A young king realized what we can see about the vitality of God’s Word
By Dean Collins
Sometime in late elementary school or junior high, I remember losing my Bible at church. Back in those days, everyone was expected to bring their Bible to Sunday school and church so they could read along with the Bible lessons and sermons for the day. If I remember right, if you showed up at Sunday school, you got an attendance star, and if you brought your Bible, you might have received another one. I remember some new kids coming to church who didn’t own a Bible, and the teacher would always find one for them to have, not just for the day but to take home with them as well.
I don’t remember receiving any discipline for forgetting my Bible at church, but I am confident I was told to find it before I returned to church that evening and not to let it happen again. I saw my parents with their Bibles out, usually on Saturday afternoon or evening, in order to prepare the Bible lessons they would teach the next morning at Sunday school.
Bible reading was always encouraged by the pastor and youth workers at church, and there was great emphasis on daily reading of Scripture when you went to summer youth camp or on retreats. Reading my Bible daily first became an occasional thing in college and then increased as I had the responsibilities of a family and a job. I have vivid memories of reading my Bible when I got to the parking lot of the company where I worked. My need for wisdom and guidance from God became especially urgent in my late 30s; by my 40s my daily discipline locked in and has never left me.
While I own paper Bibles, almost all my Bible reading and study is now accomplished digitally. I can’t imagine going a day without reading and praying Scripture.
I can’t imagine going a day without reading and praying Scripture.
As a college student, I worked as a youth minister at a local church all through my college days. I can remember gathering up the Bibles that children, teenagers, and adults left quite often at the church. Some would never be claimed. I sometimes wonder if the owners of those Scriptures just gave up on God or if somehow those of us who were committed to Jesus failed to love them into experiencing God’s grace and goodness.
Word of God found
In 2 Kings 22, we learn that the high priest Hilkiah found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord. Of course, back in ancient times, individuals didn’t have the written Word of God. Scripture then was mostly the book of the Law, and in this case, it was likely just the book of Deuteronomy or some portion of it. Some faithful Hebrews had memorized verses, but apparently there was a period of years where no one had possession of the scrolls that contained the book of the Law.
Josiah became king as a child. Bible historians believe he was about 25 or 26 when Hilkiah found the book of the Law of God. Josiah had been king for about 18 years when the high priest made this discovery. We don’t know when the book of the Law disappeared, but I think we can assume it was sometime in the 57 years Manasseh and Amon reigned. Both of these kings were evil, and it appears Judah had lost its spiritual compass and had given into idolatry.
The discovery of the book of the Law was made during a time when King Josiah was determined to repair the temple. No one knows where they found the book or whether it was intentionally hidden away for safekeeping or if it was simply neglected and then forgotten. But when Josiah asked his secretary, Shaphan, to read it to him, the king tore his clothes and wept in repentance and asked the high priest to inquire of the Lord about the consequences of neglecting God’s Word. The king learned that judgment on Judah was coming, but because of his repentant heart and humility before the Lord, he would be gathered to a grave of peace in due time and ahead of the coming disaster.
Word of God living and active
So here is my question: How do we react when we read God’s Word? There are many possible outcomes and some of them we see from King Josiah. He certainly experienced a sense of guilt and sorrow over the neglect of God’s Word. His reaction was repentance, and his determination was to make things right with the Lord. And eventually, he experienced the comfort of God through the promise that he would not see the coming disasters and would die in a grave of peace.
It is easy to let our Bible reading become so routine that we miss important instruction and spiritual transformation. It is easy to read Scripture as a history book. It is also easy to stay detached from the relevance of the texts in our lives. As I read each day, there are certain sections of the Bible that don’t connect for me in any way. Yet I find that if I slow down and pray, there is always some nudge from the Holy Spirit involving a word, a phrase, or a verse. God’s Word is living and active. It contains wisdom, hope, comfort, correction, and so much more.
It is normal to have moments and days where the stresses of life override our connection to Scripture, but we must not allow Scripture to become lost in our routines. The consequences of neglecting God’s Word are fatal.
Lord, today we sense the conviction of King Josiah as he discovered your Word after years of neglect. Give us a will to never allow your Word to be far from our eyes or our hearts. We invite your Holy Spirit to bring your truth to us so that we might be corrected, informed, and even transformed by our time with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
2 Kings 22:8-20 ESV
Photo by Jenny Smith on Unsplash
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