Concern for His house and its due order is always precious in the eyes of God. Since the notable Pentecost of Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit came down from heaven, the house of God has not been a material structure such as the temple in Jerusalem; it is a spiritual building, composed of living stones, men and women partakers of eternal life through grace. The Apostle Paul in his first epistle to Timothy tells us plainly what the house of God is in the Christian era: “These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:14-15). God delights to dwell amongst the people whom He has redeemed, whether Israel or Christians; but He insists upon purity and order. Oh, that we all may be as zealous as the young king Josiah that God may be glorified in His own house!
The repairing of the Temple was carried through most expeditiously. The work appears to have been commenced in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, and the Passover was kept in the same year (compare 2 Chron. 34:8, with 2 Chron. 35:19). Yet the Passover was a Spring feast, appointed to the month Abib. In Hezekiah’s time the feast had to be deferred until a month later because neither temple nor people were ready (2 Chron. 30:13-15); but Josiah and his people “killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month” (2 Chron. 35:1); according to the original divine order (Ex. 12:18). This proves that the workmen put their hearts into the work of getting the house ready for Jehovah their God. It is written in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” In Colossians 3:23, even slaves are told, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men.” This is not acceptable doctrine in our day. The “working” classes (so-called) seem bent on squeezing the maximum of pay for the minimum of work! Let God’s saints beware of the disorderly spirit prevailing around them, and give heed to yet another exhortation from the pen of Paul the Apostle, “Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by Him” (Col. 3:17). This puts everything in its true place, and faithful workers may be assured that the Lord will commend them in His day, which will be ample recompense for any reproaches which may come upon them from their fellow-men meanwhile.
When the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt after the return of the remnant from captivity, Nehemiah records, “the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). Josiah would have said the same of the men employed by him. Some years ago a number of brethren in a Scottish town built an excellent hall for their services with their own hands. When they had put aside a good sum of money for the purpose, the works in which they were all employed had to close down for lack of orders. The brethren judged that this was God’s time for building the hall. Accordingly they wrought with a will early and late for many weeks in order to get the roof on, and the building as far as possible finished before the works re-opened. Fifty or more men whose wages were at a standstill toiling for love’s sake! What a spectacle for men and angels! “The people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). A Popish priest in the locality is reported to have said that if he had a band of men about him like those builders he would move Scotland! in the mercy of God, no such men were available for him. The less of Popery the better for Scotland, and for every other land.
What a contrast in the condition of things in the days of Haggai! Because the people met with some discouragement in the re-building of the temple, they ceased operations, and labored to build houses for themselves instead. “Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, This people say, the time is not come, the time that Jehovah’s house should be built.” Such indifference was very displeasing to the One who had been so good to His erring people, and He sent them a remonstrance by Haggai the prophet, saying: “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses and this house lie waste?” (Hag. 1:1-4). Jehovah found it necessary to chasten His people for their apathy and all blessing was withheld until they recommenced their work upon the temple, and proceeded vigorously with it in faith. Then their barns filled up again with good things.
We are impressed with the Holy Spirit’s record that in Josiah’s day the men were so conscientious that no account was kept of the money expended, the amount of which must have been considerable. The word “faithfully” is used in a two-fold way (1) “the men did the work faithfully” (2 Chron. 34:12); and (2) “there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully” (2 Kings 22:7). Such men are worthy of imitation. Theirs was no mere “eye-service as men pleasers;” they worked “in singleness of heart, fearing God” (Col. 3:22). Britain could do with millions of such workers today. The housing problem would then be quickly solved, and what excellent work would be put into the houses! And if also the men could be trusted to use the money subscribed, purchasing the best possible materials, and taking no more in wages than is just—but perhaps we are dreaming! If such conditions may not he expected generally until the millennial age, may all who fear God and reverence His Word seek to be like Josiah’s workmen meantime.
In nothing perhaps are the children of God so commonly unfaithful as in the stewardship of money. Too much spent on luxuries, and too little dispersed abroad, and even that not always wisely. When shall we learn to neither spend nor give without seeking the guidance of God? In Luke 16 the Lord Jesus, after speaking of the unjust steward who so skillfully manipulated his circumstances for his own advantage, said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). “Least?” Is that how men regard money? Note also our Lord’s further words, “that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God!” (Luke 16:15). In 1 Timothy 6 the Apostle has much to say about this serious matter. In 1 Timothy 6:9-11 he warns saints who are not rich, but who aspire to be, that there are dangers ahead. Men in the world who pursue such a course frequently “drown themselves in destruction and perdition” and money-loving saints pierce themselves through with many sorrows.” In verses 17-19 the Apostle charges those who are already rich not to “trust in uncertain riches, but in God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy,” and to be ready “with open hand for every good work.” There is nothing wrong in possessing wealth (mark the word “enjoy”) if the wealth comes to us honorably; but when we consider that He to whom we owe our eternal all had not where to lay His head, and when we also remember that He is still “despised and rejected by men,” to be holders of large sums of money puts us in a position of grave responsibility, in the discharge of which we need daily and hourly grace. Referring again to Luke 16 we can “make to ourselves friends by the mammon of unrighteousness,” if our hearts so dispose us (Luke 16:9) or we may make enemies by the same means. Those who are generous and kind are beloved; but those who are selfish and haughty by reason of their wealth are disliked. Oh, that it may be said of us, as of Josiah’s workmen “they dealt faithfully!”