July 3 – I have found the Book of the Law!

July 3
2 Kings 22:3-23:30
Acts 21:37-22:16
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 18:11-12

2 Kings 22:8 – “I have found the book of the law” – This was the book that each king was commanded to hand copy. Amos prophesied a famine of the word of the LORD (Amos 8:11). Senator Zell Miller quoted that passage from Amos from the US Senate floor, and talked about our need for the Word.

Josiah apparently hadn’t seen the Book of the Law before. Good thing we live in America – where the average household has three copies of the entire Word of God. But only one of five Americans has read thru the entire Bible even once! We need to read it (2 Kings 22:10), and we need to repent for how we have disobeyed it (2 Kings 22:11).

2 Kings 22:16 – The Word of the LORD will come to pass. God does judge sin. And God angry at sin (2 Kings 22:17).

2 Kings 22:19 – What does God want? A tender heart, a humble soul, a repentant man to call upon Him!

2 Kings 23:2 – This year we will (God willing!) read thru the entire Bible. Some of our readers have told me they (as a husband and wife) are reading thru the Bible out loud! That is a great idea to keep God’s Word fresh. This year if you’re reading it thru silently, consider reading it aloud next year. Or hand copy ten verses a day until you’ve copied an entire book of the Bible (if you get distracted easily this is a great way to focus!).

2 Kings 23:3 – The covenant was made to obey the LORD, a renewal of the covenant that had last been renewed by Jehoiada (2 Kings 11:17). It was demonstrated by obedience to the Law in purging the violations of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:2 / 2 Kings 23:4), the false priests (2 Kings 23:5) that were the downfall of Korah (Numbers 16:3), destroyed the grove that was on the Temple Mount (2 Kings 23:6) as commanded (Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3, and explicitly in Deuteronomy 16:21, following the example of Gideon in Judges 6:28). He removed the Sodomites (2 Kings 23:7) as commanded in the Torah (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13). He ended the practice of offering children to Molech (2 Kings 23:10) as commanded in the Law (Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:2-5). He kept the Passover as commanded (Exodus 12:43, Leviticus 23:5, Numbers 9:2, Deuteronomy 16:1 – 2 Kings 23:22). He cleansed the land of wizards (Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11 – 2 Kings 23:23). He more than any other king followed the LORD with all his heart, soul and might (2 Kings 23:25) as God commanded (Deuteronomy 6:5) and Jesus reiterated (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27).

2 Kings 23:17 – Yes, Josiah, prophesied by name hundreds of years earlier (1 Kings 13:2), fulfilled the Word of the man of God.

Acts 21:37 – God used Paul’s training to prepare Him for times such as this with fluency in Greek (Acts 21:37) and Hebrew (Acts 22:2)

Acts 22:6 – Paul gladly shared his personal testimony of how he went from a persecutor of Jesus to a preacher of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to share your testimony!

Psalm 1:2 – Be like Josiah. Delight in the Law. Meditate in the Law. Obey the Law!

Proverbs 18:12 – The contrasts within Hebrew poetry show a clear break. Haughtiness or Humility. Destruction or Honor. Choose well!