKIAH.”
Yahuah turned His ear to Hezekiah’s intercessory prayers, and He received the people’s praise and offerings, EVEN THOUGH they didn’t do it correctly.
Why?
Because “Yahuah pardons those who prepare their heart to seek Him.”
Because Yahuah “desires mercy and not sacrifice” (Hosea 6:6).
Because the true sacrifices Yahuah has always wanted is “a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17).
The torah (commandments) have ALWAYS been about the posture of the heart—because His commandments are given to us to help us know HIM better. That’s why Scripture continues to reiterate that our Father desires mercy over burnt offerings/sacrifice.
Yahuah received their praise and offerings because although they hadn’t celebrated Passover in so long, the point was that they WANTED to return to Him.
Our Father desires mercy. The Hebrew word used for “pardon” in 2 Chronicles 30:18 is “kapar,” and it means “to cover, atone for, or reconcile.”
It’s not saying that Yahuah excused or accepted their sin, it’s saying He atoned for it with His grace and mercy. He covered them with it because that’s the heart of who our Father is.
So many of us are new to keeping the Passover. While Israel and Judah hadn’t kept it in so long, many of us were never even taught about it.
Now, many of us are desiring to keep it but don’t know where to start or what calendar to use. If you are new to this, I just want to encourage you that wherever you start, Yahuah will meet you there. The more you do it and continue to study these things out, the more you will grow and learn every year.
We all have to start somewhere. The only thing you need to be sure of and the only question you need to know the answer to is, like the Israelites in Scripture, are YOU also preparing your heart to seek Yahuah?
In everything you do, ask Yah. Seek Yah.
If you don’t know how to celebrate Passover yet, that’s OKAY.
If you don’t know which calendar to follow yet, that’s OKAY.
Keep seeking. Keep studying. Keep praying. Keep learning. Keep growing.
Never stop pursuing Him with all of your heart.
Scripture makes it clear: Yahuah is good and He pardons (covers) those who prepare their heart to seek Him. Note that this promise is only for those who seek HIM—not another person or traditions of men. Let your loving obedience fill your cup with joy, and enjoy the journey of spending the rest of your life in constant pursuit to grow in your obedience as you learn to love Him more and more.
The best is yet to come.
With Love,
Stephanie Green