The Book of the Lord is found

2 Chronicles Chapter 34

King Josiah reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years and did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. While he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestors and started to purify Judah and Jerusalem. He destroyed all the pagan shrines, Asherah poles and carved idols. He torn down the pagan altars and made sure all the images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He burned the bones of the pagan priests on their own altars. And he did the same thing in Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon.

After he had purified the land and Temple, Josiah appointed a governor of Jerusalem, a royal historian and gave the high priest money that had been collected by the Levite gatekeepers. He entrusted the money to men assigned to supervise the restoration of the Lord's Temple. Then they paid the workers who did the repairs and they hired carpenters and masons.

As Hilkiah, the high priest was recording money, he found the Book of Law of the Lord as it had been given to Moses. He gave it to Shaphan, the court secretary, who read it to the King. When the king heard what was written in the law, he tore his clothes in despair. Then he gave orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Acbor, son of Micaiah, Shaphan and Asaiah, his own personal adviser, to go to the Temple and speak to the Lord. He wanted them to ask the Lord about the words in the scroll because he realized his ancestors had not obeyed the word of the Lord.

So Hilkiah and the other men went to consult with the prophet Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah and grandson of Harhas the keeper of the Temple wardrobe. She told them that the God of Israel had spoken and he would certainly destroy the city and its people. All the curses in the scroll would come true because the Lord said the people abandoned him and worshiped pagan gods. But she told them to go to the king and tell him that because he humbled himself and tore his clothing, and wept in repentance, the Lord heard him and would not send the disaster upon the city and its people until after King Josiah has died. So this was the message the men took back to the king.

Then King Josiah summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem and went to the Temple and read them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the Temple. He took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the Lord's presence. He pledged to obey the Lord and keep his commands and laws and he required everyone in Jerusalem and in Benjamin to make a similar pledge. So Josiah removed all detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the Lord their God. And throughout his lifetime, they did not turn away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

BIBLE NOTES: The Book of the Law of the Lord was probably the book of Deuteronomy that had been lost during the reigns of evil kings. Josiah realized the drastic changes that had to be made in order to bring the nation back in line with God's commands.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? We all treat sin lightly, we make excuses for each other and minimize the harm done. But Josiah did not do this. He was truly able to show his grief. Do you take sin lightly? We probably all overlook quite a lot. But God does not take it lightly and he wants us to respond with true remorse and repentance. Many of us read the word of God but that is not enough. We must do what the book says. We must show action like the old hymn says, "Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross". I love that old hymn, don't you? I makes my blood flow with the patriotic juices of a warrior in God's army. And I long for a leader in our nation with the integrity of Josiah! Thanks be to God!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH:
Update on my niece Suzanne, she is healing but her leg was crushed and will take many months of doctoring. She is in a nursing home for rehab care. Pray for her healing. Also Gabe, Wanda, Pray for Janice Long’s parents, especially her mother whose cancer has returned and her father with Alzheimer’s and now her mother in law also with Alzheimer’s. Their family is feeling the strain both emotionally and financially. Pray for them.
And pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.
Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.
Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has her speech back and is home , but continues to have a problem with one arm and hand. Thanks to your prayers, she is able to hobble without a cane and has been granted disability. She still has surgery scheduled on her hand, but I saw her recently and her attitude is fantastic.
Update on Marthaline Sargent. She lost her battle with health problems and passed away last Tuesday. Our condolences to her son Patrick and daughter Stacey. Continue to pray for her husband Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.
Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.
Pray for John’s recovery from a heart attack and pray he can stop smoking.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.