SOAP = Scripture Observation Application Prayer
S: 2 Kings 22: 8Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the court secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the Lord’s Temple!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan, and he read it….11When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. 12Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: 13“Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”
2 Kings 23: 24Josiah also got rid of the mediums and psychics, the household gods, the idols, and every other kind of detestable practice, both in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Judah. He did this in obedience to the laws written in the scroll that Hilkiah the priest had found in the Lord’s Temple. 25Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.
O: Oops. That’s my summary of what’s been going on here. Somewhere along the line the Book of the Law (of Moses) has been lost and the people have been blatantly disobeying God ever since. After King Josiah hears what God’s law says, he takes extreme measures to comply with God’s law. He cleans house in the land. He leaves no evil thing standing. As vs. 25 says, he “turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength.”
A: We today have copies of God’s Word everywhere…it’s not been lost or displaced…it’s simply NOT READ! Or simply NOT OBEYED! Josiah has inspired me. I want to have the same type of devotion he had. I want to devour the Word and then “clean house” (i.e. remove anything between myself and God) so that I can follow God with all my heart, soul, and strength.
P: Father, make me more like Josiah. Give me a commitment to do everything you say. May I tolerate nothing that is contrary to your will and your ways. Amen.
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Posted on
Wed, October 26, 2011
by Phil Print