Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc18/v18100

Text File | 1994-03-01 | 6KB | 104 lines

18104
 * Josiah's good reign, His care for repairing the temple, The
 book of the law found. (1-10) Josiah consults Huldah the
 prophetess. (11-20)

 #1-10 The different event of Josiah's early succession from that
 of Manasseh, must be ascribed to the distinguishing grace of
 God; yet probably the persons that trained him up were
 instruments in producing this difference. His character was most
 excellent. Had the people joined in the reformation as heartily
 as he persevered in it, blessed effects would have followed. But
 they were wicked, and had become fools in idolatry. We do not
 obtain full knowledge of the state of Judah from the historical
 records, unless we refer to the writings of the prophets who
 lived at the time. In repairing the temple, the book of the law
 was found, and brought to the king. It seems, this book of the
 law was lost and missing; carelessly mislaid and neglected, as
 some throw their Bibles into corners, or maliciously concealed
 by some of the idolaters. God's care of the Bible plainly shows
 his interest in it. Whether this was the only copy in being or
 not, the things contained in it were new, both to the king and
 to the high priest. No summaries, extracts, or collections out
 of the Bible, can convey and preserve the knowledge of God and
 his will, like the Bible itself. It was no marvel that the
 people were so corrupt, when the book of the law was so scarce;
 they that corrupted them, no doubt, used arts to get that book
 out of their hands. The abundance of Bibles we possess
 aggravates our national sins; for what greater contempt of God
 can we show, than to refuse to read his word when put into our
 hands, or, reading it, not to believe and obey it? By the holy
 law is the knowledge of sin, and by the blessed gospel is the
 knowledge of salvation. When the former is understood in its
 strictness and excellence, the sinner begins to inquire, What
 must I do to be saved? And the ministers of the gospel point out
 to him Jesus Christ, as the end of the law for righteousness to
 every one that believeth.

18114
 #11-20 The book of the law is read before the king. Those best
 honour their Bibles, who study them; daily feed on that bread,
 and walk by that light. Convictions of sin and wrath should put
 us upon this inquiry, What shall we do to be saved? Also, what
 we may expect, and must provide for. Those who are truly
 apprehensive of the weight of God's wrath, cannot but be very
 anxious how they may be saved. Huldah let Josiah know what
 judgments God had in store for Judah and Jerusalem. The
 generality of the people were hardened, and their hearts
 unhumbled, but Josiah's heart was tender. This is tenderness of
 heart, and thus he humbled himself before the Lord. Those who
 most fear God's wrath, are least likely to feel it. Though
 Josiah was mortally wounded in battle, yet he died in peace with
 God, and went to glory. Whatever such persons suffer or witness,
 they are gathered to the grave in peace, and shall enter into
 the rest which remaineth for the people of God.
18124
 * Josiah reads the law, and renews the covenant. (1-3) He
 destroys idolatry. (4-14) The reformation extended to Israel, A
 passover kept. (15-24) Josiah slain by Pharaoh-nechoh. (25-30)
 Wicked reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim. (31-37)

 #1-3 Josiah had received a message from God, that there was no
 preventing the ruin of Jerusalem, but that he should only
 deliver his own soul; yet he does his duty, and leaves the event
 to God. He engaged the people in the most solemn manner to
 abolish idolatry, and to serve God in righteousness and true
 holiness. Though most were formal or hypocritical herein, yet
 much outward wickedness would be prevented, and they were
 accountable to God for their own conduct.

18127
 #4-14 What abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem! One
 would not have believed it possible, that in Judah, where God
 was known, in Israel, where his name was great, in Salem, in
 Zion, where his dwelling-place was, such abominations should be
 found. Josiah had reigned eighteen years, and had himself set
 the people a good example, and kept up religion according to the
 Divine law; yet, when he came to search for idolatry, the depth
 and extent were very great. Both common history, and the records
 of God's word, teach, that all the real godliness or goodness
 ever found on earth, is derived from the new-creating Spirit of
 Jesus Christ.

18138
 #15-24 Josiah's zeal extended to the cities of Israel within his
 reach. He carefully preserved the sepulchre of that man of God,
 who came from Judah to foretell the throwing down of Jeroboam's
 altar. When they had cleared the country of the old leaven of
 idolatry, then they applied themselves to the keeping of the
 feast. There was not holden such a passover in any of the
 foregoing reigns. The revival of a long-neglected ordinance,
 filled them with holy joy; and God recompensed their zeal in
 destroying idolatry with uncommon tokens of his presence and
 favour. We have reason to think that during the remainder of
 Josiah's reign, religion flourished.

18148
 #25-30 Upon reading these verses, we must say, Lord, though thy
 righteousness be as the great mountains, evident, plainly to be
 seen, and past dispute; yet thy judgments are a great deep,
 unfathomable, and past finding out. The reforming king is cut
 off in the midst of his usefulness, in mercy to him, that he
 might not see the evil coming upon his kingdom: but in wrath to
 his people, for his death was an inlet to their desolations.