Is there anything you find emotionally moving? The beauty of a song or a scene in film can bring tears to our eyes. Watching a sports match can bring us to our feet with a joyous shout, and a strange sound in the dark can make our hair stand on end. Injustice fills us with indignation as our pulse and breathing quicken. Frustration moves us to raise our voice or withdraw to brood in silence. Emotions are poor rudders to guide our decisions but good indicators of what is happening in our hearts and heads.
Can you recall a time when words from the Bible moved you emotionally? Today I read of such a moment in the life of king Josiah. At a young age he began to seek the LORD. He personally oversaw the destruction of idols and altars throughout the land, and he also repaired the house of the LORD. During renovations the book of the Law was found in the Temple and was brought to Josiah. After the Word was read to the king 2 Chronicles 34:19 says, "Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes." This may seem a strange response to us, but to Josiah and the people in Israel it was a sign of grief and mourning. King Josiah sent messengers to inquire of God because the book spoke of great wrath being poured out on all who did not keep the words of the Law.
I suspect most people look to scripture for comfort and promises of peace over rebuke and warnings of great wrath. Consider this: if we will rejoice over a promise to the faithful, we should also tremble over passages which condemn sinners. Who among us is without sin? We own and claim scriptures which bring peace to our souls, yet the wise will acknowledge when we or people around us have brought ourselves under a curse because of our sin. Righteous Daniel wept in sackcloth over the sins of Israel 70 years into captivity in Babylon (Daniel 9), and Jesus lamented over Jerusalem and the lost sheep of Israel who refused to draw near to Him.
God's response through a prophetess to Josiah's emotional response is revealing in 2 Chronicles 34:26-28: "But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard-- 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD. 28 Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants." So they brought back word to the king." Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart. God saw the tearing of Josiah's clothes but also that heart was humble and contrite before Him. The tears Josiah shed were before the LORD and His ears were open to his cries. Yes, wrath and judgment for sin was coming, but it would not come near Josiah.
No man can have peace with God without humility and repentance. Brothers and sisters, may we not be guilty of dry eyes when we sin in a world of iniquity! Praise the LORD He hears the prayers of the penitent who seek Him, but as Josiah let us take His warnings to heart. We are no better than our fathers, sinners though they be. If God's Word is not able to touch our emotions, I wonder if it has yet to pierce our hearts or impact our minds. Let us prepare our hearts as it is written in Hosea 10:12, "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you." Having been moved to repentance by the Word of God, let us keep it.
Can you recall a time when words from the Bible moved you emotionally? Today I read of such a moment in the life of king Josiah. At a young age he began to seek the LORD. He personally oversaw the destruction of idols and altars throughout the land, and he also repaired the house of the LORD. During renovations the book of the Law was found in the Temple and was brought to Josiah. After the Word was read to the king 2 Chronicles 34:19 says, "Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes." This may seem a strange response to us, but to Josiah and the people in Israel it was a sign of grief and mourning. King Josiah sent messengers to inquire of God because the book spoke of great wrath being poured out on all who did not keep the words of the Law.
I suspect most people look to scripture for comfort and promises of peace over rebuke and warnings of great wrath. Consider this: if we will rejoice over a promise to the faithful, we should also tremble over passages which condemn sinners. Who among us is without sin? We own and claim scriptures which bring peace to our souls, yet the wise will acknowledge when we or people around us have brought ourselves under a curse because of our sin. Righteous Daniel wept in sackcloth over the sins of Israel 70 years into captivity in Babylon (Daniel 9), and Jesus lamented over Jerusalem and the lost sheep of Israel who refused to draw near to Him.
God's response through a prophetess to Josiah's emotional response is revealing in 2 Chronicles 34:26-28: "But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard-- 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD. 28 Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants." So they brought back word to the king." Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart. God saw the tearing of Josiah's clothes but also that heart was humble and contrite before Him. The tears Josiah shed were before the LORD and His ears were open to his cries. Yes, wrath and judgment for sin was coming, but it would not come near Josiah.
No man can have peace with God without humility and repentance. Brothers and sisters, may we not be guilty of dry eyes when we sin in a world of iniquity! Praise the LORD He hears the prayers of the penitent who seek Him, but as Josiah let us take His warnings to heart. We are no better than our fathers, sinners though they be. If God's Word is not able to touch our emotions, I wonder if it has yet to pierce our hearts or impact our minds. Let us prepare our hearts as it is written in Hosea 10:12, "Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness on you." Having been moved to repentance by the Word of God, let us keep it.
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