Point of No Return

During the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign in Jerusalem at the age of twenty-six, the King gave command that the Temple was to have major repairs done to it after decades of abuse and neglect. The carpenters, builders, and masons were to be given money from the Temple treasury to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the House of God. During the renovation project the high priest, Hilkiah, came across the Book of the Law of Moses that had been laid aside, neglected, or maybe even hidden for safe-keeping during the reign of the evil kings of Judah, the worst being King Josiah’s grandfather, Manasseh, along with his father, Amon. King Josiah’s appointed scribe, Shaphan, brought what had been lost but now was found to the King from the hand of Hilkiah, and was instructed to read what was written in the Book of the Law to the King. Upon hearing the commands and statutes God required of His People written in the Book, King Josiah tore his garment in the act of showing great grief, shame, and conviction for the nation and its inhabitants’ disobedience to God. Fearing the wrath of God upon the nation, King Josiah set about to obey the Word of God to the fullest.

Upon calling all the people throughout the land of Judah to the Temple in Jerusalem, including the elders, priests and prophets, King Josiah read “in their ears all the words of the Book of the covenant which was found in the House of the LORD.” At the conclusion of his reading, he covenanted before God and all the people to walk in the ways of the LORD and keep His commandments, testimonies and statutes with all his heart and soul, for which all the people in attendance covenanted to do also.

 King Josiah set to work commanding all the images and altars to Baal his grandfather Manasseh had erected in the Temple during his reign be destroyed. He ordered all the high places throughout the Kingdom of Judah that had been set apart for idol worship be razed and for the priests who had burned incense to Baal, the sun, moon, stars and planets to be removed. He commanded the destruction of the image Molech in the valley of Hinnom where the sacrificing of children took place, “that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.” King Josiah even ordered “the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun” to be removed, and “the chariots of the sun” be burned.

But the point of no return had already been reached, for “Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath, wherewith His anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him withal.” Although King Josiah desired in his heart to do all he could to lead his nation back to God, in less than two decades following his death the Kingdom of Judah was carried captive to Babylon. “Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to remove them out of His sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did; and also for the innocent blood that he shed: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon.”  (2 Kings 21-24)

Keeping the LORD’S Day Holy

Upon the completion of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem in fifty-two days under the leadership of Nehemiah, the former cupbearer of the King of Persia, Nehemiah became burdened concerning the activities taking place within the city on the Sabbath days. The city gates were open and people were coming and going all day long selling their wares, with customers buying what was made available for purchase. In celebration of the wall being completed, the people had gathered in the street before the water gate to hear Ezra, the priest, read the Book of the Law of Moses which included the command of GOD, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,” (Exodus 20:8; Nehemiah 1:11-2:6; 6:15; 8:1-6).

Nehemiah was very specific in his writings of the activities taking place on the Sabbath days: some were treading the wine presses, others were bringing in sheaves, donkeys were laden with wine, grapes, and figs, with all manner of burdens to be sold in the city. Included were men of Tyre bringing fish into the city, along with merchandise from the Mediterranean coast to be available for sale on the Sabbath Day. Nehemiah testified against the people of such activities taking place on a day that was to be considered holy.

Nehemiah also contended with the nobles of Judah, saying, “What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our GOD bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath.” It was because of the disobedience of God’s people and His commands they spent seventy years in Babylonian captivity before King Cyrus permitted those who desired to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the Temple (Ezra 1:1-3).

Nehemiah with deep conviction caused the gates of the city to be closed at sundown before the Sabbath and not to be reopened until after the Sabbath had ended. Nothing was permitted to come into the city on the Sabbath days. Nehemiah recorded, “So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them… if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath.” Nehemiah then commanded the Levites, those who were tasked with the maintenance of the Temple, to “come and keep the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day,” (Nehemiah 13:15-22).

