Foundations Week 24, Day 3

Scripture Read: 2 Kings 22 - 23
Title: Josiah Leads A Revival
 
H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "And the king stood by the pillars and mad a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandmentsand his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the the words of this covenant that were written in this book.  And all the people joined in the covenant,"  2 Kings 23:3
 
(E) Explain: After the death of Hezekiah, Judah has a strain of evil kings who ruled.  When King Josiah comes to power at the age of eight years old and he did what was right in the sight of the LORD.  Ten years after he became king, Hilkah, the high priest found the book of the Law and had Saphan, the secretary, read it to the king.  When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes and made a covenant with God to lead the people of Judah back to their God.  Upon making this covenant, he reinstitutes Passover and has all the necromancers and mediums and idols banished.  Unfortunately, the sin of Manasseh was so great that God remained angry with Judah and pronounced impending judgment on the nation.  Ultimately the judgment is Judah goes into exile under the Babylonian kingdom.

(A) Application: ​God is a God of revival.  So often we (individually and the church) can become complacent in our relationship with God.  We take him for granted, we allow other idols into our lives, and we just plain forget about Him.  But God is continually calling his people back to him and we need to have our ears opened.  When God calls and people respond the result is often revival.  Revival is when God become real once again in our lives.  It is a time when the ordinary becomes extraordinary.  It is when a new passion for God burns within his children.  Revival can happen individually and it can happen corporately and when it does amazing things happen.  We see this in Acts 2 when Peter preaches and the Holy Spirit comes down filled the believers.  The end result of that day was 3000 souls were added to the Kingdom.  That's what happens when revival comes! 

(R) Respond: God I pray for revival in my life and in the life of your church.  May your Spirit come down and fill us with your presence and may we see multitudes come to saving faith in you.  Lord, let revival come!