Rom 1:1-17, Faith leads to obedience; prayer, planning, and prudence to right decisions; and service to energy

Following Notes are from Constable, Notes on Romans, 2010

34	Following his conversion on the Damascus Road, Paul preached in Damascus, spent some time in Arabia, and then returned to Damascus. Next he traveled to Jerusalem where he met briefly with Peter and James.
37-43	He then moved on to Tarsus, which was evidently his base of operations and from which he ministered for about six years.
43-48	In response to an invitation from Barnabas he moved to Antioch of Syria where he served for about five years.
48-49	He and Barnabas then set out on their so called first missionary journey into Asia Minor.
49	Returning to Antioch Paul wrote the Epistle to the Galatians to strengthen the churches that he and Barnabas had just planted in Asia Minor.
50-52	After the Jerusalem Council, Paul took Silas and began his second missionary journey through Asia Minor and on westward into the Roman provinces of Macedonia and Achaia.
51	From Corinth, Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians. He proceeded to Ephesus by ship and then on to Syrian Antioch.
53-57	From there he set out on his third missionary journey.
53-56	Passing through Asia Minor he arrived in Ephesus where he labored for three years.
56	During this time he wrote 1 Corinthians.
56	Finally Paul left Ephesus and traveled by land to Macedonia where he wrote 2 Corinthians.
56-57	He continued south and spent the winter in Corinth. There he wrote the Epistle to the Romans and sent it by Phoebe (16:1-2) to the Roman church. The apostle then proceeded from Corinth by land clockwise around the Aegean Sea back to Troas in Asia where he boarded a ship and eventually reached Jerusalem.
57	In Jerusalem, the Jews arrested Paul and imprisoned him.
60-62	He arrived in Rome as a prisoner and ministered there for two years. During this time he wrote the Prison Epistles (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). The Romans freed Paul, and he returned to the Aegean area.
66-68	There he wrote 1 Timothy and Titus, experienced arrest again, suffered imprisonment in  Rome a second time, wrote 2 Timothy, and died as a martyr under Nero in A.D. 68.

• Review: Historical review of Paul's ministry.  Argument for writing of letter from Corinth (after the two letters) in the winter of AD 56-57.

• Author is Paul.

• Relationship to the church: Does not know the church. An early church father writes that it was not founded by an Apostle.  Church is well known.  Possible that Jewish Christians as far back as Pentecost started the church

• Purpose:
• Since does not know them, it appears to be a more general letter, dealing with things that any church might experience
• He does talk about visiting the church and then preceding to Spain
• This is also a transition point in his ministry.  He knew he was going to Jerusalem and that danger awaited him there.  It could be he wanted to make sure certain things were written down before he left

• Characteristics:
• Romans is the longest of Paul's letters
• It is one of the very best arguments for the gospel and Jew/Gentile need for salvation

Rom 1:1-7 (NIV) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

• In the salutation, Paul makes a number of important points up front, what are they?
• Paul is an apostle. This establishes Paul's authority
• Paul is called to be an apostle.  That is, he is designated or set apart by God.  He did not aspire to the honor, it was from God
• The gospel was promised beforehand in the scriptures
• Jesus is both man, a descendant of David, and God, through the Holy Spirit
• His position as Son of God is verified by the power of God through his resurrection from the dead
• As a result of his work, Paul's calling was to bring the gospel to the Gentiles

• The gospel seems to be the thesis statement of the letter.  He will spend most of the letter discussing the gospel and its implication on Gentile (and Jew)

• How does Paul describe his mission?
• To call people (Gentiles) to obedience
• Obedience comes from faith
• The result of the gospel is "belonging" to Jesus Christ

• This is an important distinction. Our belonging is not the result of our obedience.  And our obedience is not the result of our human effort
• Obedience comes from faith.  Therefore as our faith grows, our obedience will also grow
• Our obedience identifies us with Jesus, and so we can know that we belong to God.  But it is are faith that saves us

• APPLICATION: A lack of obedience is an indication of a lack of faith, not a need for more works.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.  If our life lacks obedience, what are we doing to help our faith to grow?

