June - Reading 24

Good afternoon -

Our Scriptural readings for today are:

Luke 6:43-49

Philippians 4:8-13

Psalm 121

2 Kings 22-23

May God continue to bless us as we read through His Word.

 

Good evening and thanks Jesse -

Once again tonight we have two very related passages of Scripture. Luke 6:46 - 49 is conveying very much the same message as Phillipians 4:9. Knowing the Christian faith and applying the philosophy to our lives are two different things. We should always strive to practice what we preach.

In 2Kings we read tonight of the last righteous king in Judea. It was kind of refreshing to hear of a monarch in the last part of these two Books who is right in the eyes of the Lord.
It's interesting that "The Book of the Law" is "found" in chapter 22. The fact that it had been lost tells us something of how far the Jews had fallen from God. We don't know if this Book of the Law is the entire Pentatauch or just the writings of Deuteronomy, but it obviously made a heavy impression on Josiah. We will see a very similar scene in Nehemiah when the Israelites return from exile. However, the righteousness of the last good king is a day late and a dollar short. His campaign against idolatry is extensive as we see in chapter 23.
One final note on tonight's readings: the Jeremiah spoken of in verse 23:31 is not the prophet. When we get to the reading of Jeremiah 1:1 we will confirm this.

May God bless you

- Clint

 

Sunday School lecture 10/12/03 continued

Philippians 4:10-14

The Recent Gift

It is a curiosity that this expression of gratitude occurs so late in the Epistle. This has led some to speculate that this part of the Letter was written first. We know from 2:26 that communication had occurred between Philippi and Paul’s jail since the receipt of the gift. Those that disagree with the composite theory have offered a few explanations for this:

Paul may have acknowledged the gift in a communication lost to antiquity and is here merely reaffirming his gratitude.
1. The Philippians may have been distressed from an earlier Letter in which Paul did not express his gratitude warmly enough as we see that his faith sustained him whether he was given creature comforts or not.
2. Paul may have felt that he did not express his gratitude warmly enough and so he here builds upon an earlier thank you.

In any case, this Passage is carefully worded to show gratitude but deny dependence. He expresses his thanks quite eloquently but maintains that his ultimate resources are within himself and that Christ originally supplies them. Paul did not seek poverty nor wealth; friends nor loneliness. Instead he was independent of his circumstances, celebrating the Joy of Christ no matter what the world may throw at him.

Not that Paul did not understand the desire to rid himself of the weaknesses of want. We know that he had an unnamed “thorn in his flesh” that he prayed to have removed, but we find that God did not grant that request as we see in 2Corinthians 12:9.

The word for “contentment” is borrowed from the jargon of the Stoics. While “contentment” was a widely held view of the Stoicism, these Greek philosophers maintained that such apathy or acceptance of situations came from within, it was self-reliance. Paul maintains that such contentment had its source in Christ.

The fact that the concern felt by the Philippians had been “revived,” or had “flourished again,” after a lack of opportunity is easily explainable in that Paul had endured jailings, shipwrecks, and an extensive itinerary. He was likely not the easiest man to find.

continued

 

Sunday School lesson 8/22/05

2Kings 22-23:35

Following the five and one half decades of apostasy established and perpetuated by Manasseh and Amon in chapter 21, the Historian now spends a great deal of time and parchment to narrate the history of Judah's last good king, Josiah. Having been placed on the throne at the tender age of eight years, the reader may get the idea that Josiah would be a puppet leader, a mere figurehead of those officials who coronated him. However, as the story progresses we see Josiah come into his own as a king who feared God and sought to serve Him in every way he could.

The study of Josiah is complimented with a reading of 2Chronicles 34-36. We also find in Jeremiah 1:2 that the prophet began his ministry early in Josiah's reign, when the boy king reached the age of twenty-one or so and the text of Jeremiah speaks very favorably of him. We also see in the Minor Prophets that Zephaniah's ministry was during Josiah's early reign.

2Kings 22:1-2 Josiah King of Judah

Josiah's thirty-one years have been identified as the years 640 - 609 BC. The political face of the Middle East has once again altered as the Babylonians under the leadership of Nabopallaser gain independence from a weakening Assyrian Empire. With battles for political power occurring so near their home state, the Assyrians' attention is drawn away from smaller, more distant, vassal states such as Judah. In 614 BC the Medes conquered the older Assyrian capitol of Asshur and made an alliance treaty with Nabopallaser. In 612BC the newer Assyrian capitol of Ninevah fell to the alliance and the remnant of the Assyrians fled westward to Haran. The Babylonians under the leadership of Nabopallaser's son, Nebuchadnezzer, pursued the retreating forces and completely vanquished them. The Egyptians, not trusting the new power that arose from this shift, mobilized their forces and went to war with Babylon. The Assyrians won the conflict at the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC. With this final victory, the Babylonians now dominated the political scene of the Middle East and took the Assyrian role of the dominate world power.

