From the Pen of Paul

Josiah's Reformation

In chapter 22 of II Kings, we read of the reign of Josiah as king of the southern kingdom of Judah. The writer of the book of Kings informs us, "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left" (II Kings 22:1-2). Josiah was only eight years old when he began to reign and in the 18th year of his reign, he sent Shaphan to the priest at the house of the Lord to take an account of the treasurers available for repairs of the house of the Lord. During this visit, Hilkiah, the priest told Shaphan, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord" (v.8). Shaphan took the book of the law and read it to king Josiah.

Public reading of God's law is followed by renewal of the covenant-pact with God (II Kings 23:1-3); public places are then purged getting rid of the objects associated with pagan worship (v. 4-14); the Feast of the Passover is celebrated once more as it had not been held since the days of the judges (v. 21-23); private sinful activities are also dealt with in accordance with the teaching of the law (v. 24-25).

Paul tells us in Romans 15:4, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning." What can we learn from the reign of Josiah?

(1) Josiah, when he learned what God's book taught, made every effort to reform the religion of the Israelites to make it conform to the book of the law found in the house of God. The people had so corrupted the religion of God until it did not even imitate proper worship. Today, the religious world in general is in the same dilemma. The denominationalism that fills our society today is nowhere near the teaching of the Bible. We need to take God's law book, study it diligently, and return to doing things God's way. That was admirable and right in Josiah's day; and that is still right today!

(2) Before instituting any changes, Josiah consulted God. He said to Hilkiah, the priest, "Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because we have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us" (II Kings 22:12-13). When Josiah learned that God was going to punish Israel for neglecting and forsaking His commandments, Josiah was frightened. Look around you today at the changes that have been made by men in the doctrine and worship of the New Testament church. The "one body" (Eph. 4:4) has been changed into "one church is as good as another;" God's plan of salvation has been changed by men so many times that most people have no idea of the true plan as taught in the New Testament. God's plan calls for faith, repentance, confession, and baptism for the remission of sins (John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Matt. 10:32; Acts 2:38). But man has changed God's plan into "faith only" or "grace only" or "just be sincere" or "just acknowledge that you are a sinner and pray the sinner's prayer", and on and on and on we go. Where would you find any of that taught in the book of God?

(3) In New Testament days, "upon the first day of the week...the disciples came together to break bread" (Acts 20:7). Man has changed that observance to when and how he wants to do it in complete disregard for what the New Testament teaches. The New Testament church was instructed, "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19). Man today has added everything from hand-clapping, instruments of music, etc., in complete disregard for any authority to do so whatsoever!

(4) What should we do today? Before the religious world goes any farther away from God, we need to take out God's book, throw away every creed of man, discipline, manual, catechism, Book of Mormon, etc. Let's go back, like Josiah did in his day, and start doing things ONLY as God's word authorizes (Col. 3:17). Let's call Bible things by Bible names, do Bible things in Bible ways! Let's unite on God's word, and like Josiah, turn neither to the left or to the right! To God be the glory!
—Paul Wilmoth

From the Preacher's Viewpoint. . .

Rare Birds

• Preachers who are not looking for recognition
• Preachers who are glad for the success of other preachers
• Politicians who can't be bought (endangered species? extinct?)
• Grateful people
• Humble people
• People who busy themselves getting the job done instead of talking about it or criticizing those who try
• People who admit their own faults instead of talking about others
• Children who are content
• Parents who value their children's biblical education more than their earthly education
• Congregations that practice church discipline
• Individuals that practice self-discipline
• Christians like Timothy: "For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's" (Phil. 2:20-21)
• Virtuous women: "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies" (Prov. 31:10)
• People you can trust
• People who are just
• People who face problems without complaining
• People who admit being jealous
• People who can see their own prejudice
• People who confess their pride
• Men like Moses, who gave up wealth, power, and pleasure to suffer affliction with the people of God (Heb. 11:24-26)
• Men like Paul, who gave up a life of advantages in the Jewish religion to become an apostle of Christ (Phil. 3:4-14)
• Women like Abigail, who was beautiful on the inside as well as on the outside (I Sam. 25)
• People who are as bold against sin when their own children are guilty as they have been when others were guilty of the same sin

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