Rom 1:8-13 (NIV) First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

• The first thing to note is that their church is known all over the Roman world
• Argues for their establishment for some time
• Argues that doctrinally they are doing well since the report is good

• Paul is praying for them as he does for all the churches he knows and ministers to currently
• Paul remembers them in prayer
• Paul Is praying that, by God's will, a way will be opened to come to them

• What does Paul say more specifically about his coming to Rome?
• He has desired to do it
• He wants to impart some spiritual gift
• He has planned many times to come (but events and circumstances have prevented it)

• We learn a few principles here.  When a person has a desire on their heart, is it from God or not from God?
• We really can't tell
• His reason was spiritual
• Paul does not assume that the desire equates to God's will

• Is there a spiritual reason or purpose for the desire?
• Yes, to impart a spiritual gift (teaching)
• Yes, to be mutually encouraged
• Yes, to have a spiritual harvest (to see people grow and come to the Lord)

• Does a spiritual reason to fulfill a desire guarantee that it will happen?
• Not at all.  A desire and a spiritual reason for the desire does not mean it is the will of God

• Does that mean one cannot make plans based on a desire and a spiritual reason?
• No, but the plans suggest reasoned thought and not foolish decisions
• Paul's plans were curtailed many times (reasons not given)
• Paul never made a foolish decision because of a desire on his heart (and a spiritual purpose)

• At the point Paul is writing the letter, he is in Corinth, a short trip over land and sea to Rome (a month at the most).  When will he actually get to Rome?
• About three to four years later
• He does fulfill his desire, but many years and many false starts later

• APPLICATION: A desire of the heart does not indicate the will of God nor is it assumed not to be the will of God.  Having a spiritual purpose does not validate it as a "must do now thing."  We are not to make foolish decisions on the basis of a heart desire and a spiritual reason.  We are to pray (as Paul does), we are to plan (as Paul does), and we are to rationally act (as Paul does when circumstances prevent his fulfillment)

Rom 1:14-17 (NIV) I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

• Paul's ministry was to Gentiles.  Here he divides Gentiles into groups
• Greeks and non-Greeks (or barbarians) divides people by language and culture
• Wise and foolish divides people intellectually

• Why mention these different groupings of Gentiles?
• I think each required a different approach
• The gospel is always the same message but how we approach people will depend on language, culture, and intellectual background (or lack)

• Paul shares three attitudes toward the gospel
• Obligation
• Eagerness
• Unashamed

• Paul felt obligated to preach, why?
• A natural response to salvation is an obligation to share the truth

• Paul was eager to share the good news.  Why?
• I think one of the things that can excite a person is seeing ministry change people's lives.  When we are involved in ministry it excites us.  When we are just a sponge, we grow rancid

• Paul was not ashamed.  Why say that?
• Rome was a sophisticated environment
• The gospel was powerful.  It changed lives.  It still changes lives
• While the gospel was a gift, it requires that a person believe.  Christianity is not universalism.  Only those who believe are saved

• Paul practiced Jew first, then Gentile in all his ministry travels, even though he was called to minister to Gentiles
• As a personal application, I support a ministry to Jews
• I think it is a good idea to have some ministry to Jews as well

• Finally, verse 17 is the starting point and thesis statement for the rest of the letter
• In the Gospel (and only the Gospel)
• A righteousness from God is revealed (this is our problem, we don't have righteousness and we cannot stand before God)
• The righteousness comes from faith (first to last) or from the old covenant to the new covenant.  Work can never save you.  Works can be useful in identifying your salvation to others and yourself, but faith alone saves

• APPLICATION: Ministry can feed our desire to walk more closely with God.  Focusing on self leads to a dreariness in ministry

Lamentations, Deal gently with those who are suffering

Lam 1:8-12 (NIV) Jerusalem has sinned greatly
and so has become unclean.
All who honored her despise her,
for they have seen her nakedness;
she herself groans
and turns away.


