Good Morning Friends,
Discovering the Bible is one of the greatest joys a person can experience. And yet so many people today do not take advantage of this gift. People get caught up in following Superheroes like Iron Man and Superman, the man of steel and fail to appreciate the heroes of our faith. We lose something when we do not read the Bible and use its wisdom. Today’s lectionary Old Testament text is about the high priest Hilkiah discovering the lost book of law. But it is also about the people who read scripture and the leadership who acted on it. In our scripture’s setting this idea of reading scripture became a unifying joy for the country that had become a grim picture of spiritual and moral debauchery. The benefits of reading scripture and the pitfalls of failing to do so can hold true today as well. So, What Is Your Excuse For Not Reading More Of The Bible?
Scripture: The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the Lord.” Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” Shaphan then read it aloud to the king. When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” Then the king directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him. The king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him went all the people of Judah, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord, keeping his commandments, his decrees, and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. All the people joined in the covenant.
2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 (NRSV)
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the sacred poles, and the carved and the cast images. In his presence they pulled down the altars of the Baals; he demolished the incense altars that stood above them. He broke down the sacred poles and the carved and the cast images; he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruins all around, he broke down the altars, beat the sacred poles and the images into powder, and demolished all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 34:3-7 (NRSV)
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
Matthew 7:15-20 (NRSV)
Message: Today’s OT passage picks up at a critical juncture in the history of Judah. Josiah, who was one of the few godly kings that would serve, began to create spiritual reform in the land. His grandfather, Manasseh, had been one of the most abominable kings who ever ruled the nation. Manasseh had been guilty of blasphemy by practicing idolatry and imitating the ways of the people that God had driven out of the Promised Land. He had set up pagan altars and idols in the Temple of God. Just as he had been a blasphemer, Manasseh had been a butcher by sacrificing the children on the altars of Moloch. He killed one of his own sons to appease the idolatrous gods of this world. He sought out the dark world of enchantments, familiar spirits, and wizards instead of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Manasseh is a tragic figure in Scripture. Although he repented of his sin, he was unable to undo the damage he had done to the nation or to his own son who followed him. Manasseh demonstrates that, while any sin may be forgiven when we repent, forgiveness does not necessarily remove the natural consequences that flow from disobedience. The message for us is that there are no substitutes for godly power in the house of God. Following him was Amon who was Josiah’s father. Amon did the same thing that his father did. And he forsook the God of his fathers and walked not in the way of the Lord. You would think that a child born into this atmosphere would have been doomed to the same destruction of his grandfather and father. But it was not to be. Somehow by the grace of God, Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. The message for us is that there are no substitutes for godly power in the house of God. We too need to read scripture.
And So, people before me have read today’s scripture and been motivated by where it leads the conversation regarding the importance of reading the Bible. They, as we, desire a surge in faith reflected in the pews and beyond. But the reality is that without God it is rather pointless. Still, this Summer is a good time to tackle our excuses for not reading the Bible as much as we should. So, give up the idea that you are not smart enough to study the Bible. Believe that God will reveal what you need. You do not need a doctorate in divinity. And if you have a doctorate, more power to you to keep reading. There is no need to compare our ability with others. This is not a competition. We all are lacking regardless of our intellect and training when it comes to the Bible. I believe there is room for improvement that can be achieved for all of us. Perhaps you may feel that you do not have enough time to study the Bible. But friends, honestly if you feel that way you have your priorities out of order. Sure, it is great to be doing good things, but we all need our spiritual batteries recharged. Among Christians, I suspect busyness is the top excuse for not studying the Bible. I think it is a mistake and pathetic excuse for not spending time in scripture. Another top excuse offered especially by those who have not read it is that the Bible is boring. The fact is that the Bible is the most dramatic, inspiring book ever written. The Bible is God’s word. And if God is the creator and sustainer of every atom that exists; if God is infinitely holy, good, wise, and glorious; there is no reasonable excuse one could have for not reading save the inability to do so. In which case someone who has the ability needs to share. Bible study is not complicated. Studying the Bible is as straightforward as taking a walk. Lace up your shoes, step out the door, and go. Reading a devotional work or listening to a sermon can stimulate your spirit. But ultimately, we need to benefit by going to the source. Get motivated. We may still drift and search for the fulfillment of professing our faith, but we are not to stop there. Because we are human, our desires and motivations are in constant flux. Sometimes we want nothing more than to read the Bible, pray, and commune with God. Other times, we look to do anything else. When my desires for God are weak, I make all kinds of excuses. Maybe you can relate. Ultimately, we need a change of heart in order to seek God. But popping the balloons of our excuses and remembering the truth about God and the Bible can be a helpful step of obedience. If we want to follow the Lord, we should read the Bible and do so as a Body believing in the power of God. It is more entertaining and complementary to life than most give credit.
Pray we not provoke God to anger. Pray we instead get a revival started by reading and sharing the Word of God. Pray we are wary of false priests that would lead us astray. Pray we dig into scripture for the sake of our own souls. Pray that we would beware of the dry roots of false prophets that trip us up in our daily walk. Pray we are called to godly living. Pray we avoid the messages that like thistles irritate our souls and steal our joy. Pray we avoid the thorns that impale our spirits and lead us away from God’s grace. Pray we are nourished by the good soil that produces fruit in abundance. Pray we be a discerning people, and let our discernment be a spiritual one that lets the Word of God be the plumb line by which we measure the truth of each man’s message. Pray for the revival of God’s ways.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 