If there were ever a culture dominated by rules, it was the Jewish culture of the Old Testament. Rules? Not just rules! They tried to live by the laws of Moses.
In the history of the Jews, way after Moses led them out of Egypt, way after Joshua brought them into the promised land, way after the period of the judges, way after Saul and David and Solomon, there was a king that came to the throne in Jerusalem by the name of Hezekiah.
The history of these “chosen people of God” was not very pretty leading up to Hezekiah’s ascension to the throne. They had flipped back and forth from following the Lord, the one true God, to turning their backs on Him and following other gods. They had some kings who tried to bring the people to God but many more who “did what was right in his own eyes.” Hezekiah’s father, Ahaz, was that second type of king.
But Hezekiah, “In the first month of the first year of his reign,” set out to open and purify the temple, called the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves to be ceremonially clean, and sent word out to people from all the tribes to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (which had been ignored for a long time).
The problems they ran into were technical. “Many had not consecrated themselves.” “They were not ceremonially clean and could not consecrate their lambs to the Lord.” “Most of the many people who came from (far tribes) had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrarytowhatwaswritten.”
Here was a real challenge in this rules-driven culture. Listen to how Hezekiah responded.
But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God…even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
Is following rules important? Certainly! Does following rules get you closer to God? No! Set your heart on seeking God. As you draw closer to Him, following “the rules” becomes more natural for you.
