TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
2 Kings 22:3-23:30
Acts 21:37-22:16
Psalm 1:1-6
Proverbs 18:11-12
2 Kings 22:8 — “I have found the Book of the Law!” This was the book that each king was commanded to hand copy. Amos prophesied a famine of the word of the LORD (Amos 8:11). Senator Zell Miller quoted that passage from Amos from the US Senate floor and talked about our need for the Word.
Josiah apparently hadn’t seen the Book of the Law before. Good thing we live in America where the average household has three copies of the entire Word of God. Yet, only one of five Americans has read through the entire Bible even once! We need to read it (2 Kings 22:10), and we need to repent for how we have disobeyed it (2 Kings 22:11)!
2 Kings 22:16 — The Word of the LORD will come to pass. God does judge sin, and God is angry at sin (2 Kings 22:17).
2 Kings 22:19 — What does God want? A tender heart, a humble soul, a repentant man to call upon Him!
2 Kings 23:2 — This year we will (God willing!) read through the entire Bible. Some of our readers have told me that they are reading through the Bible out loud! That is a great idea to keep God’s Word fresh! This year if you’re reading it through silently, consider reading it aloud next year. Or how about hand copying ten verses a day until you’ve copied an entire book of the Bible? If you get distracted easily, this is a great way to focus!
2 Kings 23:3 — The objective of a covenant is obedience to the LORD. Interestingly, the covenant was last renewed when Jehoiada was High Priest (2 Kings 11:17). Obedience to the covenant was demonstrated by Josiah’s obedience to the Law, which resulted in purging the violations of the First Commandment (Exodus 20:2, 2 Kings 23:4) and the deposing of the false priests (2 Kings 23:5) that were the downfall of Korah (Numbers 16:3). Obedience to the covenant also resulted in the destruction of the grove that was on the Temple Mount (2 Kings 23:6) as commanded in Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3, and in Deuteronomy 16:21. Gideon is a great example of obedience in this area (Judges 6:28). Josiah removed the Sodomites (2 Kings 23:7) as commanded in the Torah (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13). He ended the practice of offering children to Molech (2 Kings 23:10) as commanded in the Law (Leviticus 18:21, Leviticus 20:2-5). He kept the Passover as commanded (Exodus 12:43, Leviticus 23:5, Numbers 9:2, Deuteronomy 16:1, 2 Kings 23:22). He cleansed the land of wizards (Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6, Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:11, 2 Kings 23:23). He more than any other king followed the LORD with all his heart, soul and might (2 Kings 23:25) as God commanded (Deuteronomy 6:5) and Jesus reiterated (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27).
2 Kings 23:17 — Yes, Josiah, prophesied by name hundreds of years earlier (1 Kings 13:2), fulfilled the Word of the man of God.
Acts 21:37 — God used Paul’s training in Greek (Acts 21:37) and Hebrew (Acts 22:2) to prepare him for times such as this.
Acts 22:6 — Paul gladly shared his personal testimony of how he went from a persecutor of Jesus to a preacher of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to share your testimony!
Psalm 1:2 — Be like Josiah. Delight in the Law. Meditate in the Law. Obey the Law!
Proverbs 18:12 — The contrasts within Hebrew poetry show a clear break. Haughtiness or humility. Destruction or honor. Choose well!
Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.