The Clean-up King

2 Kings 22:8-13

When things get cluttered, messed up, time to stop and ‘Clean up”.

True in the physical world, and most Certainly true in the spiritual world.

That’s why Paul wrote to Timothy so that He would know how to behave himself… I Tim. 3:15.

2 Kings 22:8-13

8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying,

 Go ye, enquire 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 our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

repair of the temple

2 Kings 22:3-7

The House of God was in a mess… It needed to be repaired…and cleaned up.

Josiah takes the ‘broom’ and starts the job by instructing others what they were to do.

Vs. 3-7 He repairs the temple

Why was it in need of repair? v. 5 d to repair the breaches of the house v.6 to repair the house.

The house of God had been neglected. God’s house is neglected today. People doing so many things contrary to the law of the Lord.

Why did Josiah do what he did?

2 Kings 22:2 Josiah’s faithfulness. He did that which was right in the sight of

the Lord He walked in all the way of David his

father, He turned not aside to the right hand or to

the left.

Found something: the book of Godin the house of the Lord.

Lost in the place that it was to be had. God’s book , the bible, is lost in Many houses today. Many church Buildings…they have a copy of the Bible and may look at it, but will not go By what it says.

When it was found by Hilkiah.

Who found it? The High Priest! Hilkiah. V. 8

What did the High Priest do with it?

He gave the book to Shaphan. Who was Shaphan? He was the Scribe…the one responsible for Reading and copying it. v. 8 Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan,

and he read it.

What happens after Shaphan read the book? 2 Kings 22:9

And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord.

What did Shaphan do with the book?

1. He shewed it to the king. 2. Then he read it before the king. 2 Kings 22:10And Shaphan the scribe

shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king

What was the King’s reaction?

2 Kings 22:11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

He listened He heard He reacted He rent his clothes!

He commanded!

1. Hilkiah the priest 2. Ahikam the son of Shaphan 3. Achbor the son of Michaiah 4. Shaphan the scribe 5. Asahiah , a servant of the king’s

2 Kings 22:13

Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the the words of this bookwords of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened have not hearkened unto the words of this book,unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

Response of those chosen to do this work

2 Kings 22:1414 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her

What is going to happen to Judah? 2 Kings 22:15-17

And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 17 because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

What is going to happen to theKing Josiah? 2 Kings 22:18-20

18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; 19 because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.

The importance of the Book of God!

The importance of what we do with it.

When we find it, read it. Listen to it. Eph. 3:4 whereby,when ye read, ye may

understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Mark 12: 26 And as touching the dead, that they

rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses,how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27

He is not the God of the dead,but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

To Joshua…read

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." - Joshua 1:8

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." - Romans 10:17

Oneal Christians! We need to read, read, and read. Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

The King Responds

2 Kings 23:1-2nd the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great:

and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.

How did he respond?

2 Kings 23 1. Gathered all the elders of Judah and of

Jerusalem.. all the priests all the prophets all the people (both small and great)

2. And he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord!

The King made a covenant before the Lord 2 Kings 23:3

And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

Action! He does what he says

Clean up the house of the Lord!!

We today, like Josiah then, need toclean up !

Worship.Worship. John 4:23, 24 In Spirit Matt. 15:9 In Truth Worship God! …Be present for worship. Acts 20:7 …Be present on time. Don’t be late! …Don’t forsake it. Heb. 10:25

Denominational Names

Churches of Christ. Rom.16:16 Matt. 16:18 Upon this rock I will build my Church.. Some 300-400 different denominations. M. Moore My church!

Names for preachers.. Brother,Evangelist, Minister

Not Reverend … Not Doctor Not Father Not Bishop Not Patriarch .2 Tim. 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do

the work of an evangelist, make full Proof of thy ministry.” Eph. 4:11 And he gave some apostles;and some, prophets;

and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers.”

Eph. 4:6

If thou put the brethren in rememberance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

What to do to be saved?

1. Not faith only Jas. 2:24,26 2. Not infants being baptized. Sinners. Acts 22:16; Acts 18:8 3. Not sprinkled or poured. Immersion. Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12

Clean up the mess in our lives.

1. Speak the truth. Eph. 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.”

Rev. 21:8 2. Don’t steal. Eph. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no

more: but rather let him labour,working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

3. Quit cursing. Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

"Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Ex. 20:7

Josiah was converted to God

1. He chose God over his parents. His Dad was a wicked King. 2. He did not allow physical ties to distract

him from action. 3. God could count on him. What about us?

What will I leave behind?

After I leave for worlds unknown Over the borderline Never again on earth to roam What will I leave behind.

Will I be missed by those I love Or have I been unkind? Have I been true to God above What will I leave behind?

This is my prayer, O Lord today, Let me be wholly thine When I am called from earth away Let heaven then be mine.

Leave behind yea leave behind What will I leave behind After I leave for worlds unknown, What will I leave behind?

Josiah died at the age of 39. He left behind the fact that He loved God, He served God, and sought to turn the people away from idolatry.

What will I leave behind?