Lost in the sanctuary 3
2Kings 22:8-13 Lost In The Sanctuary
SANCTUARY. The Heb. words miqdāš, define a place set apart for the worship of God or gods. Whereas the Bible uses these words almost entirely of the place where Yahweh was worshipped.
Losing something In you purse – Sisters you know that you know that you know, you had that item in your purse. The last time you used it, it was there and you know where you paced it. For some reason as much as you dig through that purse you can’t seem to find it. IS it because you have not used it in a while or that you have become so confident in the fact that it is there it will always be there and when needed.
Loosing a tool – Brothers you know the last time you used that tool you put it up where it belonged and now is the time that it is needed again and you can’t find it. You know that you did not lend it out because it is your favorite and best tool. The one that you paid the good money for, not the one that you lend to friends. But it can not be found.
As with the example of item in the purse and the tool these were both needed and at sometime valuable items. They were things that should have readily been at hand. There were both highly valued and at one point and time you had been familiar with the use of them and the location of them. But now, now they are lost. This is what had happened with the word of God in the text. They had become so ritualistic in their worship and distracted from the things of God, that they forgotten about the bible. The book that had meant so much to the people of Israel, God’s chosen people.
This caused me to stop and ponder the circumstances that had brought them to this point.
The text declares that the book was lost in the Sanctuary. When they found it it was buy accident and when they read it, it caused the king to rent his cloths. You see Josiah was a king who walked after his father David. In verse 2 the bible declares he did that that was right in the sight of the Lord. Why is it then that after he had heard the words of the book in verse 11 he rent his clothes? The renting of the clothes signifies that Josiah had great distress. Is there a cause for great distress in the church today? Are we following the Word of God and not rituals and traditions. Well there are some things that to put it in the words of Arsenio Hall, things that make you go humm. Lets see.
q How is it that you can have the word Missionary in the name of your church but never step onto the mission field. Humm
q Are poor people only hungry at Thanksgiving?
q Where is the title associate Minister Found in the Bible?
q When did God state that Women could not wear pants?
q Where is it written that when praises go up blessings come down?
q Is Christmas the only time of year we are suppose to bless people?
q Do we receive our awards here or in heaven?
Proverbs 14:12 Proverbs 16:25
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Lets turn to Mathew 23 5 and explore this a bit more.
Here Jesus is dealing with the Pharisees and he mentions eight 8 Woes to them in this chapter. But in verse 5 he points out that all the works they do are to be seen of men. In this same chapter in verses 25 and 26 Jesus here really drives the point home. The take away from here is that we can put on all the fanfare and window dressing that we want but God knows our heart. In Josiah’s day they kept having church but where was the heart and the will to keep Gods word. Do we just give lip service to the things that we are suppose to be doing of God. Do we mimic the actions of these Pharisees in word and deed? Do we say wonderful things, pray wonderful prayers, and put a false face on, when we great one another? God declares that if you have a problem with your brother before you participate in the offering get that situation straightened out and then partake of the participation.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you that ye also love one another.
John 13:35 By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, If you have love one to another. You can tell they are my disciples by how they show love one for another. Do we really love one another?
In 1983 during the Regan presidency The Year of the Bible was declared, (1983), was declared on October 4, 1982, by a Joint Resolution of both the Senate and House of Representatives in the second session of the 97th Congress of the United States of America, held at the City of Washington:
The Regan Administration claimed the year of the bible but did things that did not line up with the word of God. If you remember people were losing jobs, homes, taxes were gong up and the rich just got richer. In this last election they pulled out the religion card again and here we are in a War with no way out n the foreseeable future. The economy is bad people are still losing jobs, and this county has become so immoral that they are trying to legislate morality. This abortion law thing. Why is it that they write a law to address the problem after the fact. Once a ship has been loaded and leaves the dock it can’t be unloaded. Are we working on the character of our young people so that they don’t get them selves into these situations. My dad use to tell me that if you get a girl pregnant I am going to bring the shot gun to the wedding and if I is man enough to have a child he should be man enough to provide for the child and a wife.
We as an adult society send our children mixed messages. When Martha Stewart the picture of wholesomeness is in jail for breaking the law and we celebrate her every move daily in the news. When captains of industry like Ken Lay of Enron think that it is ok to lie and steal, when sports heroes like Kobi Bryant are in trouble and we sensationalize it, what messages are we sending our children. Do as I say and not as I do!
Something strange and wonderful happened in England during the first half of the seventeenth century, starting when James I was king. It had happened a century earlier on the continent in northern Germany. Private and public morality improved markedly. Marriages and families flourished. Crime dropped. Attitudes changed about God and humanity.
The Bible—the Word of God—had appeared in everyday language. The King James Bible (a.d. 1611) in English recreated the phenomenon Germany experienced when Luther’s translation came out (a.d. 1534). English kings, like German princes and barons, might control the pulpits, but they could not muzzle the Word of God read in the homes of peasants, craftsmen, and merchants.
The Word of God is living and powerful. It is seed, containing germs of truth that can grow for years. It is milk that can nourish tender new life and meat for strong, active souls. It’s a hammer and fire to get rid of sin and balm to heal the wounds. It’s a sword to defeat the devil and honey for the heart.
2kings 22: 13,18-19
We don’t have to be lost in the sanctuary .
In my recent illness It came upon me all of a sudden. I could breath my heart was beating at an abnormal rate my wife called the doctor and he told them to rush me to the hospital. When we got there they immediately admitted me. My condition scared the medical professionals. And that in turn scared me. I was incoherent not able to even hold myself up without a struggle. I told my wife to call my family and let them know what was going on. I though I was on my way out of hear. I wanted to saints to pray for me. I did not want somebody praying lord bless him and heal his body. I need some body that would go into that secret closet and say go it says in you word in Is 43:26 lets walk to get her pleading you case. I need you to make him prosper and be in good health even as his soul prospers. By your stripes he is healed. No weapon form against him shall prosper. This work that you started in him you shall complete. I needed somebody to pray the word. Once I got my strength I did not leave anything to chance Lord I know that there are three types of sickness . Sickness for sin. A sickness until death and a sickness to glorify you. So Lord cast my sins in to the sea of forgetfulness. Wash me whiter than snow. You know me by now the tears are running down my face. Devil you are a lie. God you healed the woman wit the issue of blood because of faith. Lord I have faith heal me now.
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Heb. Hebrew