This feast, agreeable to the original appointment by Moses, followed up the holy service of the passover. And the joy of the people, of all ranks and orders among them, can better be conceived than expressed. It may serve to show the holy joy that is in the heart of one poor sinner in an house, in a family, in a nation or kingdom, when a real conversion takes place in the soul, and amity and friendship, are again restored between heaven and earth. Then everything is sanctified. The most ordinary enjoyments are sanctified. When the Lord hath blessed a soul with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; he blesses him in making a covenant with everything and every creature, both in his basket and in his store. Reader! if Jesus be yours, all things are yours. He that overcometh (saith Jesus himself) shall inherit all things; and I will be his God; and he shall be my son. Revelation 21:7. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works. Ecclesiastes 9:7-8. The garment the sinner wears of Jesus's righteousness is always white; and his head lacks no ointment, because the Holy Ghost sheds abroad his grace abundantly upon him in Christ Jesus. Hosea 2:18-20. Observe in this account of the close of this great festival how the priests blessed the people. Long neglected as this divine service had been, even from the days of Solomon, yet the form appointed by the Lord (see Numbers 6:22, etc.) had not been forgotten. Oh! how sweet is it to bless the people in the joint name of the Father, Son and Spirit. And how sure is it when done by his authority, that the blessing pronounced on earth will be confirmed in heaven.
2 Chronicles 30:21-27
21 And the children of Israel that were presentd at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
22 And Hezekiah spake comfortablye unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days: and they kept other seven days with gladness.
24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did givef to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in Judah, rejoiced.
26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem.
27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holyg dwelling place, even unto heaven.