December 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
798
3 3 : 1 1 . Not figures of horses, but living, kept for drawing the sun-chariot in the idolatrous processions. Horses were also sacrificed in the worship of the sun.—Horn. Com. 23:14. The presence of a dead carcass rendered both per sons and places unclean in the eyes both of Jews and heathen.— Jamieson. 23:15,16. In carrying on these proceedings, Josiah was prompted by his own intense hatred of idolatry. But it is remarkable that this act was predicted 326 years before his birth, and his name also was expressly mentioned, as well as the very place where it should be done (1 Kgs. 13:2). This is one of the most remarkable prophecies contained in the Bible.—J. F. & B. 23:26, 27. Though outwardly purified, their hearts were not right towards God, as appears from many passages of the prophetic writings: their thorough reform was hope less; and God, who saw no sign of genuine repentance, allowed his decree (ch. 21:12-15) for the subversion of the kingdom to take fatal effect.—J. F. & B.
(3) Is worship inherent in all people? (4) What character should be held up as the only one, In human form, worthy of worship? (5) Is the family circle the center of influence upon the lives of the young? ( 6 ) Who in the family is intended by God to mould the character of the children, and why? (7) In contrasting Manasseh and Josiah, what points would you stress? ( 8 ) Where does a real revival always begin, outside or inside of the church? (9) Upon whom does a real revival depend? (10) What conclusion would you reach in your comparison of Manasseh and Josiah?
21:3. Secluded hill tops “ where Jehovah was professedly worshiped (2 Kgs. 18:22), but with idolatrous rites” and with all their immoralities.|j|-“ Groves.” Wooden images or symbols of a licentious appearance and significance con
ELEMENTARY Mrs. S. W. Barrett
nected with the worship of the Pheni- cian goddess of love.— Speaker’s Com. 21:6. The sacrifice of children by fire was part of the worship of the Ammon ite god Moloch. At Carthage, the vic tim was placed, on the hands of a colos
Scripture: 2 Chron. 34. Memory verses: Matt. 22:37; Ps. 119:105; John 1:1. Can you repeat the ten com mandments? W h i c h com
COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES V. V. Morgan
mandment did the Lord Jesus say was the greatest? “ Thou Shalt love th e ' Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Matt. 22:37. Do you know the only way we can love God as this commandment tells us to do is by giving our hearts to the Lord Jesus, and by let ting Him rule our lives? Our Bible story today is: How a Young King Found the Ten Commandments. The sound of hammer and chisel echoed through the court of the Temple of God in Jeru salem. Stone workers and ma sons, carpenters and builders
sal image, from which it rolled into the fire—Hastings. 21:13. Captives doomed to destruction were sometimes grouped together, and marked off by means of a measuring line and plummet-(2 Sam. 8:2; Isa. 34:11; Amos 7:7) ; so that the line of Samaria means the line drawn for the destruction of Samaria.—J. F. & B. The use of the plummet implies a levelled and cleared space, suggesting the com plete clearance of Ahab’s house.—Horn. Com. 21:16. Of the godly people who would not concur in his impious deeds, and protested against them. Jewish tradi tion survived even to the time of the Christian fathers to the effect that Isaiah was among the victims of Manasseh’s intolerant persecutions^:and it is reported that he was sawn in two while fastened to a cedar tree in which he had secreted himself.—W. H. J. 22:2. Neither to the right hand, into excess of zeal, or formal; religion, or pride; nor to the left hand, into negli gence, idolatry, and the breaking of the moral law. He kept in the straight path of righteousness and religion, and thus became one of the most honored of earth’s heroes.—Pelou- bet. 22:3. The temple had not been repaired since that king, 250 years before, which explains certain things in this chapter, especially when the wickedness and idolatry of some of the intervening reigns are considered.—Gray. 22:8. The temple roll was ordered to be kept by the side of the ark (Deut. 31:26), but during the idolatrous profan ations under Ahaz, Manasseh, and Amon, the very ark had been removed (cf. 2 Chron. 35:3) from the house; and doubtless in this way the “ book” had become lost. Although this finding of “ the book of the law” does not imply that the nation or the priests had no other copy, yet the narra tive clearly indicates that king and people were strangers to its contents.—Horn. Com. When they brought out from the old chests in the temple, the money contributed for the repairs, which had been deposited in the safest hiding place, Hilkiah the priest, who had charge of the money, in search ing the chest found at the bottom a book of the law of the Lord, the law given by Moses.—Peloubet. It is plain that the finding of this book was not the discovery of something unknown before, but the rescuing of the temple-copy of the Law from the hiding place in which it had long lain.— Camb. Bible. That an unknown book with no authority behind it should produce the effect on Josiah and his people which this Book of the La m produced, borders on the absurd.— Peloubet. The discovery of the book was a pledge to the king and' people of the indestructibility of the Divine writ ten word.—Lange. 22? 14. The occasion was urgent, and therefore they were sent—not to Zephaniah (Zeph. 1 :1), who was perhaps young—nor to Jeremiah, who was probably absent at his house in Anathoth— but. to one w)io was at, hand and known for her prophetic gifts: to Huldah, who was probably at this time a widow.—J. F. & B.
were busily tearing down and repairing the walls and the floors. Burden bearers carried great stones and timber to their places. Overseers went here and there and found that all were working faithfully. Hilrki-ah, the priest, and Sha-phan, the scribe, were in charge of the work, and sup plied the money for the workmen from the great chests of gold and silver offerings which had been brought to the temple. As Hil-ki-ah was having one of the great chests of silver brought out, he saw a long roll of parchment, cov ered with dust, for it had been hidden many years in the treasure room. Carefully taking it out and unrolling it, he was surprised to find that it was a copy of the Law of Moses— the words which God had told Moses to write when he was upon the mountain hundreds of years before. Hilkiah hastened to find Shaphan, the scribe, and hand ing him the dusty roll he said, *“ I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” Shaphan took the roll and carried it to young King Josiah, the grandson of the good King Hezekiah. When Shaphan came to the king’s palace with the old yellow roll, no doubt the king wondered why the scribe thought the old roll to be of importance. Shaphan bowed reverently before the king and said: “ Hil kiah, the priest, hath given me a book” , and unrolling the old sheets of writing, he began to read to the king the story of the commandments given to Moses on the mountain. King Josiah listened in wonder. As he heard the words: “ Thou shalt have no other gods before me” *** “ Thou shalt
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