Today I learned something interesting about Passover. Although the original Passover meal occurred in homes, the subsequent Passover celebratory meals weren’t supposed to be in people’s homes! 

You must not sacrifice the Passover in any town the Lord your God gives you except in the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name. There you must sacrifice the Passover in the evening, when the sun goes down, on the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. Roast it and eat it at the place the Lord your God will choose. Then in the morning return to your tents (emphasis added).

Deuteronomy 16:5-7 (NIV)

These verses reveal that the Passover meal was to be eaten in the Temple once it was built. Before the Temple was built, the Passover meal would have been eaten at the Tabernacle. Although the Lord told the Israelites to celebrate Passover this way, it was rarely, if ever, celebrated like this or at all. This is why Hezekiah and Josiah stand out as righteous kings.

There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 30:26 (NIV)

The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 35:18 (NIV)

The Passover was a big deal celebrating the end of bondage, yet the Israelites didn’t honor it the way it was supposed to be celebrated. It’s like they forgot what God did for them. I don’t want to forget what God has done and is doing for me.