The Beginning Of Josiah's Revival

The Beginning Of  Josiah's Revival 

II Kings 23:3-5 NKJV

[3] Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant. [4] And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the articles that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. [5] Then he removed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem, and those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to all the host of heaven. 

These are the words of Micah Stsmpley in a the popular song titled, "One Word". " Oh Lord speak into my life. I am a living sacrifice

Your word says live and not die

Oh Lord speak into my life....

One word I'm living this moment on a word

Not just any word but a word from you

A word that says I'm healed delivered and set free

There are no more chains holding me (Can I get a witness out here)". 

      We may not be able to quote the entire lyrics, but it appears to describe what happened to Josiah and started him on a streak of revival. This is what my Ai describes as scriptural revival, " In the Bible, revival is a spiritual awakening or renewal that can refer to a person, a region, or a group of people. It can also mean a restoration of God's presence among his people". When the King called all elders of Judah and Jerusalem to the house of the Lord, he was set on a reawakening.  It all happened because the King heard a word, the word of the Lord. 

     Got Questions? describes it deeper, " Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It encompasses the resurfacing of a love for God, an appreciation of God’s holiness, a passion for His Word and His church, a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness". And it all begins with the entrance of the word. One word.

     Got Questions continues the exposition. " In the letter to Ephesus, Christ praised the church for their perseverance and discernment, but He stated that they had forsaken their first love (Revelation 2:4-5). Many times as the excitement of acceptance to Christ grows cold, we lose the zeal that we had at first. We become bogged down in the ritual, going through the motions, but we no longer experience the joy of serving Christ. Revival helps restore that first love and passion for Christ. Revelation 2:10-11 refers to the church at Smyrna, which was suffering intense persecution. The cares and worries of life can beat us down, leaving us emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. Revival can lift us up to new hope and faith". We are familiar with the arguments against revival. King Josiah had no time for dialectics. He wanted a serious reawakening. What do you want. Are you satisfied in your state? Or, do you want more of God? It may be time to clean the house for a real revival.Good morning.

The Impact Of Reading The Word

The Impact Of Reading The Word

II Kings 22:8, 10-13 NKJV

[8] Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 

[10] Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. [11] Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. [12] Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, [13] “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

I was nine years old and had just learnt how to read. I came home one afternoon, and decided to read the story of the crucifixion. I sat down on the kitchen floor and I cried. I cried at the injustice to God's son whose only concern was to save the world. I wondered whether the people couldn't see through the scam of the devil to decieve the world. That was the best exegesis I could muster then. That event made a very strong impression on me. More than fifty five years later, the Word still makes a deeper impression on me.

    The Word of God is the source of truth, guidance, and transformation. It  helps people live lives of faith and obedience, and bring comfort and hope to the oppressed. Stacey Salsbery is a mother and a Bible teacher. She has a beautiful blog written on January 1,2024, where she exposed on "20 Benefits Of Being In Gods Word". We have no space to reproduce it here. Please find it and read the blog. " If only the world could grasp the benefits available to the soul who seeks God through His Word—willing to see it as truth, clinging to it at every turn. For the Word of God is life-changing and life-sustaining and life-giving. And it’s so much more, as the author of Psalm 119 ESV testifies. The psalmist offers us numerous reasons to run to the comfort of Scripture and never turn away from it.". Our entry today testifies to this impact on the King. V.11. That's where the Josiah's revival began, from the impact of the word.

    This is Hebrews 4:12. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart".  Check out Rom.1:16 and 10:17. Stay with us as we examine what the word did to the Kingship of Josiah. Read the word. Good morning.