9 Her filthiness clung to her skirts;
she did not consider her future.
Her fall was astounding;
there was none to comfort her.
"Look, O Lord, on my affliction,
for the enemy has triumphed."


10 The enemy laid hands
on all her treasures;
she saw pagan nations
enter her sanctuary —
those you had forbidden
to enter your assembly.


11 All her people groan
as they search for bread;
they barter their treasures for food
to keep themselves alive.
"Look, O Lord, and consider,
for I am despised."


12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering
that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
in the day of his fierce anger?


• The writer is not identified.  He was an eyewitness to Jerusalem's destruction.  There is some resemblance to Jeremiah's writing style.  There are indications in Chronicles and Jeremiah, that Jeremiah wrote a lament
• The writer has clearly identified the reason for Israel's misfortune.  Verse 8 says Jerusalem has sinned greatly
• We have to be a little careful in differentiating between the old and new covenant else we end up taking a "health & wealth gospel" approach.  Why exactly has Israel been punished? (not revealed here in the passage, but in the book of Jeremiah and other books of the OT)
• She broke the conditions of the old covenant.  The new covenant has no such conditions, although the new covenant warns of discipline
• She did not heed the warnings of the prophets
• And most importantly, she committed idolatry
• As people pass by Jerusalem, what does Jeremiah want them to see? Or as a sufferer, how does Jeremiah view his suffering?
• There is no suffering like it; it is the worse that possibly can be
• The Lord has brought it upon Israel
• Actually there are two problems with the writer's emotional response, what are they?
• There is worse suffering, but when you are in the midst of suffering, your suffering always feel worse than anything around you
• While God did bring the suffering, it was really Israel and not God who are the initiators.  We always want to blame God.  It is a very normal reaction of someone in the midst of suffering.  Ignore statements of emotional pain during this stage of suffering


Lam 2:11-15 (NIV) My eyes fail from weeping,
I am in torment within,
my heart is poured out on the ground
because my people are destroyed,
because children and infants faint
in the streets of the city.


12 They say to their mothers,
"Where is bread and wine?"
as they faint like wounded men
in the streets of the city,
as their lives ebb away
in their mothers' arms.


13 What can I say for you?
With what can I compare you,
O Daughter of Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you,
that I may comfort you,
O Virgin Daughter of Zion?
Your wound is as deep as the sea.
Who can heal you?


14 The visions of your prophets
were false and worthless;
they did not expose your sin
to ward off your captivity.
The oracles they gave you
were false and misleading.


15 All who pass your way
clap their hands at you;
they scoff and shake their heads
at the Daughter of Jerusalem:
"Is this the city that was called
the perfection of beauty,
the joy of the whole earth?"


• Actually, in these verses there is some rational arguments as to why they suffered, what is it?
• Their spiritual leaders failed them
• The leaders gave false and worthless teaching (apparently, they told them what they wanted to hear and not what they needed to hear)
• It is worthless teaching.  It didn't really deal with the issues which was their sin
• The leaders did not expose sin
• If they had exposed sin, it might have warded off captivity
• The teaching was false and misleading
• Misleading suggests that it did not offer real solutions.  I think "misleading" teaching is without application
• Or is without relationship to God's word
• What is the response of people who look upon Israel's situation?
• "I can't believe you were so stupid"
• "I can't believe you did not listen to God's message"
• The above two responses are exactly what people say today, but are we really that much different
• Do we act when our sin is exposed?
• Do we listen to God and make application to his word?
• Is God really a priority during the week, or just Sundays and Wednesday?


Lam 3:19-24 (NIV) I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:


22 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."


