The Book of the Law Found

 

 

 

2 Chronicles 34:8-21

 

September 24, 2023

 

The Book of the Law Found

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.  They came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house.  They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.  And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were set Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. The Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music, were over the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service, and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.

While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given through Moses.  Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan.  Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing.  They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the Lord and have given it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen.”  Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it before the king.

And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes.  And the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.”

 

And that reminds me of Ken Ryan, my second mentor's words; Bob do you believe what we just read from God’s Word?  And my answer was a quick yes.  Ken would reply that not true, if you believe it, you would obey and do what it says.

 

Today's Church has not lost the Word of God, but many have ignored or not been compliant.  Jan and I were in Vienna, Austria, Valinda & Mark Kimmel, and Val, wanted to take us into Czechoslovakia, to see what living behind the Iron Curtain was like.  As she drove Jan and their two children were in the back seat with Jan and Valinda said children, I ask you not to do whatever they were doing.  Then she said we have taught you that obedience is obeying the first time you are told, and The Spirit of God said to me, Bob did you hear that, you need to do so.

 

That is a message the Church needs to hear, anything short of that is disobedience.  I often ask myself this question: What if, I did so, what if all that were followers of Christ did so?  How would the righteous Right Hand of our Lord change our Nation?  All I know is history and God’s written word tell us that obedience brings blessings, and disobedience brings about many troubles.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice