Mower County transcript., 1891-06-10

l.
took the money from the receptacles in
the temple into which the people had put
it that this old book was found.
Is. II have found the book of the law in
the house of the Lord"
Thus said Hilkiah, the priest, to Shap-
han, the scribe, as he gave him the book.
1t is probable that this is the book referred
to in Deut. XXI, 2-26, and if so it would
be nearly 800 years old.
16. "And Shaphan carried the book to
the king"
As Shaphan went to report to the king
concerning the accomplishment of the
work he took the book with him, having
first read it for himself QI Kings xxi, 8.
II. 'They have gathered together the
money that was found in the house of the
Lord, and have delivered it into the hands
of the overseers, and to the hand of the
workmen."
Is. ''Hilhiah the priest hath given me a
book. And Shaphan read in it before the
king"
10. And it came to pass, when the king
had heard the words Of the law, that be
rent his Clothes"
By the law is the knowledge Of sin Rom.
iii, 2O), and as Josiah heard the law Of the
Lord he saw as he never had before how
great the sins of the nation We're. His
heart trembled at the word, and therefore
he was blessed man (Isa. Xvi, q.
20, 81. 'Go, inquire of the Lord for me,
and for them that are left in Israel and in
Judah, concerning the words of the book
that is found"
These men were appointed by the king
to ascertain more fully concerning these
words. Here is priest and king, but
prophet is wanted who will make plain
the word of the Lord.
'Great is the wrath of the Lord that is
poured out upon US, because our fathers
have not kept the word Of the Lord to do
after all that is written in this book"
There is more than enough in any of the
last six chapters of Deuteronomy or in
Lev. XVI to cause Josiah to have uttered
these words; and it was manifest to all
that many of these curses had already act
ually come upon the land and upon the
people because of their sins.
%. "And Hlkiah and they that the king
had appointed went to Huldah, the proph-
etess."
This was in the eighteenth year of Jo-
| siah's reign, or five years after Jeremiah
began to prophecy (Jer. i, q, and we Won
der that they did not go to him. Zepha-
niah also prophesied in Josiah's reign
| (Zeph. i, y, but for some reason the mes
| sengers go to Huldah.
23 "And she answered them, Thus saith
| the Lord God of Israel, tell ye the man that
sent you to me-"
These men were only the messengers of
King Josiah; their business was to deliver
| the kings message correctly and carry
back correct answer. Happy are all mes
sengers who are privileged to carry a
''Thus saith the Lordv'
a. ''Thus saith the Lord, Behold will
bring evil upon this place, all the curses
that are written in the book"
| In Jer. ii, IL; vi, 10, the Lord calls heaven
and earth to witness against the people be-
cause of their sins; and also in lisa. j. 2 In
what he here says by Huldah, that He will
surely bring evil upon them.
25. Because they have forsaken me, and
| have burned incense unto other gods"
| Many were the entreaties by Moses and
Joshua not to forsake God. and solemn
| the warnings as to what the result would
be if they forsook Him (see Deut. XXI,
| 16, II; Josh. xiv, 2O And yet that very
thing they did, so that the prophets and
| Psalms are full of lamentations because
Israel forsook the God of their fathers
| DER. it, IL; V, Z; ix, 49, xix, 4; xxi, g, etc..
g. "And as for the king of Judah, who
sent you to inquire Of the Lord, so shall ye
say unto him.
The evil spoken of was to come upon the
ungodly people, but the Lord knoweth
them that are HIS Q1 Tim ii, 19), and no
evil can befall them. Ezekiel saw in a
vision a man with writer's inkhorn, who
was to set a mark upon the foreheads Of
those who sighed and cried because Of the
denominations done in the land; and when
| the destroying angel went forth he was to
begin at the sanctuary, but not come near
any upon whom was the mark.
| g. Because thine heart was tender, and
thou d,dst humble thyself before God
when thou heardst his words.''
| The Lord is nigh unto them that are Of a
broken heart. a broken and conrrite
| heart 0 God, thou wilt not despise. God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the
| humble Cps. xxxiv, is; lvii, II; Jas. iv, g..
He observes all VINO tremble at His word,
| and is ready to show Himself sIrong on
their behalf Qsa Xvi, 2; Chron. xvi, 81. He
| hears the prayers of such. When we take
heed to His word. and ask in accordance
| Herewith, we may be sure that He hears.
2S. ''Behold, I will gather thee to thy
fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy
grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see
all the evl-'' =
| Josiah was not to witness the suferings
of his people nor the desolation of his
land. It was Gods will for him that
he should have a peaceful death and
burial, while his spirit went to join the
company of the redeemed who had passed
over before him. That he died in battle
was owing to his willfulness and his
refusing to heed the words OF God through
Necho {chap xxxv, ., 23). We bring much
evil upon ourselves which God would glad
II spare us if we were only obedient Let
Us humble ourselves to walk with God, and
be in the fear of the Lord all the day long
/ prov. xii, ~. Let us stand with the
faithful few who seek to do right in the
sight of the Lord And may we be able to
say sincerely, 'sThe law of Thy mouth is
better unto me than thousands of gold and
silyer!!'