• In my quiet time journal, I wrote similar words to verses 19 and 20.  The bitterness and the ugly taste was so strong within me.  I wanted to believe with all my heart verses 21 to 24, but it seemed so difficult
• Ultimately, this is something that a person must get to individually.  You can preach it and teach it but each person must arrive at the point where they put there hope in God every morning for a better day
• Don't push someone who is not there yet
• Let then wallow in the pain
• Only when it seems like they will never progress out do you want to come in and gently remind them of hope
• Sometimes the church expects believers to jump to this point immediately and it is not possible for those who are honest with themselves and their emotions


Lam 3:25-33 (NIV) The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young.


28 Let him sit alone in silence,
for the Lord has laid it on him.
29 Let him bury his face in the dust —
there may yet be hope.
30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him,
and let him be filled with disgrace.


31 For men are not cast off
by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
33 For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to the children of men.


• Does the writer believe suffering is good, why?
• He doesn't really say why
• He does think it is a good thing to experience when you are young
• What should we do?
• Don't be so quick to fix a person's suffering
• "Let him sit alone in silence"
• "Let him WAIT"
• "Let him bear the yoke"
• Why?
• Because God is still in charge
• Because God does not willingly bring affliction
• In other words?
• There is purpose in suffering
• God has not forgotten the purpose (whatever we might think as outside viewers)
• APPLICATION: When our children are hurting or struggling, we need to be there for support, but be careful of fixing things, because you may be interfering with God is trying to do in their lives.  Make it a matter of prayer and don't be quick to jump into the situation


Lam 3:37-42 (NIV) Who can speak and have it happen
if the Lord has not decreed it?
38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
that both calamities and good things come?
39 Why should any living man complain
when punished for his sins?


40 Let us examine our ways and test them,
and let us return to the Lord.
41 Let us lift up our hearts and our hands
to God in heaven, and say:
42 "We have sinned and rebelled
and you have not forgiven.


• What are some principles surrounding suffering from calamaties?
• God is sovereign but that does not mean he is the cause
• Some calamities are the result of the fall and a sinful world
• But all calamities are allowed by God
• Some calamities are because of sin
• In the OT, calamities were promised for failure to keep the covenant
• In the NT, there are warnings of discipline for disobedience
• In both cases, old and new covenant, salvation is never dependent on obedience but faith.  Rather obedience or lack of obedience is a missing out on the blessings offered (Sabbath-rest as Hebrews calls it)
• How should we respond to adversity?
• Examine our lives
• Seek God in prayer
• Repent of our sins


Lam 4:1-2 (NIV) How the gold has lost its luster,
the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
at the head of every street.


2 How the precious sons of Zion,
once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
the work of a potter's hands!


• One of the principles of suffering is how things that used to be so important lose their value during suffering
• Share story of Luke and trache incident, and feelings afterwards
• God uses suffering to change our value system
• Before suffering, we can see things from a very world perspective
• After suffering, the things of this world don't seem quite as important
• God uses suffering to change our affections


Lam 4:11-13 (NIV) The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;
he has poured out his fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed her foundations.


12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did any of the world's people,
that enemies and foes could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.


13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed within her
the blood of the righteous.


• Interesting, another reason given for Israel's sins, what is it?
• The prophets and priests shed the blood of the righteous
• How did they do that?
• It doesn’t say
• Maybe they did not stand up for the righteous, and the result was their death
• This could be specific to the time of Manasseh when the people went back to many of the old idols after Hezekiah had cleaned things up.  Hezekiah upset many people.  Manasseh tried to appease the people, which Hezekiah never did.  The voices of reason were probably put to death.  Essentially they gave the people what they wanted not what they needed
• One principle does come out.  Sometimes, in the old covenant, the suffering is not the fault of the individual suffering, but of individuals preceding.  The whole nation suffers because of the sin of some, and usually that is the leaders.  Which is why it is so important to have leaders who do the right thing even if it is not popular!


Lam 5:19-22 (NIV) You, O Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.
20 Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long?
21 Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
22 unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure.


