What is the meaning of 2 Chronicles 35:16? So on that day “So on that day” (2 Chronicles 35:16) puts us in a single, decisive moment—the fourteenth day of the first month (2 Chronicles 35:1). • A specific calendar date matters because God had ordained it from the first Passover night in Egypt (Exodus 12:6). • By using “that day,” the writer signals a historic, once-in-a-generation obedience, echoing the description in 2 Kings 23:21-23 where no Passover like it had been kept since the days of the judges. • The phrase reminds us that when God’s Word is rediscovered (2 Chronicles 34:14-19), obedience follows quickly and concretely, not in vague intentions. the entire service of the LORD was carried out The “service of the LORD” embraces every duty commanded for worship. • Priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers—each had a role (2 Chronicles 35:2-6; compare 1 Chronicles 23:28-32). • Nothing was neglected; everything was “carried out,” echoing Hezekiah’s earlier reform where “the service of the house of the LORD was set in order” (2 Chronicles 29:35). • God values order in worship (1 Corinthians 14:40). When Scripture sets the pattern, wholehearted obedience brings unity and joy (Psalm 133:1). for celebrating the Passover Passover stands at the heart of Israel’s story—redemption by the blood of the lamb (Exodus 12:13-14; Deuteronomy 16:1-8). • Josiah’s generation relived God’s deliverance, renewing covenant identity (Exodus 19:4-6). • The festival points forward to “Christ, our Passover lamb” sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 22:15-20). • Every element—lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread—preaches rescue from slavery and calls worshipers to personal remembrance. and offering burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD Alongside the Passover lambs came burnt offerings, symbols of total consecration (Leviticus 1:3-9). • Numbers 28:16-24 prescribes additional sacrifices during Passover week; Josiah obeyed fully (2 Chronicles 35:14). • Burnt offerings ascend in smoke—nothing held back—which mirrors Romans 12:1, the call to present our bodies as living sacrifices. • The altar anchors worship; without atonement there is no fellowship (Hebrews 10:10). according to the command of King Josiah Josiah’s “command” flows from the Book of the Law he had read aloud (2 Chronicles 34:29-31). • A king under God’s Word models servant leadership, fulfilling Deuteronomy 17:18-20. • Scripture praises him: “Before him there was no king like him…turning to the LORD with all his heart” (2 Kings 23:25). • His directions ensured every tribe, priest, and family could participate (2 Chronicles 35:7-9), highlighting how godly authority protects and promotes true worship. summary 2 Chronicles 35:16 pictures a landmark day when Josiah’s reforms culminated in meticulous, heartfelt obedience. Every detail—time, people, sacrifices—matched God’s revealed pattern, demonstrating that revival is proved in action. As Israel remembered redemption through Passover and burnt offerings, today’s believers see the foreshadowing of Christ’s complete sacrifice and are invited to respond with the same thorough, joyful surrender. |