2 Chronicles 34
Scripture:
29 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 He went up to the temple of the LORD with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites–all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the LORD.
31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD–to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their fathers.
Observation:
If you were looking for a Bible in America, your search wouldn’t take long. Today, it seems the Bible is everywhere. According to a study conducted by the Barna Group and the American Bible Society in 2015, “88% of American households own a Bible.” This wasn’t the case at the time when Josiah was king. Hilkiah finding the Book of the Law in the temple was a very significant occasion. In verse 30, we see that everyone gathered at the temple to hear Josiah read from it.
God’s Word had an incredible importance to the people of Judah. The Fire Bible says this regarding verse 30, “All genuine, lasting revivals involve restoring the Word of God to its rightful place of authority and honor. One sure evidence that revival is beginning among God’s people is a great desire to hear, study, and obey God’s Word as revealed in the Bible.” I hope that when you read this devotional everyday that it is not about simply completing a task. Instead, let your desire for knowing God’s Word take you deeper in your relationship with Christ. Regardless of your age or family situation, we all must develop a hunger to know God’s Word along this discipleship journey.
Application:
- Personal Application: Restore the Bible to its rightful place of authority and honor in your life. Commit to study and obey God’s Word everyday.
- Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Explain to them the importance of the Bible in your life. Encourage them to study and obey God’s Word in their life. Pray with them.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Ask God for a deeper hunger and desire to know His Word.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that your family will allow the authority of God’s Word to guide their life.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, September 27 – Sunday, October 4:
- Sunday, September 27: 2 Chronicles 31
- Monday, September 28: 2 Chronicles 32
- Tuesday, September 29: 2 Chronicles 33
- Wednesday, September 30: 2 Chronicles 34
- Thursday, October 1: 2 Chronicles 35
- Friday, October 2: 2 Chronicles 36
- Saturday, October 3: Psalms 60-61
- Sunday, October 4: Psalms 62-63
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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