2 Chronicles 35 — Feast, Arrow, Lament
Feast: Josiah crowns his reform with a Passover “as written.” The Ark rests; Levites are re‑ordered; priests serve until night; the king’s generosity feeds the multitude. Note the careful wording: the Passover is roasted, while the other holy offerings are boiled—an exact obedience to Exodus 12 and temple law. This is Deuteronomy’s centralization in motion, a nation gathered to the Name.
Fault: Then, at Megiddo, an arrow ends a golden reign. Pharaoh Neco’s warning is said to be mi-pi ha-Elohim—“from the mouth of God.” The Chronicler dares to say God spoke through a foreign king. Josiah, unlike his earlier humility (ch. 34), refuses this word, disguises himself like Ahab, and falls. Great feasts demand continued listening.
Fulfillment: The best Passover could not save Judah; it pointed to the Lamb who can (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jeremiah’s lament for Josiah becomes a national catechism of loss—and a longing for a king who will not die.
Cross‑references: Exodus 12; Deuteronomy 16; 2 Chronicles 18; Zechariah 12:11; Isaiah 45:1.
Archaeology: Megiddo’s gate complex stands where Josiah met Neco (609 BC), on Egypt’s march to Carchemish.
Hymn: At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, our true Passover, teach us exact obedience and humble ears. Keep us from proud impulses after holy days. Speak—by Scripture, by wise counsel, even through unexpected mouths—and make us quick to yield. Amen.
Narrated version of this devotional on 2 Chronicles Chapter 35