There is a longing in the hearts of many true believers, that God may yet do a mighty work of reviving grace in our times. The question we ask is, Is this merely wishful thinking? Or is there some ground in the word of God for us to base such an expectation on?

There are many who will claim that the present world wide Charismatic or Pentecostal, or Signs and wonders movements, are in fact the revival that saints are expecting. The honest student of scripture would have to reject that assertion. There is such a shameful mixture of truth and error, of false and exagerated claims, there are so many ruined lives left in the wake of these movements, that we are justified in rejecting such, as not being the work of the Holy Spirit of God, but the work of some other spirit, or spirits, ( 1 Tim. 4; 1-6.)

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, He will never guide anyone into error, or into immorality, or dishonesty. He will never inflame lust, the love of money, boastful arrogance, or untruthfulness in the lives of those whom He fills. He will never exalt or give prominence or glory to man, or to those whom He sovereignly uses in the accomplishment of His work. His aim and object is to exalt and to glorify the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, to lead men, women, and children into the experience of Christ's salvation. To lead them through the knowledge of the word of God, and by His own power, into the daily experience of the sanctifying work of Christ, to a daily surrender of themselves to the Lordship of Christ, and the leading and control of Himself, the Holy Spirit, making then active and effective witnesses for Christ, and causing them to live in the blessed hope of the daily expectation of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for His own. Any real work of the Holy Spirit of God, will surely have these characteristics.

I believe that there is, I do not think that the work the Dispensation of the Grace of God that began with such power and glory at Pentecost, will end in shame and defeat. What began in glory, will end in triumph. The Rapture of the Church, will not be a kind of fire escape, the mere snatching away of a weak and defiled Church, before it is totally destroyed.

The Lord Jesus is going to present the Church, His Bride to Himself, "a glorious Church, not having spot , or wrinkle, or any such thing,....... holy and without blemish." ( Eph. 5; 27.) To this end, He is sanctifying and cleansing it with the washing of water by the word. This is going on now, but as we look at the lives of so many of the members of His body, we see so many things that need to be judged, confessed and cleansed away. As we rightly expect the coming of Christ, the Bridegroom to claim His Bride to take place very soon, then we can expect the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work, rapidly in the lives of all, to prepare us for presentation to our Heavenly Bridegroom.

There is a passage also in the Epistle of James, (ch. 5; 7-8,) that would encourage us to believe that before the coming of the Lord there will be the latter rain. James exhorts us to be patient, and to wait for that, like the husband man who waits for the precious fruit of the earth. It is clear that the early rain was Pentecost, then what is the latter rain? I believe that it has yet to come.

Those of the Charismatic type persuasion, will claim that what is taking place amongst them, is the latter rain, but a sober examination of those movements will prove that they are "clouds without water, carried about by the winds" ( of change, and popular appeal) " trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit," ( Jude;12,) " Wells without water, clouds carried with a tempest," ( 2 Pet. 2; 17.) Promising so much, but yielding so little result of a permanent nature. We do not deny that it has pleased God in His sovereign mercy to save some, perhaps many, through His word, even in, or through such movements, and we praise Him for this, but such movements are far from what they claim to be.

What then of the latter rain, I believe that it has yet to come. Faith would not sit and idly wait, but faith and expectancy would lead us to " break up our fallow ground", would lead us to "sow to the Spirit", more and more, to scatter the seed of the word, and water it with our tears, and with our prayers, so that when the latter rain does come, there will be a rich harvest, of the precious fruit of the earth. May God grant us to be patient, and to stablish our hearts, not to be lazy, or indolent, patience is always expectant, and would lead us to be active in preparation. Not swayed by the modernistic, liberalistic, humanistic excitement of those merchants of change, who would have us to abandon those principles and practices that God has honored and blessed over the centuries of the Church's history. But to be " steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord", ( 1 Cor. 15; 58.)

There are some of our brethren who hold a fatalistic view, that we are in the end times, in the Laodicean age, and that we cannot hope for anything more than a lukewarm state of things to continue until the end.

