I Have Found The Book!

"I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD's Temple!" 2 Kings 22: 8

Have you ever misplaced an item? My mom was notorious for Christmas shopping well in advance. She would bring her purchase home, wrap it, and tuck it away secretly for safe keeping. The problem being, she would completely forget where she placed it. Many times, long past the day of celebration, she would pull out a gift wrapped in festive paper and we'd all laugh and enjoy her delight in finding it again.

This is similar to what happened while Josiah was reigning in Jerusalem. An unexpected treasure was found and its revelation impacted an entire nation, initiating a revival in Judah. There is a discovery we can all make that can not only change our lives this very moment, but also for all eternity.

King Manasseh, Josiah's grandfather, and king Amon, Josiah's father, had plunged Judah into wickedness. Idol worship was prevalent and an assortment of other gods had been introduced into the Temple of the LORD. The young successor to the throne had not seen good role models in his family, yet he still became a great king. When Josiah rose to power, he gave instruction for the repair and restoration of the Temple. Sometime during this renovation project, a treasure is found. It was Hilkiah the high priest who exclaimed, "I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD's Temple!"

Historically we are told that it was not uncommon for a book to be found when renovating. Temples had what were called "foundation deposits" for the storage of tablets of religious and architectural significance, however, this was not any random text. This discovery wasn't any book but "the Book."

It is so sad to think that this book of the LORD was misplaced or lost in the house of the LORD, the very place where His Word should be prominent. God's Word had become neglected and undermined. It had lost its authority. Sadly, in our generation, the same can be true. "Scripture compromised in the church leads to Scripture abandoned in the home" (Author unknown). We need to keep God's Word with us, and in us.

As Josiah listened to the reading of the Book of the Law, it had a profound effect on him. Receiving God's Word, he initiated five responses:

1. REPENTED before the LORD (2 Kings 22:11, 19)

2. REQUESTED of the LORD (2 Kings 22:12-13)

3. RECOMMITTED with the LORD (2 Kings 23:1-3)

4. REMOVED opposition against the LORD (2 Kings 23:4-20)

5. REJOICED in the LORD (2 Kings 23:21-23)

Josiah's heart turned to the LORD with such conviction, scripture sums up his life and reign by saying, "Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him" (2 Kings 23:25 ESV). His passion and obedience to God's Word impacted his life and influenced others.

Every time we read the Book of the Law, God is speaking to us. Like Josiah, we may need to embrace a similar response beginning with repentance and then seeking His will for us in prayer, recommitting to daily reading His Word and following in steps of obedience, and then removing anything that is keeping us from enjoying intimacy with God. But never stop there. Don't forget to celebrate and rejoice in the LORD. However God speaks, however His Word challenges, convicts or confirms, we must celebrate! Celebrate with great and exceeding great joy! We too have found the Book!

The Divine Difference

"Why should you be any different?" 2 Kings 19:11b

Recently a very precious friend informed me that her daughter-in-law just received an unwanted diagnosis. Although this had been suspected, it was now confirmed. The disease runs on both sides of this gal's family, and all who have walked the road ahead of her have passed away as the sickness has spread. The track record before her is not encouraging. This sweet gal is scared. The stats are not stacked on her side. Why should her outcome be any different?

King Sennacherib of Assyria sends a message to king Hezekiah in Jerusalem, taunting him, mocking the idea of trusting in God as his defense. He boasts, "You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way!" Total annihilation is their "modus operandi", their habitual pattern of elimination. A history of such devastation is frightening to the next target on their warpath. With a previous performance of 100%, the outcome seems inevitable.

We far too often place our confidence only in what we can see. When the situation looks bleak, we break. Hope is hard to hang on to when the ground seems shaky and the battle appears lost before it even begins. We seem to believe that if something has always ended a certain way prior, we might as well surrender to the inevitable. Nothing is going to change.

Hezekiah's response to king Sennacherib's insults and boasting is such an example of how we should all respond when we feel up against a wall. After reading the letter from the messengers, he goes up to the Temple of the LORD, places the document before God and lifts his voice in prayer. He acknowledges God's sovereignty and sufficiency. He doesn't deny that the Assyrian king has blazed a path of destruction, destroying many nations, but Hezekiah recognizes a truth that Sennacherib does not. The LORD alone is God and He has the final say!

