CONVICTED

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:

 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ‘This is what the Lord says’:

‘I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’

Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard’:

‘Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”

So they took her answer back to the king.

2 Chronicles 34:14-28

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

All was going well in Judah. Josiah had assumed the throne from his evil father Amon and went to work immediately reforming the kingdom and returning worship back toward God.

Judah and Jerusalem were purged of all high places, Asherah poles, and idols. The Baal and incense altars were destroyed. The bones of the priests who had advocated worship of false gods were burned on the very altars they built to worship on. Idols were crushed into powder.

Josiah then set about purifying the land and the temple of the Lord before beginning temple repairs. Money was collected to pay the laborers and purchase materials for the work. The entire focus was back where it should have been all along. The focus was on God and God alone.

So what could possibly go wrong in the midst of so much positivity?

Look at today’s scripture from 2 Chronicles, Chapter 34, to find out:

While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.” He gave it to Shaphan.

Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: “Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.” Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant:

 “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ‘This is what the Lord says’:

‘I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’

Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard’:

‘Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’”

So they took her answer back to the king.

I find this fascinating but not exactly surprising. Because for as much good as the king and his people were doing in the name of the Lord, note that they were doing so without the word of the Lord present. We know this because the scripture tells us that the Book of the Law that had been given to Moses and passed down from generation to generation was found by the priest Hilkiah.

Found.

This means it wasn’t in possession of anyone, especially the priests who were responsible for leading worship and spiritually advising the people. It would be akin to a church only having one Bible for the pastor and its people but it had been misplaced and so the pastor and the people carried on living and serving God without it and the guidance it brings.

Well, we read that after the Book of the Law was found, it was immediately taken to King Josiah who asked Shaphan, his secretary, to read it to him. When Josiah heard the word read, he instantly reacted humbly in repentance as he was convicted of just how much the Israelite ancestors had sinned and violated the tenets of the word of God. He was convicted simply by the reading of scriptures and so will we if we do likewise.

For this is what happens when we spend time in the Bible each and every day. We are instructed as to how we are to live in righteousness and anything about us that is acting or has acted contrary to this is exposed and laid bare, the darkness of transgression illuminated by the light of the Lord with the resultant conviction leading us to guilt and a quest for atonement as we kneel before God and seek His forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Josiah’s humble repentance spared himself and Judah from God’s coming judgment but as we read, judgment was coming, just not in the time of Josiah’s rule. What was done was done and the Israelites needed to be taught a lesson for God will not stand by and be disrespected or slighted. He said there would be no other gods before Him and He meant what He said. He meant it in the times of Old Testament Israel and He means it today. If we continue to read the word of the Lord, we’ll always be reminded of this as well as other commandments and expectations.

Question: Do you read God’s word daily? Do you actively seek His conviction and guidance?

If your word of God is hidden away, it’s time you find it, open it, and read it. It’s ready to enlighten you, lead you toward God’s will for your life, and convict you of all the things you need to change to be the person that God wants you to be.

My prayer is that you will seek that, not just today, but every day and I promise through The Christian Walk ministry to offer you the opportunity to stay connected to God’s word and the instruction it brings.

Amen

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com