Faith or Works

In Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia in Asia Minor, churches he previously had visited on his missionary journeys, Paul addressed those in their midst who were attempting to pervert the Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:7). There were those who were coming into the churches and telling those who had put their complete faith in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for salvation as Paul had preached, that in addition they needed to be circumcised for complete salvation. In Galatians chapter five Paul adamantly disputes the notion anything needs to be added to Christ’s sacrifice for salvation.

Paul admonished the Galatian Christians to “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (5:1). Paul wrote that if anything is added to God’s free gift of salvation, “Christ shall profit you nothing” (5:2). Paul declared those who agree to the need for circumcision in addition to faith in Christ for salvation place themselves back under the Law, and “Christ becomes of no effect unto you,” (5:3-4). Earlier in Paul’s letter he had written to the Galatians, “By the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified,” (2:16). Jesus said during His Sermon on the Mount, “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil,” (Matthew 5:17). Christ fulfilled through His death, burial and resurrection all that is needed for man’s salvation.

There are those who promote, in addition to faith in Christ, the need to immediately be  baptized to wash away sin or the need to do good works in order to obtain forgiveness of sin and salvation in Christ. Just as with those in Paul’s day calling for circumcision to be added for salvation, Paul emphasized, “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love,” GOD’s love: AGAPE love (Galatians 5:6). The attempt to obtain salvation by any other means but through faith in Christ Alone is a false salvation. Paul calls it “another gospel: which is not another,” and gives this proclamation, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed,” and to emphasize the importance of his point he immediately repeats, “As we said before, so say I now again, If any preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed,” (Galatians 1:8-9).

By Faith or By Works

Throughout the Old Testament and during Jesus’ earthly ministry it was to the Jew first God’s righteousness was offered. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). When the Jews rejected God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, the Promised Messiah, the Gentiles were afforded the opportunity to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” (Acts 16:31). The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote of the Gentiles’ righteousness coming by faith, whereas the Jews sought righteousness through the keeping of the law (Romans 9:30-32).

Earlier in Paul’s letter he had written, “by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight,” (Romans 3:20). The Jews based righteousness on their futile attempts to obey all of God’s laws along with the hundreds of other man-made laws the priests had added to them throughout the centuries, not understanding God’s purpose “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” not salvation. The Law shows the need for a Savior, for no man can keep the whole Law. Paul wrote to the Galatians “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith,” (3:24). To the Jews, Christ became a stumblingblock to them; they stumbled at laying aside their “works salvation” for a “righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ Alone salvation” as was preached to the Gentiles. Paul wrote of the Jews, “Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.” He further wrote, “they… going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth,” (Romans 9:32; 10:3-4).

Paul tells us Moses described the righteousness which is of the law, “That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. BUT the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise… That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him,” (Romans 10:5-13).

Righteousness by faith in Christ which the Jews would not accept as the New Covenant, is a righteousness of grace through faith; “not of yourselves… not of works.” It is Christ, the Perfect Lamb of God, who brings salvation to the whole world both Jew and Gentile, to everyone that believeth on Him and commits their life to Him (Luke 22:20; Romans 10:3; Ephesians 2:8-9).

The Path to Revival

The Temple in Jerusalem was once again in great need of repair because of neglect. One hundred years earlier King Hezekiah had ordered the priests and Levites to sanctify themselves, sanctify the Temple, “and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.” Revival took place during Hezekiah’s day as worship was once again restored and the people consecrated themselves to the LORD and His commands (2 Chronicles 29-31).

King Josiah was just eight years old when he began to reign in Jerusalem following the reign of Hezekiah’s son Manasseh, followed by the reign of his grandson, Amon. As Hezekiah’s great-grandson, King Josiah at the age of sixteen began to seek after God and call for the destruction of idol worship prevalent throughout the land. The high places and groves where idol worship took place, along with their altars to Baal, their carved images and molten images used in their idolatrous worship “he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.” King Josiah was very serious about destroying the sin in the land.