When hit with a crisis, often panic follows, but instead Hezekiah focuses on the power of his God. If the LORD is God, there is absolutely nothing He cannot do. Not one thing is beyond His control. Although repeated actions do normally result in the same outcome, that is not true of God. Just because a previous pattern has been established in the past, it does not mean the end will be the same the next time. Sennacherib, in asking, "Why should you be any different?" removed God from the equation. The Lord does not fit into any box or standardized testing. He cannot be assessed on a principle of consistency. Although His character and attributes never change, His ways are greater, higher, and bigger. Everything should always be different with the Lord!

We can't give up or throw down our weapons in defeat when circumstances appear desperate. If we set our minds on collapse, the agonizing realities of life will overwhelm us. We must train our hearts to focus on believing that it is only God who controls the outcome of our days. Scripture tells us that every single day of our lives was written by God in His book before even one came to be. God is not surprised by what startles us. He carefully plans and specifically controls each detail. When a detour, distraction, diagnosis or disaster shakes our resolve, God is not surprised and He has a plan of rescue in place. 

Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, "This is what the LORD says; Do not be disturbed by this blasphemous speech against Me from the Assyrian king's messengers. Listen! I Myself will move against him..." God is setting Himself up to move against the "Assyrian king" in your way. And when God moves, awesome things happen!

Why should you be any different? I'll tell you why. Because God in you makes all things new!

At a Crossroad of Trust

"What are you trusting in... Who are you counting on...?" 2 Kings 18:19b, 20b

The answer to those two questions is the foundation of every moment of our life.

These inquiries were presented to king Hezekiah of Judah, a king with a reputation of trusting in the Lord. In fact, it was said of Hezekiah that "There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time." (2 Kings 18:5) It certainly seems like Hezekiah's faith is strong and his confidence in the Lord unwavering. Could he not reply with assurance, "I'm trusting in God; I'm counting on the Lord!"

Sadly, this godly king gave in to pressures and shifted his trust. Trying to control his own destiny, he paid off the enemy king with silver from the Temple of God and from the palace treasury, hoping his efforts would pacify the Assyrian ruler, but instead it only increased this rival's efforts against Judah. Placing the full responsibility of the outcome on himself, Hezekiah, in a lack of faith, takes measures into his own hands instead of trusting in God's defense. 

Why did Hezekiah transfer trust to himself? Why didn't he keep trusting God? For the same reasons we succumb to self. Hezekiah had just seen King Sennacherib of Assyria attack the fortified towns of Judah and conquer them. It appeared God hadn't protected them, so Hezekiah felt he had to act quickly to save himself and his people.

What draws my thoughts is that Hezekiah was such an acclaimed follower of God. Scripture tells us there was no one like him...faithful, obedient and successful. Even this renowned, godly man struggled with trust at times. Like us, he sometimes chose to momentarily depend on his own ability when feeling overwhelmed by circumstances. Although this decision is never right, God still used it to strengthen Hezekiah's faith, and He can do the same with us as well.

I think one of the biggest reasons we struggle with trust is because we want to wrap every situation with a big bow and end each story with "And they lived happily ever after". The problem being, some circumstances come unwrapped and unwanted, and some narratives end negatively. When a journey appears too hard and God hasn't intervened, we want to do something, do anything to change the trajectory towards tragedy. Fear chokes faith.

I heard a sad response from a young girl recently, who after receiving an unwanted diagnosis asked, "Why does God hate our family so much?" She was not the first in her lineage to face suffering and hardship. My heart aches for this precious teenager. She's been taught God is good, just, and loving yet her health crisis and the challenges within her extended family, to her, lack the evidence of these attributes. She is struggling to trust a God who seems unfair. What does one say? How do we respond?

You see, a question of "fairness" implies God owes us something more than wrath. He doesn't. Do you know what else is unfair for us undeserving sinners? His grace. His forgiveness. His unconditional love. With all He has showered on us, how can we not trust and count on the One who will rescue us for all eternity? Choosing to trust God, we reach for His promises, holding tight and standing firm.

When we're struggling to trust God, confess any unbelief and sit with His Word. Talking to other believers and sharing the wrestling in our heart and mind can bring encouragement. Pray as the disciples did, asking God to increase our faith. Throughout life we will encounter multiple crossroads of trust. When fear and anxiety are fighting to consume us, will we lean on God and His faithfulness or on self? Don't let feelings control. Trusting God is a continual choice we have to make. He is now and forever trustworthy!