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THE KING’S BUSINESS
ten in this book. And he caused all that Were present ( found ) in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And* the inhabi tants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present {found) in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD our God. And all His days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.” Hav ing acquainted the people with God’s law as revealed in H3is own word, Josiah first of all himself made a covenant before the Lord in the presence of the people. There is no use in a leader in a revival demand ing that others conform their lives to the Word of God if the leader does not first of all conform his own conduct to that Word.' He covenanted to do three things: (1) “To walk after the LORD.” (2) “To keep His commandments and His testimon ies and His statutes” : no part of the word was to be neglected, furthermore he agreed to do •it “with all his heart and with all his soul.” There was to be no half way LESSON ( 1 ) Shaphan Reports to the King, vs. 14-17. 1. As to, the Progress of the Works To what loes “brought the king word again” refer? What good report did he bring? v. 16. Who were the “servants” referred to ? v. 8 . Whence came the money referred to? v. 4. | What had been done with the money ? vs. 10 , 11 . Had they kept a strict account of it? 2 Kings 22:7.. How had the workmen responded to this confidence? v. 12 . Do we have to gather money in our dis pensation ?
business about it. (3) “To perform the words of the covenant which aré written in this book.” Having first got right with God himself he gets the people to get right —“the inhabitants of Jerusalem did accord ing to the covenant of God.” When the rulers get right, the people will soon get right. It was no new God with whom they were entering into covenant, it was “the God of their fathers.” Josiah made a clean sweep of all the abominations through all the country over which he had power. That is the kind of revival that is needed today. But they did not merely the negative work of putting away sin, they undertook a pos itive thing, they went to work “to serve.” True salvation is salvation to service. The results of the revival remained as long as Josiah lived, “all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.” It is seldom that a reformer sees a reformation last in full force to the end of his life. Even with Josiah the reformation did not outlive him. Every new generation needs a reformation (v. 33; cf. ch. 36). «g
OUTLINE How should it be contributed? Periodically, 1 Cor. 16:2. Voluntarily, 2 Cor. 8 :3-12. Deliberately, 2 Cor. 9 :7.
Liberally, 2 Cor. 9:6. Trustfully, 2 Cor. 9:8. , Expectantly, 2 Cor. 9:10. Gratefully, 2 Cor. 9: IS. 2. As to the Discovery of the Book: What had Hilkiah found? v. 14. Had Moses written such a book? Ex. 24 -A. Where had he caused it to be deposited? Deut. 31:26. Where was the ark? Ex. 26:33, 34. (2 ) Shaphan Reads to the King, v. 18. Why did the king rend his garment? Deut. 31:16-21.
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