It was a blessed thing for young King Josiah to “seek after the God of David his father” (2 Chron. 34:33For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. (2 Chronicles 34:3)). God is readily found by those who want Him; but the full revelation of Who and What He is could not be until the Only Begotten Son Who is in the bosom of the Father came from heaven to declare Him. Before His coming the faithful in Israel knew and trusted God as the Jehovah. We who live on the resurrection side of the cross, and who have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit know God as Father, and we have the assurance that we are His children, sons, and heirs. The Father loves us, as He loves His Son. We have learned this sweet truth from the lips of the Son Himself, (John 17:2323I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)).
But although Josiah came to know God early in life, and soon began to serve Him amongst the people, it was some time before he came into contact with God’s written Word. Those were not days of printed Bibles, making it possible for all who will to possess copies of the Scriptures. Neither were the Scriptures, yet fully written. Do we realize how favored we are in this day, with God’s Word in its entirety abundantly printed, and obtainable at a reasonable cost? Are we alive to the fact that immense spiritual wealth is within our reach if only we have the sense to value it? Gold and diamonds are not found without labor, and how willingly will men endure hardships in order to fill their bags with these precious things, which, after all, only have a time value! Oh, that we were half as diligent in our search for the great and wonderful things contained in the book of God. These have eternal value.
What was it that the High Priest found, and which so deeply moved the King when Shaphan read it before him? Was it the original book of the law written by Moses in the wilderness? After the return from captivity in Babylon copies were made of the law, and were read on the Sabbath days to the people in synagogues built for the purpose. Our Lord freely used these buildings, in which liberty was given to anyone to exhort the congregation if competent to do so. The Apostles also used the synagogues for the same purpose (Luke 4:1717And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, (Luke 4:17), Luke 4:4444And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. (Luke 4:44); Acts 9:2020And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20); Acts 13:1414But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. (Acts 13:14)). But there is no clear evidence that synagogues with copies of the Word of God in them, existed in the days of the kings. Was then the book that Hilkiah found in the temple the original work of Moses? An interesting question, but difficult to answer.
The early history of the written Word may profitably be considered here. The first recorded command to put Jehovah’s commandments to His people into writing is found in Exodus 17:1414And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. (Exodus 17:14), “Jehovah said unto Moses, write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” Soon after this, Jehovah Himself put something into writing. The tables of stone, containing the ten commandments were written with the “finger of God.” These (the second tables), were called “the testimony,” for in them God spoke to men, and they were deposited in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25:1616And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee. (Exodus 25:16); Ex. 31:1818And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18)). When Moses completed his fifth book he, “commanded the Levites, which bare the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah your God that it may be there for a witness against thee” (Deut. 31:25-2625That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying, 26Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. (Deuteronomy 31:25‑26)). We learn from this that the book of the law was preserved in the house of God, in the Most Holy place. Thus Hilkiah found the sacred book just where it might be expected to be found. But it was evidently very little known for many years prior to the reign of Josiah. It appears to have been lost, covered over with rubbish in the very house of God, and so little valued that no search was made for it! What a picture of what has happened in Christendom! The house of God as established on the Day of Pentecost is “the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:1515But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)). In the days of the Apostles the truth was loved, and earnestly propagated in every direction; but as the centuries passed, “the Church” became so grossly unfaithful and worldly that the truth was well-nigh lost. Priestly pretensions and ecclesiastical ordinances governed the whole situation, displacing the Word of God almost entirely. For all practical purposes the Word was buried under accumulations of rubbish, very much as in the days of King Josiah.
One of the happiest results of the Protestant Reformation was that the Scriptures became available to the people in many lands. Once more men were allowed to listen to the voice of their God apart from human interpolations. How eagerly did the poor resort to English Parish “Churches,” where Bibles were chained by order of the king, with permission for all to read them who desired to do so! With what delight did those who could not read for themselves listen to those who could read. The memory of these doings is a reproach to us today. Bibles are plentiful and cheap, but it may be that in some homes they exist only on the top shelf, as dusty as the precious volume which Hilkiah found in the temple! Brethren, let us consider carefully our attitude towards the Word of God. Therein is written the whole story of God’s dealings with man, past, present and future. The counsels of His love are revealed therein, the knowledge of which makes humble children of God wiser than statesmen and others who are sorely bewildered by the problems of their times. Such knowledge imparts moral dignity to all who possess it. Yet, although all this is true (and much more might be said) these do not appear to be days of careful Bible study.
Let’s return to Hilkiah’s important “find.” The God of Israel told Joshua, the leader of His people after the death of Moses, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Josh. 1:88This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)). This notable military commander, with great responsibilities resting upon his shoulders, must make time, not only to read, but to meditate on God’s word. It was vital to his prosperity in every way. Do we “make time” for reading and meditation?
Although the existence of the book of the law seemed unknown to the men of Josiah’s time until the eighteenth year of his reign, it was known to earlier rulers. Of Asa it is written that he “commanded Judah to seek Jehovah the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandments” (2 Chron. 14:44And commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment. (2 Chronicles 14:4)). Jehoshaphat sent the Levites throughout his dominions, “and they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of Jehovah with them” (2 Chron. 17:99And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. (2 Chronicles 17:9)). Amaziah, when he came to the throne, put to death the murderers of his father, “but he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where Jehovah commanded, saying, the fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin” (2 Chron. 25:44But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin. (2 Chronicles 25:4)). This king was far from being a good man, but he had respect for the book of the law and its divine instructions. When the boy king Joash was crowned two hundred and fifty years before the time of Josiah, as part of the coronation ceremonies, they “gave him the testimony” (2 Kings 11:1212And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. (2 Kings 11:12)). These Scriptures suffice to refute the assertion of some in our time that the book which Hilkiah found in the temple was of comparatively recent compilation, with the name of Moses attached to it to give it authority in the eyes of the king and his people. The assertion is as absurd as it is wicked. That which was brought to light once more was God’s own revelation to His people, against which, unhappily they so frequently transgressed. In the stirring times of Josiah, when the Spirit of God was working to give Jehovah’s poor fickle people one more opportunity, the re-discovery of the book of the law had tremendous effect upon the heart and conscience of the king; and, we may hope, upon the hearts and consciences of many of his subjects.
“The more we consider the Word the more we shall see its importance. Analogously to Christ the living Word, it has its source on high, and reveals what is there, and is perfectly adapted to man down here, giving a perfect rule according to what is up there, and, if we are spiritual, leading us up there, our conversation is in heaven.” (J. N. Darby)