All of this left the nation of Judah capable of religious and prophetic reform under the leadership of Josiah. Though Josiah was the son of Amon and grandson of Manasseh, two of the most apostate kings in Hebrew history, his mother is presumed to have been a Godly woman from the town of Bozkath, near the city of Lachish. The Historian introduces us to Josiah as one who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

2Kings 22:3-7 The Renovation of the Temple

At the age of twenty-six Josiah began the major thrust of his reform. However, we learn from 2Chronicles 34 that he began serving the Lord at the age of sixteen and at the age of twenty began purging the land of idolatry. The renovation of the Temple demonstrates the surge of the ongoing religious revival of Jerusalem and was a banner of national independence.

Josiah assigns the task of approaching the high priest, Hilkiah, to his secretary (KJV-scribe), Shaphan. The purpose was to have the priest audit available funds from the people's offerings to designate it towards renovation of the Temple. The precedent for this action is found in the story of Joash in 2Kings 12:1-18, and just as we find in that account, the workmen are deemed trustworthy and there is no need for strict accounting.

2Kings 22:8-10 The Book of the Law Found

During the course of the renovation, a key turning point in Josiah's reform occurred. Hilkiah reported to Shaphan that the workmen had discovered the Book of the Law. The phrase "Book of the Law" is a bit ambiguous to us but we can surmise from the effect it had that it was either 1) part of Deuteronomy, 2) the entire Book of Deuteronomy, or 3) the whole Torah. In any case, the scroll had been hidden or lost in the Temple in ages past, perhaps as a result of former apostate kings desecrating and plundering the Temple. We see in 2Chronicles 17:9 that the Book of the Law was used by Levites during the reign of Jehoshaphat more than two centuries before but had been lost during the interim.

Shaphan relayed Hilkiah's report to Josiah and read from the Book.

2Kings 22:11-13 Josiah's Response to the Book

Josiah, upon hearing the words of the Book of the Law, tears his robe, which, as we have learned, was a sign of great emotional distress. Perhaps he was most distressed to learn of the Covenant curse that his nation was fast approaching. The Torah, and particularly Deuteronomy, spoke of the impending doom facing the once great and unified state of the Hebrew nation and the Northern Kingdom had already fallen to the curse.

It is interesting that all the characters in this narrative immediately recognize the Book of the Law as Scripture and as such the Word of God. Though God supplied the nation of Judah with prophets to guide and warn the kings, this text was viewed as authoritative. Judah had never completely forgotten the Covenant despite the efforts of those kings who sought to dismiss it. By returning to the baseline instructions, those words of Moses before entering Canaan, a reestablishment of the Covenant on the part of man was possible. This commentator can not help but to be reminded of the Protestant Reformation and the position of Sola Scriptura as he reads this Passage.

Josiah recognizes the importance of guidance at this juncture and he sends a delegation to seek out prophetic oracle to learn the best course of action to appease an angry God.

2Kings 22:14-20 Prophetic Incentive Towards Reform

Josiah's delegation sought out Huldah, a known prophetess. While the occurrence of female prophets is somewhat rare in the Scriptures, this Passage is by no means unique. Miriam was a prophetess (Exodus 15:20) as were Deborah (Judges 4:4), Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14), and possibly Isaiah's wife (Isaiah 8:3). We also see in the New Testament that female prophets were acknowledged as Anna (Luke 2:36) and Philip's daughters (Acts 21:9) are cited.

Huldah's pronouncement was not favorable for Judah. She plainly states that the Covenant curse would be brought to fulfillment because of the Judahites' disobedience to the Covenant. However, Judah is reassured that it would not be during his lifetime but that he would die in peace. At a glance the oracle of Josiah's death coming (KJV - gathered into thy grave) in peace may seem contrary to the Historian's account of Josiah's death in battle coming in chapter 23. However, many scholars have speculated that death would be Josiah's escape from the coming calamity. Some speculate further that he would be at peace with God when he died.

2Kings 23:1-3 The Public Reading of the Book

After receiving Huldah's oracle, Josiah gathered the elders, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem and went to the Temple. The king himself read the Book of the Law, or the Book of the Covenant as it is called here. He stood by the pillar, the same place that Athaliah had seen Joash standing when she recognized the coup that had taken place. There before the people the king made himself the mediator of the Covenant by his actions. This act mirrored many of the great leaders before him: Moses (Exodus 24:3-8), Joshua (Joshua 24:1), Samuel (1Samuel 11:14-12:25) and Jehoiada (2Kings 11:17). In response, the people pledged themselves to the Covenant.

