Josiah’s reinstitution of the Passover revived the nation’s faith in God’s promises.
But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem (v.23). This statement highlights King Josiah’s remarkable commitment to follow God’s commands by restoring an ancient feast that had been long neglected. Josiah, who reigned in Judah from 640 to 609 BC, experienced a profound renewal in his eighteenth year, when the Book of the Law was discovered in the temple and read aloud to him, spurring a nationwide spiritual revival. In ordering the Passover celebration, he led his people to remember the miraculous deliverance God had provided centuries before, echoing the covenant made at Sinai and the instructions reiterated through Moses (Exodus 12; Deuteronomy 16).
The verse specifically mentions that the Passover was kept “in Jerusalem,” underscoring the centrality of the holy city as a place uniquely associated with God’s presence and the temple. Jerusalem served as the hub of worship for Judah, where faithful Israelites would gather for festivals, sacrifices, and renewed fellowship under the covenant. By overseeing the Passover in the very city that King David had established as Israel’s capital, Josiah reoriented his nation back to the LORD during a tumultuous period, when idolatry had become entrenched in the land.
Through this reform, King Josiah demonstrated genuine dedication to follow God’s Word, foreshadowing the ultimate deliverance offered by Jesus, who is called our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7) and who similarly brought a renewal of worship and relationship with God. This celebration in Josiah’s eighteenth year marked a moment of national repentance and revival, reminding all generations of the power of returning to the LORD’s covenant.
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2 Kings 23:23 meaning
But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem (v.23). This statement highlights King Josiah’s remarkable commitment to follow God’s commands by restoring an ancient feast that had been long neglected. Josiah, who reigned in Judah from 640 to 609 BC, experienced a profound renewal in his eighteenth year, when the Book of the Law was discovered in the temple and read aloud to him, spurring a nationwide spiritual revival. In ordering the Passover celebration, he led his people to remember the miraculous deliverance God had provided centuries before, echoing the covenant made at Sinai and the instructions reiterated through Moses (Exodus 12; Deuteronomy 16).
The verse specifically mentions that the Passover was kept “in Jerusalem,” underscoring the centrality of the holy city as a place uniquely associated with God’s presence and the temple. Jerusalem served as the hub of worship for Judah, where faithful Israelites would gather for festivals, sacrifices, and renewed fellowship under the covenant. By overseeing the Passover in the very city that King David had established as Israel’s capital, Josiah reoriented his nation back to the LORD during a tumultuous period, when idolatry had become entrenched in the land.
Through this reform, King Josiah demonstrated genuine dedication to follow God’s Word, foreshadowing the ultimate deliverance offered by Jesus, who is called our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7) and who similarly brought a renewal of worship and relationship with God. This celebration in Josiah’s eighteenth year marked a moment of national repentance and revival, reminding all generations of the power of returning to the LORD’s covenant.