BACK TO THE BOOK
II Chr 34
1. Any structure, lifestyle, curriculum, home, organization, or endeavor can only be as strong as it’s foundation. Jesus told his followers that the proper foundation for our spiritual house is God. We must never get too far away from the fundamental teachings of God found in scripture. However, there is in the present time a state of biblical illiteracy in our world, country, churches and homes. We not only do not where to find it, we often don’t even have a clue that such principles are there. Children are not being taught the basic principles about God often because they are not know by their parents. Thus, the proliferation of a society that is far from God, and in many cases, a church that is far from God. Yet I am grateful that society is starting to wake up to spiritual things. Society know more that ever, wants to know God. Church, it is time to go back to God. Time for Revival
2. I want us to look at a very similar time.
3. 2 Chr. 34 - Absence of God - and the story of a young king named Josiah, which took his nation back to God.
I. THE REIGN OF JOSIAH
a. This young king came to the throne having had a grandfather who was one of the most wicked kings in Israel’s history, Manasseh, and a father so evil he was assassinated, Amon.
i. Places of idol worship cluttered the landscape
ii. God’s temple had been turned into a place of Baal worship
iii. God word was lost
iv. Sin abounded
b. Review text - stages of life an reign
i. Josiah took over at 8 - (1)
ii. Reinstated the worship of the One God at 16 - (2-3a)
iii. Tore down places of idol worship at 20 - (3b-7)
iv. 24 years old
1. Began temple renewal (8-13)
2. Reinstated God’s law (18-19,30-31)
3. Kept Passover (35:1a, 18)
c. This young man took a nation that was far from God, back to God
II. WHAT HAD CAUSED THE DEPARTURE?
a. Idol Worship
i. Manasseh, Amon
ii. Jehovah was forgotten and abandon
b. WHAT CAUSED REVIVAL?
i. One man recognized the need for God and did something about it.
1. Dofference between a Thermostat and a thermometer
2. 4 kinds of people
a. Make something happen
b. Watch something Happen
c. Stop anything good from happening
d. Wonder “what happened”
3. Josiah - a leader - God use anyone
ii. Josiah reinstated three things that took Israel back to God.
1. Worship - 16 years old
2. Word - v. 30 - read every word
3. Remembrance - Passover
III. A DESPERATE NEED TO GO BACK TO GOD!
a. In our land we need to go back for the same reasons.....
i. Idol worship - God has been forgotten and abandoned
1. 1 Cor 10 - idol anything
ii. Bible - not in schools but in Jails
iii. Our God is ourselves (“I” - “Feelings”)
iv. What will bring our nation back?
1. Worship - bow - Sept 11, but it cannot stop there
2. Feed on his Word
3. Remembrance - what God did - what he wants
But for our nation to go back to God, it must begin with His church.
b. Church inactive, complacent, apathetic - How did we get there?
i. Idol Worship?
1. What is a false God?
2. What have we put before God?
a. SELF!
i. Selfish with time, talent, money
ii. Selfish with opinion - becomes scripture
b. Rather that put our emphasis on a “thus sayeth the Lord” Our emphasis is “what I like”
i. Traditions (Matt 15:9)
ii. Feelings
ii. What will bring us back to God?
1. Worship – Revival foundation God – flooring Passionate worship
a. It’s not about me!
b. What does God need our worship for? Egoist? NO!
c. God created worship because of what it does for us. We give, God gives back
2. Word
a. Back to the Bible
b. Not to prove my position on a certain matter, but to let IT decide where I stand.
3. Remembrance
a. Lord’s Supper
b. Daily Remembrance
c. Seen in our actions – HOPE – REVIVAL
Conclusion
Although the apathy of some Christians and the wickedness of society are discouraging, we should pray and remain confident. William Wilberforce was a great Christian philanthropist and vigorous opponent of the slave trade during the early 1800s. As he surveyed the terrible moral and spiritual climate of his day, he did not lose hope. He wrote, "My own solid hopes for the well-being of my country depend, not so much on her navies or armies, nor on the wisdom of her rulers, nor on the spirit of her people, as on the persuasion that she still contains many who love and obey the gospel of Christ. I believe that their prayers may yet prevail." Within a few years after he made this statement, the country he loved experienced one of the greatest revivals in modern times, we know it as the birth of the restoration movement. Cane Ridge Revival – Brought salvation to thousands and producing widespread social changes.
We sometimes think we can’t make a difference. WE CAN! EARLY CHURCH TOLD THE WHOLE WORLD IN 30 YEARS –WE CAN TOO BUT NOT WITHOUT REVIVAL
If you live in a graveyard too long you stop crying when someone dies.
And we need to weep: FOR OUR WORLD - COUNTRY – CHILDREN – CHURCHES – MARRIAGES – LAY IT ALL ON THE ALTER BEFORE GOD
2 CHR 7:14
