138 Monday, May 18, 2009

138 2 Kings 022 – 023; Luke 003

On this day in 1980 Mt. St. Helen's erupted with the largest volcanic explosion recorded in North America. Thousands of years ago there was another explosion that happened in Jerusalem. The Temple of the Lord is being repaired. The doorman had been collecting money and the high priest Hilkiah had been told to count it. The high priest Hilkiah found a book that rocked Jerusalem. He found the Bible that had been locked away. Shaphan, the royal secretary, read it to the king and the king proceeds to rip his clothes in repentance. King Josiah, at 26 years of age, tells his trusted companions to pray as to how they are to respond to the words written in God's book.

The five trusted companions went to a prophetess who told them that Judah would be destroyed but that the king would die a nice death. The king heard these words and held a solemn assembly to lead the people back to God. They tore down all the idols in the temple and truly came clean with God. Listen to these sobering words, "But despite Josiah, God's hot anger did not cool; the raging anger ignited by Manasseh burned unchecked." It was to late. Justice meets up with mercy and then there comes the time when enough is enough. Judah will eventually fall and all the plans of God seem hopeless. Remember, all the families of the earth will be blessed through you. Israel can't even hold up their own socks let alone help someone else.

You know the ending, God came through in spite of man's disobedience. God is faithful and faithful is He that will get you through it all. Have a great day in your faithful God and don't forget the book.