Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-03
BOOK OF LAW FOUND
DIR. GILBERT ON SUNDAY SCHOOL
ESQ 0 DECEMBER T..
Interesting Details of the Discovery
of the Book of the Lord While
Searching In the Temple
for Silver.

Kings xii $50. By j. E. Gilbert. D.. D..
IL. D., secretary OF the American So
ciety CT Religious Education.
CONTENT. Manasseh, of whom We
studied November ~, was succeeded on
the throne Of Judah by his son Anon. who
ruled two years and did evil in the sight
OF the Lord Iii Kings Xxi:l9-22. In that
brief time he perverted the people and cor
rupted the sanctuary. Nothing else is re-
corded Of him save that he was siain by
his servants and that his son. Josiah.
reiSned in his stead. Josiah was only s
years of age at the death of his father.
but, fortunately for the government, ne
wa surrounded by pious men who re-
stored the worship of Jehovah. After ten
years of comparative quiet the young king,
being old enough TO Judge for himself
Verse -. adopted measures for repairing
the temple which had been neglected in
his fathers tine. and he sent Shaphan. the
scribe, 10 Hilkiah, the high priest. with
Instructions 10 gather up the silver in the
temple and to make regular payment to
the laborers oversees ! to O..
DISCOVERY. While searching in the
temple for the silver. which may have
been part of the money gathered up in the
time of Joash iii Chron. XXiv:5l. Hilkiah
found a copy of the book 81 the Lord
verse s.. Some claim that THIS book was
iilSlfIS tHt COue Ol ld"S written DS MUSES.
for the government of Israel. wnile others
think that it was our Pentateuci, not
precisely as We have it. but substantially
the same. written in Hebrew. placed at
first in the side of the ark tDeut. XXXi:-
2i-26). 1t must have been Il venerable work
else the high priest would not nave es-
teemed it so highly, neither would he have
mentioned the fact to Shaphan, as he did.
as a matter of great Importance. The
finding irdicated tina. Hilkiah had entered
INTO the kings spirit of reform. shat he
had inaugurated a careful examination and
cleansing tor the purpose of putting things
in order, u general house cleaning prob
ably: as preliminary to the stated religious
REPORT. Shaphan FASTENED to his SOW
ereign with the good news. 1t was highly
proper, tina. he should first O! all report
been appropriated according to the kings
directiontverse -, as that was the special
matter with which he was charged. But.
mat done. the scribe told the king of
Hilkiah's discovery and produced the book
and began to read (verse lO,. 1t must nave
required several sittings to complete this
We have them in Exodus and Leviticus.
We're read. And. as the officer proceeded,
the words that fell from his lips. like the
voice of God out of the heaven. constituted
a new revelation to the young monarch.
STRANGE words they We're. long neglected.
but highly important. Both nearer and
49, " uSCptSl lHltItSt.
CONCERN. The jews held their sacred
books in the highest esteem. They believed
that the writer's were inspired, SO that
what was written they received as coming
directly from God. There might be ques-
tons and doubts on all matters of mere
human opinion. but every utterance of
authoritative and final. Hilkiah and Sha-
phan felt this. as also did Josiah The king
perceived thai the nation had departed Il
long way from the requirements of the law.
Many things enjoined We're neglected or
perverted This was true in both civil
and religious affairs. The acts of devotion
We're formally Jewish but measurabIy
heather. while the affairs of state Were
conducted partly in harmony with the
Mosaic code and partly after the fancies
of kings. To a man who had undertaken
reforms this state Of things was highly
distressing. As the reading ceased the
KING arose and rent his m in token
customs employed by Orientalists UIzra tx:
y from very early times dob i:3O.
Greatly agitated in spirit be
cause the nation had departed from God.
Josiah issued to learn the Lords
will. He knew that Judgment impended.
He did not know how or how soon the
stroke might fall. If possible he would
appease the Divine anger. Upon any terms
aSSeeptable TO Jehovah he would reconcile
could not be had. If retribution. sure and
swift. were decreed. he desired even that
TO be known. Hence he selected five per-
sons-two priests. two scribes and one
judge-and commanded them to INQUIRE in
to the case oversees l. and 80. These per-
sons are not mentioned elsewhere-they
come into history at this time and attempt
u delicate task at a critical period i'm the
nations life. II must have been an in
fluentlal commission. one worthy the mis-
sion. That Hilkiah and Shaphan were in
the party is proof that the king deemed
the work to be done by them one of great
moment and dignity.
INQUIRY. Where will this commission
go TO learn the mind of the Lord? There
was a time when the Lord sent angels to
communicate with mortals and tell them
what otherwise they could not know, as
when the cities of the plain were destroyed
Gen. Xix:D. on other occasions discios-
ures were made in visions lisa. vi:0. Some
prayers lex. XVii:4-5,. There was yet an
other method. the Trim and Thummin,'
connected with the functions of the high
priest. which passed with other pontffi-
calia from Aaron downward tEX. xviii: 3D.
The commissioners did not employ any of
these modes-they went unto Huldah verse
III. the wife of Stadium. whose grandfather
was an attache of the temple. the keeper
of the priests wardrobe. This woman was
a prophecies. God had laid His spirit upon
her as upon MiriamtES. xv:2D and Deborah
Judges iv:ii. and Anna duke ii So. HUI
dab must have sustained some reputation
for some time or these men would not
have turned to her for the desired informa-
ton.
PREDICTION. Huldah was not troubled
to find an answer. There is no evidence
that she prayed. that she needed to wait
for reflection, or that she had any special
disclosure. She may have had full knowl-
edge of the case for some time before the
inquiry was made. waiting to speak when
asked. But she delivers her reply with
great iirmuess and precision, as if she We're
the mGuthpiece of God. declaring Thus
saith the Lord verse 15,. Then followed
a startling prediction. that according to the
words Of the discovered book evil should
be brought upon Jerusalem and its inhabit-
ants Because idolatrous worship had been
offered there. the wrath of Jehovah had
been kindled and it should not be quenched
IDeut. xxx :25-20. 1t was the same bold
declaration made again and again by pro-
rhetS through all the centuries Dan. iX:lD.
The woman was made the agent of deliver
ing heavens message with as much fidelity
and with the same spirit as men. There
WAS peculiar frankness in her words when
she directed the commissioners TO report to
PROMISE. Huldah's words were not
wholly Il malediction. She had received
and she delivered a benediction. The Lord
does not treat all men alike. The righteous
sha.. not suffer with the wicked Gen.
Xviii:23). Evil shall slay the one but mercy
shall preserve the other-this great doe
trine is recor-ed in concrete and abstract
on every page of history. both sacred and
profane CPs. XxXiv :21-22l. After the pre-
diction of national disaster Huldah sent to
Josiah Gods promise of personal care and
protection. That promise rested on the fact
other instance OF Divine forbearance. illus
trating His method of grace. In order to
keep this promise concerning the king il
was followed by another, Il promise to de-
lay the punishment already predicted until
Josiah's death. that he might reign in peace
and be gathered to his fathers without
trouble verse 2b). Here Il single man stands
between an offended God and an offending
nation q. Kings MILD, and becomes for the
time being Il savior.
CONCLUSION. The book of God is the
central object i'll this lesson. When t was
lost the nation went astray; When it was