Daily Devotionals

Devotional: July 15th

Morning

“My heart standeth in awe of Thy Word.”

2 Kings 22:8-20

2 Kings 22:8

Perhaps this was the authentic original of the word of God, which some godly priest had hidden away in persecuting times. Copies had always been scarce, and in the bad times they had been hunted out and destroyed. Highly privileged are we who have Bibles in all our houses, and none to take them from us. With what eagerness did these holy men search this precious volume, though among its contents they found a terrible prophecy of coming judgment.

2 Kings 22:9-10

They were not like those Popish shavelings’ who would keep the Bible from the people; they anxiously desired that God’s message should be known, and its power felt.

2 Kings 22:11

He was of a tender spirit, and trembled at the word of the Lord, when he saw the evils sin had brought upon the nation.

2 Kings 22:12 , 2 Kings 22:13

This was practical wisdom. He would know whether the Lord would, in answer to prayer, withdraw the curses which were threatened in the law. After this manner ought we to seek unto the Lord whenever in reading the Scriptures we perceive that we have transgressed.

2 Kings 22:14

Huldah was both housewife and prophetess, but the great ones were not too proud to consult her. Perhaps Jeremiah was absent upon the Lord’s errands, and in his great alarm the king applied to that servant of God who was near at hand.

2 Kings 22:15-17

Josiah was king among the people, but he was only a man before God, and so the prophetess called him; she knew not how to flatter, but spoke out as it was her duty to do. Grace makes the feeblest bold.

2 Kings 22:18-20

Severity to Judah was tempered by mercy to Josiah. He was humble while others were proud. He bowed like a reed before the storm, and the tempest of wrath left him unharmed. See the benefit of submission to God. May the like tenderness of heart be found in each of us, and may the Lord deal graciously with his servants.

Joy to the world; the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King:

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven” and nature sing.

Joy to the earth; the Saviour reigns!

Let men their songs employ:

While fields, and floods, rocks, hills, and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,

Nor thorns infest the ground;

He comes to make his blessings flow

Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,

And makes the nations prove

The glories of his righteousness,

And wonders of his love.

When shall thy lovely face be seen?

When shall our eyes behold our God?

What lengths of distance lie between,

And hills of guilt! a heavy load!

Ye heavenly gates, loose all your chains:

Let the eternal pillars bow!

Blest Saviour, cleave the starry plains,

And make the crystal mountains flow!

Put thy bright robes of triumph on,

And bless our eyes, and bless our ears,

Thou absent Love, thou dear unknown,

Thou fairest of ten thousands fairs.

Jehovah speaks the healing word,

And no disease withstands;

Fevers and plagues obey the Lord,

And fly at his commands.

If half the strings of life should break,

He can our frame restore;

He casts our sins behind his back,

And they are found no more.

Great God of wonders! all thy ways

Are matchless, God-like, and divine;

But the fair glories of thy grace

More God-like and unrivall’d shine:

Who is a pardoning God like thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Crimes of such horror to forgive,

Such guilty, daring worms to spare;

This is thy grand prerogative,

And none shall in the honour share:

Who is a pardoning God like thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Fall, ye idols, fall before him,

Lo, the living God appears;

All ye gods around adore him,

Tremble and confess your fears;

Prostrate from your places hurl’d,

Own the God that made the world.

Hark! a cry among the nations,

“Come, and let us seek the Lord:

Vain our former expectations;

Vain the idols we ador’d:

Zion’s King is God alone:

Let us bow before his throne.”

Great God, I love thy sacred word;

What light and joy its leaves afford!

Thy precepts guide my doubtful way,

Thy fear forbids my feet to stray.

Thy threatenings wake my slumbering eyes,

And warn me where my danger lies;

They show me all my guilt and shame,

And make me prize the Saviour’s name.

May this blest volume ever lie,

Close to my heart and near my eye;

Till life’s last hour my thoughts engage,

And be my chosen heritage.

Evening

“Let your heart be perfect with the Lord our God.”

2 Chronicles 35:1 , 2 Chronicles 35:2 , 2 Chronicles 35:7 , 2 Chronicles 35:8 , 2 Chronicles 35:10-18

2 Chronicles 35:1

This was the day appointed in the law, and Josiah determined to be exact to the letter.

2 Chronicles 35:2

Arranging them in proper order with the Levites, so that all things might be performed without disorder. The Lord’s service should be rendered to him with all care and reverence; his work ought never to be performed in a slovenly manner. “Let all things be done decently and in order,” is a precept not to be forgotten.

2 Chronicles 35:7-8

Many of the people were too poor to bring their own sacrifices, and therefore the generous king provided them; he thought no expense too great in honour of his God. Liberality towards the good cause is a noble fruit of grace in the heart.

2 Chronicles 35:10 , 2 Chronicles 35:11

Thus Judah renewed its covenant, and rejoiced in the grand type of the promised Saviour. No feast is so precious to believers as feeding upon the Lamb of God’s passover.

2 Chronicles 35:13

There were so many to be served, and so few of the priests and Levites, that they used all expedition. When the kings business requireth haste, we must not be tardy.

2 Chronicles 35:15

Singing was not forgotten, nor any other part of the holy office, even the doors were kept. One duly did not jostle another. It is always bad when, while serving God in one way, we become negligent of other duties. Doors must be kept as well as psalms sung.

2 Chronicles 35:16-18

There may have been greater numbers present on former occasions, but at no other time were the rules laid down in the word of God so exactly observed, and this is a point in the Lord’s eyes of far greater importance than numbers or pomp. It is our duty to worship the Lord in his own way. The closer we keep to Scripture the better; any departure therefrom mars our worship. Carefully let us remember this, and zealously put away all will-worship, and adore the Lord in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. Let others do as they will, but as for this household, let us serve the Lord with our whole hearts.

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