• Even though Jeremiah knew God would bring the people back in 70 years, the pain overwhelms the truth.  What does Jeremiah feel?
• Israel is forgotten
• Israel may never be restored
• Israel is rejected
• It is interesting to note that Ezekiel 1:1, the next verses, which very likely are written at exactly the same time frame, tell a different story
• For us, Romans 8:28 is a key promise in the midst of all pain and suffering.  It does not say that God is the cause but it does say that for those who love God (believers) … "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

2 Kings 21:1-23:30, Show courage and maturity by depending on God and not others for who you are

Year	Event	Reference
640–609 b. c.	Josiah was king of Judah.	2 Kin. 22:1—23:30
628/627 b. c.	Josiah’s reform began with the removal of high places and all vestiges of foreign cults.	2 Chr. 34:1–7
627/626 b. c.	Jeremiah was called by God to prophetic office.	Jer. 1:1, 2
626 b. c.	Nabopolassar, gaining independence from Assyria, founded the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
622 b. c.	Josiah repaired the temple; the Book of the Law was found.	2 Kin. 23:1–25; 2 Chr. 34:8–35:19
612 b. c.	Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, fell to the Media-Babylonian coalition.
609–605 b. c.	Egypt ruled Palestine and Syria.
609 b. c.	Josiah was killed by the Egyptian army at the Battle of Megiddo.	2 Kin. 23:29; 2 Chr. 35:20–25



2 Kings 21:1-9 (NIV) Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. His mother's name was Hephzibah. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem I will put my Name." 5 In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking him to anger.


7 He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the Lord had said to David and to his son Solomon, "In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. 8 I will not again make the feet of the Israelites wander from the land I gave their forefathers, if only they will be careful to do everything I commanded them and will keep the whole Law that my servant Moses gave them." 9 But the people did not listen. Manasseh led them astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.


• What do you notice of the contrast between Manasseh and his father Hezekiah?
• Everything Hezekiah destroyed, Manasseh restored
• "He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed" -- He specifically reversed course -- it makes your wonder why?
• "He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists." -- It was not because he wasn't spiritual
• Why does Manasseh switch directions so completely from his father, Hezekiah, the greatest of the kings of Judah?
• People make choices, sometimes against their very upbringing
• Hezekiah's decisions were very unpopular (destruction of the bronze snake) and the people's heart was not in it
• 2 Kings 21:9 suggests this
• Manasseh was essentially giving the people what they wanted
• His 55 year reign (might be the longest of all kings) doesn't suggest much opposition
• Manasseh represents the people wishes, whereas Hezekiah acted in accordance with what he felt was right
• Maybe Hezekiah's failure was in not getting the people on board
• Hezekiah implemented good ideas but he did not train or teach the people
• APPLICATION: Most people make two mistakes in regard to relationships
• They don't show they moral courage to stand up for what is right.  It is too important to please others than to please God.  Manasseh's lack of courage will destroy millions of people
• They can't live without being in a relationship.  God is not enough.  They are depressed, lonely, bored, if they are not in a relationship or hanging with friends.  It also shows a weak understanding of God.  Why even bother to walk with God?


2 Kings 21:10-16 (NIV) The Lord said through his servants the prophets: 11 "Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. 12 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 13 I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and hand them over to their enemies. They will be looted and plundered by all their foes, 15 because they have done evil in my eyes and have provoked me to anger from the day their forefathers came out of Egypt until this day."


16 Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end — besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.


