Josiah's Great Passover

Dear Brethren,

We have heard of Josiah's great Passover.  It took place at a time of terrible sin and idolatry in Jerusalem and throughout Judah.  There was no king like unto King Josiah who turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him. (2 Kings 23:25)

At a time when the Feasts of the Lord were all but forgotten, Hilkiah, the high priest during Josiah's reign had found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.  Josiah made a covenant before the Lord, [for himself and for all the people] to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. (2 Kings 23:3)

Josiah commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.  Surely there was not held such a Passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah. (2 Kings 23:21-22)

Josiah was so generous and motivated that his plans to keep God's Feast turned into a super-Passover.  That celebration was so great and observed with such solemnity that not only did the people of Judah come, many of those of the northern tribes of Israel attended as well.

"Moreover Josiah kept a Passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem: and they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month... And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the Passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king's substance... 

"And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem." (2 Chronicles 35:1,7,18)

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