Tuesday 9th April
Read 2 Chronicles 34:8-13
“In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.9 They went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the temple of God, which the Levites who were the gatekeepers had collected from the people of Manasseh, Ephraim and the entire remnant of Israel and from all the people of Judah and Benjamin and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 Then they entrusted it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the Lord’s temple. These men paid the workers who repaired and restored the temple. 11 They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to purchase dressed stone, and timber for joists and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to fall into ruin.12 The workers laboured faithfully. Over them to direct them were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites descended from Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descended from Kohath. The Levites – all who were skilled in playing musical instruments – 13 had charge of the labourers and supervised all the workers from job to job. Some of the Levites were secretaries, scribes and gatekeepers.
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’ He gave it to Shaphan. 16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: ‘Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them. 17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers.’ 18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’ And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.” (NIVUK)
Josiah’s lonely reformation extended to repairing the temple. The people, both Israel and Judah, had neglected Yahweh for so long that those tasked with leading the worship in the temple were now tasked with rebuilding it! The reluctance to work on it is captured in the parallel narrative in 2 Kings but is present even here with the emphasis on who is overseeing whom and the reports provided to Josiah emphasising that money is being spent where he insisted.
But the truly amazing part of the narrative is the rediscovery of the ‘Book of the Law’ (Deuteronomy perhaps). The word of God was revered so little that they had physically lost it. One can’t help but wonder, given its lack of effect on God’s people, why exactly God revealed it? Or is it ‘re-revealed’? Some commentators have suggested that the reason it re-surfaced was as a reward for Josiah’s faith. His lonely reformation, unacknowledged by nearly everyone, was noticed by Yahweh – who vouch-safed to Him His Word once more.
“My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise;
I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.” (Psalm 119:81-83)
Would you consider God’s word a worthy reward for faith? Do you revere it as much as God Himself?