• Two things result from Manasseh:
• Final judgment to completely destroy Judah and Jerusalem -- the only question is "when?"
• Whatever Manasseh's original motivations (i.e., people-pleasing or unbelief), sin has an effect on him as well -- Manasseh becomes a very evil person (tradition has it that he sawed Isaiah in half)
• Because of Manasseh's lack of moral courage his spiritual obedience disappears.  He leads Israel to become more evil than the nations before Israel
• You can't play "Christianity" or play "God."  Either you give God control or the world control.  You cannot serve two masters
• Manasseh will suffer and will repent of his sins after he is captured and taken to Babylon.  He does remove the idols and ultimately changes his practices, but he can't remove the consequences of his sins
• He and the people will live with those consequences
• Be careful of the consequences of a two-faced life


2 Kings 21:19-24 (NIV) Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. His mother's name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz; she was from Jotbah. 20 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. 21 He walked in all the ways of his father; he worshiped the idols his father had worshiped, and bowed down to them. 22 He forsook the Lord, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord.


23 Amon's officials conspired against him and assassinated the king in his palace. 24 Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.


• Amon returns to the practices of his father's early reign
• He is assassinated by his own officials
• His officials are executed for their actions
• BOTTOM LINE: Not clear why he was assassinated.  The plotters are all executed either for the crime, lifting the hand against the king, or possibly the people like Amon, not clear.  Maybe they did not like Manasseh's turn back to God


2 Kings 22:1-2, 8, 11-13 (NIV)  Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.
… 8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord." He gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
 … 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 12 He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 13 "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us."


• It really is hard to imagine a book becoming lost, but given the two reigns over the last 57 years and the lack of printing press technology, it is not so difficult
• A scroll was a priceless commodity that existed in only a small number of copies.  People could spend years copying a scroll, and then destroying it if there was so much as one error in it
• How does Josiah respond to the word and why?
• He humbles himself
• He seeks God through a prophet (it is somewhat surprising that he did not go to Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, or Habakkuk, but goes to Huldah who lives in Jerusalem)


2 Kings 23:1-3 (NIV) Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 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.


• Josiah does something that Hezekiah failed to do …
• Josiah reaches out the people
• Josiah involves the people in the rededication and renewal
• What is the first step in involving the people?
• The reading of the word
• God's word is powerful
• APPLICATION:
• You can have great ideas for what God wants to do, but if the heart of the body is not with you, you will not succeed.  You need strong Christian fellowship.  Few people can stand on their own
• God's word is powerful.  If you are not in the word you will have no power


2 Kings 23:4-16 (NIV) 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. 6 He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the Lord to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people. 7 He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the Lord and where women did weaving for Asherah.


8 Josiah brought all the priests from the towns of Judah and desecrated the high places, from Geba to Beersheba, where the priests had burned incense. He broke down the shrines at the gates — at the entrance to the Gate of Joshua, the city governor, which is on the left of the city gate. 9 Although the priests of the high places did not serve at the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, they ate unleavened bread with their fellow priests.


10 He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech. 11 He removed from the entrance to the temple of the Lord the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the room of an official named Nathan — Melech. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.


12 He pulled down the altars the kings of Judah had erected on the roof near the upper room of Ahaz, and the altars Manasseh had built in the two courts of the temple of the Lord. He removed them from there, smashed them to pieces and threw the rubble into the Kidron Valley. 13 The king also desecrated the high places that were east of Jerusalem on the south of the Hill of Corruption — the ones Solomon king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the vile goddess of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the vile god of Moab, and for Molech the detestable god of the people of Ammon. 14 Josiah smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles and covered the sites with human bones.


15 Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin — even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also. 16 Then Josiah looked around, and when he saw the tombs that were there on the hillside, he had the bones removed from them and burned on the altar to defile it, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by the man of God who foretold these things.


• I read all this, because it gives an idea of the degree to which the people had turned from God.  In fact, there is more in the verses which follow
• Notice two key events
• Destruction of high places that Solomon had set up (also have a lot of history)
• The destruction of one of the high places that Jeroboam had built (finally, also probably almost iconic at this point)
• 2 Kings 23:26-27 make one last very strong point -- too late
2 Kings 23:26-27 (NIV) Nevertheless, the Lord did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke him to anger. 27 So the Lord said, "I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, 'There shall my Name be.'"
• APPLICATION: repentance takes away sins but not the consequence of sins