2Kings 23:4-14 Political Implementation of Covenant Stipulations

By royal decree, Josiah ordered a major religious reform after the renewal of the Covenant. In accordance, the priest removed all the pagan and heathen symbols from the Temple and burned them in the Kidron Valley. The ashes were subsequently taken to Bethel, probably to desecrate the areas where the Northern Kingdom of Israel had performed the golden calf worship. He then "put down" the pagan priest that had been sanctioned by his evil predecessors.

In verses 8-9 we see Josiah recalling all of the Levitical priest who had served at the high places throughout Judah. Their non-covenant services had disqualified them for Temple duty but they still had fellowship with the other priest. He therefore gave them the same status as priests with physical defects (Leviticus 21:17-23).

Topheth, mentioned in verse 10, was an area used for the Molech rites such as those practiced by Manasseh. He continued removing any trace of any foreign God from the Temple and from the land of Judah. Never had there been such a wide-sweeping reform in the land. Covering the destroyed sites with human bones desecrated them and insured that they would not be rebuilt.

2Kings 23:15-20 Extension of the Purge to the North

Josiah then went north to the now occupied land of what was once the Northern Kingdom. At Bethel he destroyed the altar and high place established by Jeroboam I. Then, seeing the tombs of the apostate priests, he has their graves desecrated and the bones burnt. To truly understand this Passage, the reader should turn back to 1Kings 13 and read the account there. We see in the Scriptures that Josiah's reform had been prophesied in the days of Jeroboam and the unnamed prophet of old had even called him by name (1Kings 13:2). The story goes on to tell of this prophet's acts against Jeroboam and his meeting with a second prophet who deceives him and as a result causes his death. In remorse, the second prophet orders his son to bury him and the man of God together (1Kings 13:31-32). Upon inquiring about a headstone that he picks out, Josiah is told the story and orders that the remains in that tomb be left alone.

In verses 18&19, the reference to Samaria should not be confused with the Northern Kingdom's capitol as the prophet came from Bethel, nor the city spoken of in the New Testament, as it did not yet exist, but rather the entire area that had once been Israel. After the desecration of the idolatrous sanctuaries in the north, Josiah and his reformers returned to Jerusalem.

2Kings 23:21-23 The Public Celebration of the Passover

The celebration of the Passover had fallen into obscurity by the time of Josiah. The Scriptures say that it was the first of this magnitude since the time of Samuel. 2Chronicles 1-19 speak in greater detail of the event and says that all of Judah and the remnant of Israel were there.

2Kings 23:24-25 Summary of the Reformation

The Historian approaches the end of Josiah's reign with the explanation that there had never been a king that had so strictly striven to observe the Mosaic Law. He eradicated the pagan practices in his land, even the keeping of tiny idols in hoes, during his time and reestablished the Covenant in doing so. He did all of this to please the will of God as was revealed to him in the Book of the Law.

2Kings 26-30 The Failure of the Reformation and the Last Acts of Josiah

This account of Josiah's life and actions ends somewhat sadly. Despite his zeal for the Lord, one man's actions, even though that man was a king, could not avert the judgment that had already been set in motion against Judah.

Josiah went to battle against Neco, the Pharaoh of Egypt, as he was going east to assist the Assyrians. The Egyptians feared the rising Babylonian Empire and sought to maintain the status quo against the enemy that had never been able to successfully take their land. The Scriptures are not specific as to why Josiah opposed the Egyptians. It has been speculated that they were crossing his newly acquired borders in their march. Nonetheless, it was in Megiddo that Josiah breathed his last. He was brought back to Jerusalem and buried.

2Kings 23:31-35 Jehoahaz King of Judah

Despite the glorious and Godly reign of Josiah, his twenty-three year old son did not live to fill his father's shoes. Though only on the throne for three months, he is given a bad evaluation by the Historian. Pharaoh Neco captured Jerusalem after Josiah's death and led the new king off to bondage. He set a tribute to be paid to Egypt (2Chronicles 36:3) and set Jehoahaz's brother, Jehoiakim on the throne. Neco soon after took Jehoahaz from his military encampment at Riblah and led him back to Egypt where the young king died.

 

Our Scriptural readings for 6/25 are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25

 

Our Scriptural readings for 6/25 are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25

 

Our Scriptural readings for 6/25 are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25

 

Our Scriptural readings for 6/25 are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25

 

Our Scriptural readings for 6/25 are:

Luke 7:1-10

Philippians 4:14-23

Psalm 122

2 Kings 24-25