CENTRAL TRUTH: The Bible is the best source of insight for good leadership principles.
MEMORY VERSE: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
That at the end of this lesson the student would be able to:
1. Explain why the Bible is the best leadership manual
2. Humble themselves under the authority of God’s Word.
LESSON TEXT: 2 Kings 23:2-5; 21-25
2 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord.
3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord—to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
4 The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.
5 He did away with the pagan priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the towns of Judah and on those around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon, to the constellations and to all the starry hosts. he went back to Jerusalem.
2 Kings 23: 21-25
21 The king gave this order to all the people: “Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
22 Not since the days of the judges who led Israel, nor throughout the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah, had any such Passover been observed.
23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem.
24 Furthermore, Josiah got rid of the mediums and spiritists, the household gods, the idols and all the other detestable things seen in Judah and Jerusalem. This he did to fulfill the requirements of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had discovered in the temple of the Lord.
25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.
LESSON OUTLINE
- KNOW THE BIBLE
Read the Word
B. Commit to Obedience - OBEY THE BIBLE
Cleanse The Temple
B. Stop Evil Practices - CELEBRATE REDEMPTION
Remember God's Deliverance
B. Separation From Evil
BIBLE EXPOSITION
INTRODUCTION
Imagine a nation from which the Bible has totally disappeared for many years. Think of churches being used for idolatrous worship instead of the worship of God. This was the condition of Israel when Josiah came to the throne. The effects of Scriptural ignorance showed itself in the nation's life. Even the priests were not being true to their call to service.
King Josiah was unaware of the existence of the I.aw until the high priest discovered it in the temple. The king was horrified when he heard the words of the Law, for it showed him the nation's guilt before God. This righteous king took immediate steps to lead his people back to God. As we look at this week's study, let us determine to make God's Word a priority in our lives. When we do, we will find God's purpose in serving him.
- Know the Bible
Read the Word - 2 Kings 23:1
Approximately 200 years prior to Josiah, King Joash had rebuilt the temple (2 Kings 12). But some of the kings that followed were not strong religious leaders. About 75 years before Josiah the godly king Hezekiah brought revival to Judah. But the 55 year reign of Manasseh and the 2 year reign of Amon that followed were low points in Judah's history. Idol worship was reintroduced into the temple. As a result, the temple came into a state of disrepair.
Josiah was eight (8) years old when he begun to reign (2 Kings 22:1). During the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah ordered the repair of the temple (verse 3). Evidently, he had instituted the process for acquiring the money for this at an earlier date (verse 4). In the process of repairing the temple, the book of the law was discovered. No doubt it had been years since it had been read. When the book was brought to the king and he heard the judgements of God for idolatry, he began a campaign to rid the land of idol worship. In 2 Kings 23:1 we discover that Josiah first called the people back to the Law. The king sent out a command for the leaders of the nation to gather in Jerusalem.
Why was it important for Josiah to lead this reform? We would have expected the priests to initiate national religious reform. But without the king's approval, the priest's ability to bring about this reform would probably have been hindered. Since the king was the leader, it would be more likely that the nation would follow him. When national leaders seek the righteousness of God, God blesses a nation and the people can live peaceable lives (1Timothy 2:1, 2).
The gathering in Jerusalem was for one purpose the public reading of the Law. How tragic that this was the first time for the people to hear what God said about His relationship with them. He declared that as long as they obeyed Him, they could expect His blessings, but if they forsook the Law, Judgement would fall on them. It is obvious that this was what made such an impression on the king when the priest read the Law to him. He knew the spiritual condition of the nation and feared what would happen if they did not get back to God.
B. Commit to Obedience - 2 Kings 23:2, 3
In order for the people to obey the Law, they had to know it. The king was going to lead his people in a commitment of obedience to the Law. After Josiah gathered the people, he began to read from the Law. The priests may have helped him and took turns reading the Law to the people. The "Pillar" mentioned in verse 3 may have been one of the pillars supporting the temple, although some commentators believe Josiah stood on a raised platform. It is certain that he took a position where he could be seen and heard by everyone.
What is the value of a public commitment such as the one described in this passage? Sometimes our vows and pledges are a matter between us and the Lord. But there are also occasions when publicly declaring our commitment to the Lord strengthens our desire to maintain that commitment. This is why many churches have altar services for people to come and renew their vows to God.
The king would not ask the people to make a pledge that he would not make. Before all those assembled, he renewed his commitment to follow the Lord. To "walk after the Lord" describes a daily life where we follow the word of God. On this occasion, both the king and the people acknowledged they would begin to follow the Law.
The Bible has guidance for every situation we encounter in life. It has instruction for individuals and families, for the young and old, for men and women. It is important that we read the Scriptures so we will have a solid foundation on which to build our lives and our characters.
- OBEY THE BIBLE
Cleanse The Temple - 2 Kings 23:4
It was not enough for Josiah and the people to pledge themselves to obey the Law. Action had to be taken to remove everything that defiled the land. God had strictly forbidden the worship of idols. Yet such worship had actually been taking place in the temple. The fact that idolatry was occurring in the temple indicates that the pagan priests were allowed in the temple. If the nation was to enjoy God's blessings again, this evil had to be removed.
Why had the priests allowed idol worship to defile the temple? Of all people, these men should have taken the lead to cleanse the house of God. Earlier the priests had failed to withstand the wicked king Manasseh when he introduced idol worship into the temple
(2 Kings 21:4, 7). As a result, over a period of time the priesthood had apparently lost its sense of responsibility to God.
