Subtopic: “ Let Us Not Lose The Book”
Sermon notes By Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr for Sunday March 23, 2014
Text: 2 Chronicles 33:14-15;18-19;21 “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hil-ki’ah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. (vs15) And Hil-ki’ah answered and said to Sha’phan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hil-ki’ah delivered the book to Sha’phan. (vs18)Then Sha’phan the scribe told the king, (Josiah) saying, Hil-ki’ah the priest hath given me a book. And Sha’phan read it before the king. (vs19) And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent(tore) his clothes. (vs21)Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Ju’dah , concerning the words of the book that is found: for 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.”
Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.6, Pages 419-420 “Judah had been concerning itself, had been “careful and troubled” about many things, but it had not thought it worth the while to multiply copies of the “Law of the Lord”, of its own sacred books; so negligent had it been that one is accidentally discovered in the ruins of the temple. Of what great and guilty negligence are we capable! We may be spending our time and strength, we may be exhausting ourselves and endangering our health and life in all kinds of unprofitable occupation, in fruitless labour or in amusement which begins and ends in itself, and all the time may be neglecting that one study or that one habit in pursuit of which “standeth our eternal life.”There are many men in Christian countries who expend the substance upon, and occupy their very life with, horses, or dogs, or guns, who do not afford even a few hours a year to the serious study of the will of God as revealed by his Son and recorded in his Word. The treasure which cannot be estimated in gold or silver lies untouched, as much buried from sight and use as if it had been hidden in some crypt of the temple. It may not be our deeds, but our negligences, that we shall most fear to face in the great day of account.
In that book of the Law of the Lord there were instructions and admonitions which, if duly heeded, would have ensured abiding peace and honour to the inhabitants of Judah. These had been waywardly and fragrantly disregarded. And now the time for employing them had well-nigh gone. What was left was the sad opportunity of verifying by bitter experience the truth of its threatening. This was the alternative now open to Judah. Let us take care lest, by our disregard of the promises, we bring upon ourselves the warnings of the Word of God. “If we will not be ruled by the rudder, we must be ruled by the rock.” If we will not take advantage of the gift of the gracious laws and the gracious overtures of God, we must “show forth” the severity of those righteous laws which attach suffering and shame to vanity and guilt.”
Sermon notes By Pastor Arthur H. Coleman Sr for Sunday March 23, 2014
Text: 2 Chronicles 33:14-15;18-19;21 “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hil-ki’ah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. (vs15) And Hil-ki’ah answered and said to Sha’phan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hil-ki’ah delivered the book to Sha’phan. (vs18)Then Sha’phan the scribe told the king, (Josiah) saying, Hil-ki’ah the priest hath given me a book. And Sha’phan read it before the king. (vs19) And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent(tore) his clothes. (vs21)Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Ju’dah , concerning the words of the book that is found: for 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.”
Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.6, Pages 419-420 “Judah had been concerning itself, had been “careful and troubled” about many things, but it had not thought it worth the while to multiply copies of the “Law of the Lord”, of its own sacred books; so negligent had it been that one is accidentally discovered in the ruins of the temple. Of what great and guilty negligence are we capable! We may be spending our time and strength, we may be exhausting ourselves and endangering our health and life in all kinds of unprofitable occupation, in fruitless labour or in amusement which begins and ends in itself, and all the time may be neglecting that one study or that one habit in pursuit of which “standeth our eternal life.”There are many men in Christian countries who expend the substance upon, and occupy their very life with, horses, or dogs, or guns, who do not afford even a few hours a year to the serious study of the will of God as revealed by his Son and recorded in his Word. The treasure which cannot be estimated in gold or silver lies untouched, as much buried from sight and use as if it had been hidden in some crypt of the temple. It may not be our deeds, but our negligences, that we shall most fear to face in the great day of account.
In that book of the Law of the Lord there were instructions and admonitions which, if duly heeded, would have ensured abiding peace and honour to the inhabitants of Judah. These had been waywardly and fragrantly disregarded. And now the time for employing them had well-nigh gone. What was left was the sad opportunity of verifying by bitter experience the truth of its threatening. This was the alternative now open to Judah. Let us take care lest, by our disregard of the promises, we bring upon ourselves the warnings of the Word of God. “If we will not be ruled by the rudder, we must be ruled by the rock.” If we will not take advantage of the gift of the gracious laws and the gracious overtures of God, we must “show forth” the severity of those righteous laws which attach suffering and shame to vanity and guilt.”
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