Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-08-11
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
'am rare FOR AUGUST 49, i


Psa, cxix., 16-Memory Verse, 81
Commentary on the, Days Lesson
: I The book of the law discovered
TVS 14-1S). IA. Brought out the
money" 1t would Seem that the book
of the law was found by the high
priest in the treasury where the money
was kept. {HFound." This expression
indicates that the allusion is to some
thing already known, not to anything
that had come to light for the first
time. Book of the law."eThe name
given TO the five books Of Moses. The
book of the law cannot mean anything
else either dramatically or hfstori-
cally. than the Mosaic law ''the Pen
tateuch." so designated in Chronicles,
Ezra and Nehemiah. The temple copy.
deposited, according to-Deut. 81: ~ by
the ark of the covenant, which had
been lost under tile idolatrous kings
!, Manasseh and Anon. Given by
Moses" This statement has led many
to believe that 1t was the ancient auto.
graph COPY which came from the hand
of ? the great lawgiver. This, kitto
thinks. was one reason why its discoy'
ery made such an extraordinary I'M.
preston. Is. delivered the BOOK
Shaphan was the private secretary OF
the king and had charge Of his books
and records. The book found was q
parchment roll. Books were few ana
precious. ,,J{ sf,iEt1ssf't al
16 II. "Brought-word back Be
fore Shaphan delivered the new found
book to the king he reported TO. him
concerning the business on which lie
had been sent at first He, told the
king that they had faithfully per-
formed the work committed to them
and that the money had been properly
paid out. is. "a book" Shaphah
had already read the book, or portions
of It q Kings 90: 81, and no doubt fully
understood It's character, but lie did
not tell the king that it was the book
of the law; he spoke Of 1t as a book
and allowed the king to form his own
opinion as to its Importance. "Read
therein OR. W That is, Shaphan read
portions Of the book. OF course ne
read, at the kings command. JOSIAH
was anxious to know the truth and the
nature of the law he had been trying
to obey.
III. The effect on the king Tvs. 19-2ll.
10. "King had heard" Those VINO
| hear Gods word so often can scarcely
| conceive the effect the reading of the
law would have on this young king as
he listened to it for the first time.
"Rent his clothes.'' Brought face to
face with the awful curse Of God, pro
nounced nearly a thousand years be-
fore on the nation, for the very sins
which had characterized the reign OF
his father and grandfather amaze
ment took possession of him. He rose
from his throne, rent his clothes. mum
bled himself before the Lord ana wept
/ g Kings %: 49, He rent his clothes
PARTLY in grief and horror, like Reuben
(Gen. 81: 29) and Job Il: 2W; partly IN
repentance, like Ahab Il Kings y: 20.
20. '.King commanded" The king APP
| pointed a delegation of five to inquire
of the Lord. This was truly honorable
| and imposing delegation, and was IN
dicatiye of the kings profound earnest.
ness and anxiety. 21. go, enquire.
The king saw that this was matter
j of great Importance, and he desired 10
know from Jehovah Himself exactly
| what to do. He felt deep anxiety for
! himself and also, for his people-the
ten tribes as welieas the two. Great
wrath" He heard It's distant rump-
lings. like the coming. of. a fiery lava
flood, in the boards of the Sythlans'
enforced blythe prophecies of Jeremiah
| and Zephaniah. "Our fathers etc.
cannon and Manasseh had led the peo-
ple into gross sins. In the light OF the
law he had just heard read Josiah saw
that the ma ton was doomed.
Ill Huldah's faithful message Tvs.
22-2S). %. "Huldah." All we know
of this celebrated woman is recorded
here and in the parallel history OF
Kings. +. But this short narrative mas
/ ,immortalized her name. Probably the
two prophets Jeremiah and Hephan
iab were absent from the city. Bu'
God is not Strengthened in His instru
i ments. He can use a woman to !speah
for Him as we'll as man, an humble
person as we'll as.an exalted one. HUI
dab had the full prophetic gift, ant
: spoke as boldly, confidently alt
proximity as would Isaiah or Jeremiah
Keeper. = of the wardrobe" There
seems. no. doubt that the robes here al
luded to are the robes of, the priests
which are called by the same Hebrew
1 word in Exod. %: "a and many subse
ouent passages. "In the college, III
the second quarter" +. r. W This re
fers to part of the city of Jerusalem
| which was known by that name. nt22.'
"Tell We the man." Her answer to TIN
Il deputation was fearless, and seeming
" abrupt. .il24. Bring evil" In
judgments Of God. This place. &c
4 ,rusalem. "All the curses. :" See Deu'
%, 14726; 28; 16-6S. .cTr sas{rH -.
j o5. Have forsaken Me-" This wa
the gist of their 0ffense, tile thing tina
Il was unpardonable Against this wer
lnall the chief warnings in the lay
d (Deut. 90: 1928, etc. and the prophet
4 (Judg. 10: 10; 1 Kings 90; lisa. ia
Ter. 1:o16. etc). 1T was not merely tina
they broke the commandments Dh
they turned from God altogether. an
"cast Him behind their back" "Sha
not be uienched." For such q sttte 9
things there is mo remedy" q Chrroi
36.1G. md this was the state of thing
reached by the Jews. 26-28. The Pre-
phetess in these verses sends persoi
al word of comfort to the king. 81
cause he had humbled himself and in
true spirit of repentance had wept qb'
fore the Lord because of the wicked
ness of his people; therefore the l.or
would show mercy upon him.. and II
should be gathered to his fathers /
peace and not see the evil that wa