The same is true today. When the Church and its leaders cease to hold strong convictions and act upon them, society suffers and the forces of evil strengthen their grip. If we are going to obey the commandments set forth in the Bible, we must get rid of things in our life that are contrary to the Word. We cannot serve the Lord effectively if we allow practices in our lives that are forbidden in the Bible. Just as the priests were called on to cleanse the temple and remove all of its defilement, God calls us to seek Him and get rid of anything that would hinder our relationship with Him or our witness of His goodness in our lives.
B. Stop Evil Practices - 2 Kings 23:5-7
Idolatry involves people. Baal worship had its priesthood. Some of the wicked kings of Israel had appointed priests to serve the people in their idolatrous practices. Josiah stopped the activities of these men. No longer would they be allowed to burn incense to these idols. The high places were elevated locations where much of this idolatry took place. It seemed they were hard to remove. Their prominent locations kept the temptation to idol worship before the people.
Why were there so many varieties of idol worship - Baal, Asherah, and the heavenly bodies? When people try to replace God in their lives, they find the vacancy impossible to fill. Consequently they keep trying new activities and new kinds of religion, searching for something that will give them peace and satisfaction. Of course they never find what they are looking for, so they keep on searching.
When Josiah had the Asherah pole removed from the temple, he ordered it burned at the brook Kidron (verse 6). The ashes were then beaten into powder and sprinkled on the graves of the common people. This was to show the contempt idolatry deserved. What had once stood as an object of worship was now scattered among the locations associated with death.
Gross immorality was always associated with idol worship. Living quarters for the male prostitute involved in idolatry were next to the temple. According to verse 7, Josiah ordered these houses destroyed. In this fervent attempt to rid the land of the stench of idolatry we have as example of being not only hearers of the Word, but also doers. Such a spirit is needed in our own day of spiritual decline and wickedness.
- CELEBRATE REDEMPTION
Remember God's Deliverance - 2 Kings 23:21-23
The king's obedience to God’s command to observe the Passover is noteworthy. Such was his desire to please the Lord that there had not been a Passover celebration like this one since the days of the judges.
Why was it important for the Israelites to renew their observation of the Passover? This feast reminded the people why they were God's covenant nation. The Passover emphasized that God's covenant with them was sealed by the blood of a sacrificial lamb. Had it not been for God's miraculous deliverance they would still be a nation of slaves. Also the contrast between the true worship of God and the worship of idols would be seen by the people. This would remind them of how far they had fallen from the purpose of God for their lives.
As Christians, we do not look back on literal slavery to a foreign nation. However, there is bondage just as severe - slavery to sin. The Christian life should be a continual celebration of our deliverance from sin through the blood of Jesus. Yet our salvation is not based on feelings. It is based on the truth revealed in the Bible. God did not allow man to devise his own plan of salvation. God set forth in the Scriptures how we can be saved from sin and become His children - by repenting of sin and accepting Christ as Saviour we can be saved. Then we can enter into this wonderful celebration. We will know the deliverance from sin that Christ, the Passover Lamb, died to purchase.
B. Separation from Evil -2 Kings 23:24, 25
It was not enough for the king and his people to observe the Passover. There was still work that needed to be done. There were still “workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols and all the abominations" (2 Kings 23:24) that needed to be taken care of.
The occult thrives in the kind of atmosphere that develops when the Bible is rejected or ignored. Man must have something to worship. When it is not the true God, other religions rush in to fill the vacuum. This is true in our own time to an astounding degree. The supernatural of the occult is attracting many followers today.
Beside the occult, what other false religions must we beware of today? There are many teachings which may seem more sophisticated or exciting, but which belong to a religion of works. The New Age is one example. There are other religions which have been around a long time and still claim their followers. Some are very clever in the way they word their teachings, using the same words as the true gospel, but changing the meanings. From all of these deceptions we must keep a great distance, not letting curiosity lead us to experiment with them.
False religion is not the only thing from which Christians must be separated. Ours is a permissive society which has rejected the standards of right and wrong taught in the Bible. This calls for greater attention to God's teachings in His Word. It takes self-discipline to maintain a holy walk today, but we must do it whatever the cost. When God has paid such a price to redeem us, we can do no less than follow in the path He has shown us in the Bible.
Josiah was intent on fulfilling all words that were written in the book of the Law. There was not a king before him “that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might” (verse 25). May we have a heart like Josiah. Having read God's Word, let us determine to do all that we can to be obedient to its commands.
LIFE APPLICATION
Living without the Bible is like taking a trip across the country without a road map. The chances of arriving at the expected destination are very slim. Life is full of twists and turns. Unexpected dangers sometimes appear. We are often faced with decisions for which we cannot find an answer. Where will we get our guidance, our direction, and the values which determine the path we should take?
The prevailing philosophy in today's society is that there are no absolutes, no unchanging values. Secular humanism urges everyone to do what he feels like doing, for self is at the centre of each individual's little universe. It is no wonder there is such turmoil and trouble all around us.
Just as we need a map to guide us on a trip, we need a map for our spiritual journey. The Bible, God's unerring Word, provides guidelines for living which do not change with the passing of time. In His Word we find comfort in our sorrows, the truth about God, His love, His plan of salvation, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
To know the Bible means to meditate on it and study its teachings each day. We must not allow it to become a lost book because of our neglect. To live a victorious life, we must accept the Bible's authority as God's message to us. This means obeying its teachings in every choice, every decision. It means saying, “Not my will, Lord, but Yours.” This week make sure God's Word has a primary place in your life.
DAILY BIBLE READING
Mon: Godly Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:17-22).
Tue: Covenant Renewal (Joshua 24:14-26).
Wed: Blessings Of The Word (Psalm 119:1-8).
Thu: The Living Word (John 1:14 -18).
Fri: Power Of The Word (2 Timothy 4:1-5).
Sat: Obey The Word (2 John 1:13).