Need New Construction?

Read 2 Kings 22:3-8, 2 Chronicles 34-35
 
2 Chronicles 34:14-15 & 18b-19 While they were bringing out the money collected at the LORD’s Temple, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that was written by Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the LORD’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan…18b So Shaphan read it to the king. 19 When the king heard what was written in the Law, he tore his clothes in despair.
 
THE Temple was being remodeled. What do you think would have happened if there were no plans on how to do the work? What if each carpenter, stone mason and artist had his own ideas and did not coordinate his work with the others? The finished Temple’s interior would be a mix of each person’s desires. The work certainly would not glorify the LORD’s earthly dwelling.
   Isn’t this individualism the problem that had plagued Judah for decades and Israel for centuries? How could they know God’s rules, plans and purpose if they had no Book of the Law? Think about this. For generations the priests who had some desire to worship God had been doing their work without a plan. They had no blueprint of sacrifices, Feasts and festivals. They would have only a vague idea of the law’s commands for appropriate sacrifice and approach to God. Each would function in his own view of what needed to be done. And apparently some of God’s people had been coming to offer money and sacrifices to God. But they did not know the Word of the LORD! How could such individual worship glorify God?
   This illustrates what too often happens in the church. A pastor may read from a story book of some uninspiring topic that teaches nothing of God. (I’ve seen this happen. Have you?) There is no revelation of God’s plan from the pulpit. How is the church to know. Going to Jesus’ church and not hearing from Jesus would lead to a complacent, individual faith at best and no faith at worst. Could people possibly live a Christian life that way? Have you ever heard of such a thing? It’s as if you say, “I’m a Christian.” but you never read the word of God. How can one know what God says if God’s Word remains hidden?
   Note Josiah’s response to the Law’s discovery. He tore his clothes. He grieves in the discovery that God’s Law has been available, yet undiscovered in God’s House for about 200 years! In response, Josiah immediately enacted the law. Throughout Judah he removed the signs of evil worship from the land. The Law of God for a time became the law of the land. They celebrated Passover for the first time since Hezekiah had done so several decades earlier. For a brief, shining moment, God’s people rightly remembered the Sovereign LORD, who had called them to be his people.
   It’s interesting that the Temple’s physical remodeling led to new construction in many Jews’ hearts. Perhaps God had inspired Josiah to this task, so the Book of the Law of Moses would be revealed. God does that. He continually moves people and events to reveal himself. We need to pay attention and know what he is saying. Again and again he tells us, “This is what the LORD says.” (164 times in the Old Testament) and “I tell you the truth.” (68 times in the gospels.)
   What do you think? Is there some way God’s Word needs to reconstruct your life? Pray you hear from and listen to him. Your faithful response will glorify your LORD God.