In the eighteenth year of King Josiah’s reign at the age of twenty-six, after purging the land of idolatry, he called for the repairing of the Temple of God in Jerusalem. As the workmen set about doing their work, the High Priest Hilkiah “found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.” The nation had strayed so far from God that even God’s Word had been set aside and eventually lost within the Temple confines. As Shaphan the scribe read the Book of the Law to King Josiah, the King “rent” his clothes as was custom during times of great grief, and called for all the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem to gather at the Temple where the King “read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.”

At the conclusion of his reading King Josiah made a covenant before the LORD and all gathered that he would keep God’s commandments, His testimonies and statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, and would perform all the words written within the Book. He encouraged all that were present to do the same in their lives, to which they covenanted together with him to do likewise. “Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the Children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers,” (2 Chronicles 34).

The path to revival follows the path King Josiah took with the people who were alive during his reign. Upon repenting of sin, returning to the Word of God and remaining faithful to Him, revival will come as a nation, a people, a church return to the God of the Bible and His Word. Instead of brokenness, filthiness, and uselessness, His blood cleanses from all unrighteousness and brings restoration and revival (1 John 1:7).

NEHEMIAH – Book of “Rebuilding The Wall”

Key Verse:  Nehemiah 1:3-4, “And they said unto me…  The wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.  And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept.”                                             

 Nehemiah Told of Jerusalem’s Condition – Chapter 1

 King Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem – Chapter 2

 Wall Begins to be Rebuilt – Chapter 3

 Enemies Try to Stop the Work – Chapters 4-5

 Wall is Finished – Chapter 6

 Genealogy of Those Who Returned – Chapter 7

 Law of Moses Read to People – Chapter 8

 People Repent – Chapter 9

 Renewed Covenant with God – Chapter 10

 Those Who Would Live in Jerusalem – Chapter 11

 Dedication of the Wall – Chapter 12

 Law Restored in Society – Chapter 13

DEUTERONOMY – Book of “Second Giving of The Law”

Key Verse(s):   Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

Review of Wilderness Wanderings – Chapters 1-4, 8

Ten Commandments Restated – Chapters 5-6, 9

Chosen Because of Love – Chapter 7

Warnings – Chapters 10-11

Conditions of Blessing – Chapters 12-26

Instructions Living in Promised Land – Chapters 27-30

Book of Law in Ark of Covenant – Chapter 31

Moses’ Encouragement, Last Words – Chapters 31-33

Moses’ Death – Chapter 34

 

LEVITICUS – Book of “The Law”

Key Verse:  Leviticus 19:2, “Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.”

Offerings – Chapters 1-7

Aaron & Sons Appointed Priests – Chapters 8-10

Clean & Unclean – Chapter 11-12,15

Leprosy – Chapters 13-14

Day of Atonement – Chapter 16

Sacrifices – Chapter 17

Moral Laws – Chapter 18

Civil Laws – Chapters 19-20

Ceremonial Laws – Chapters 21-22

Feasts – Chapter 23

Administering the Law – Chapters 24-27

Exodus – Book of “Going Out”

Key Verse:   Exodus 20:2, “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee                                      out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

Moses’ Birth – Chapters 1-2

Burning Bush – Chapters 3–4

Confrontations with Pharoah – Chapters 5-7

Plagues in Egypt – Chapters 8-11

Deliverance from Egypt – Chapters 12-19

10 Commandments – Chapter 20

Law is Given – Chapters 21-32

Wilderness Wanderings – Chapters 33-40

 

The Law of the LORD

“The LAW of the LORD is Perfect – Converting the Soul:

 The TESTIMONY of the LORD is Sure – Making Wise the Simple. 

 The STATUTES of the LORD are Right – Rejoicing the Heart: 

 The COMMANDMENT of the LORD is Pure – Enlightening the Eyes.

 The FEAR of the LORD is Clean – Enduring For Ever:

 The JUDGMENTS of the LORD are True and Righteous. 

 More to be Desired are THEY than Gold, yea, than Much Fine Gold:

  Sweeter also than Honey and the Honeycomb.

“In Keeping of Them there is Great Reward.”
(Psalm 19:7-11)