A careful study of the addresses to the seven Churches in Asia, will show that the first four are actual historical phases through which the Church has passed, but the last four, Thyatira, ( Roman Catholicism,) Sardis, (Protestantism,) Philadelphia, ( a state of brotherly love, the assembly revival,) and Laodicea, a state of material affluence, lukewarmness, what the assembly revival has become,) these all continue until the end, the rapture, and some of them until the great tribulation, when headed up in "Mystery Great Babylon", all will be destroyed.

The challenge to us all is, are we merely resigned to, and content with a Laodicean state? or do we long for the little power, and the faithfulness of the Philadelphian state? May God awaken us, and cause us to examine our hearts, and to judge, confess and forsake every sin, and our apathetic indifference, and rise to His challenge! May He help us to see what He is able, and willing, and wanting to do, and to lay hold of His promises by faith! May the study of these two chapters of 2 Chronicles, ( 34 & 35,) help us to see what God is able to do, even in the darkest day!

The revival during the reign of Josiah, ( whose name means whom Jehovah heals or sustains,) is remarkable for several things, and because of this, is of particular relevance to us today.

(1.) It was foreseen, fore known, and foretold by God.

(2.) It took place in only the third generation after another mighty revival, during the reign of Hezekiah, and only 79 years after Hezekiah's backsliding began.

(3.) It took place at one of the darkest times in the history of the Kingdom of Judah.

(4.) There was no apparent cause for this revival.

(5.) It was the final revival before the captivity of the Kingdom of Judah.

All of these things should fill us with hope, at a time of otherwise dark decline, and atrocious apathy. Let us now look at these points.

It should give us comfort to notice that all of the events we are examining, were foreseen by God, fore known and foretold by Him, about 300 years before the events took place. see 1 Kings;3.

Sometimes when we look at conditions prevailing in the Church at large, and in the assemblies that we love, we become discouraged. We tend to think, and to act as though all this has taken God by surprise. It is such a comfort to realize that our God is Omniscient, and that He is Eternal, timeless, He knows the end from the beginning. He possesses the divine attribute of foreknowledge. Because of this, nothing ever takes Him by surprise, nor does He ever have to hastily change His plans to meet some unforeseen crisis, or emergency, that is brought about by unseen, or unexpected circumstances, or events.

He never has to resort to "change", or to the introduction of what is new, or novel. He never has to upgrade His word or His ways to suit modern conditions, to cater for the advances made in knowledge, or technology, or the expanding of the human mind and behavior, and the adoption of life-styles unheard of in previous generations.

His plan and pattern of operations, set out in His unchanging word, and in the teaching and example of His Apostles, are just as relevant in every age, and in all cultures, conditions, and situations.

This should make us alert, and reveal to us the true nature of the sinister conspiracy that seems to have been at work in our assemblies over the past decade , or so, and is gaining momentum, increasing in power and pressure in modern times. A conspiracy that is devastating and dividing many of the assemblies of God's people, whom we love. A movement that is causing an erosion of moral and spiritual standards, and leading to the introduction and approval of the very things that our godly forefathers judged to be wrong in the light of the word of God, and led to their coming out of the established church, and the denominations that they were formerly associated with, to gather to the name of the Lord Jesus alone, in New Testament simplicity and humility.

Then let us not be moved to panic, nor to hasty action, but let us turn again with true humility and contrition, to our unchanging God and Father, and to Jesus Christ, who is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever. Let us cry mightily to Him, that He may be pleased to intervene in sovereign mercy, and protect, cleanse, revive, and restore to potency and their former usefulness, and effectiveness, all the assemblies of Christ.

Let us realize that the present decline and departure from God and His word, was all foreseen by Himself, and that He is quietly working out His own plans and purposes

The wonderful revival which we are considering, took place a mere 79 years after the decline of a former mighty revival during the reign of Hezekiah. that is dating from the time of Hezekiah's backsliding, after his being healed and raised up by God.

This makes us to marvel at the patience of our God. We might think that a people so favored by God, a people had been delivered from an all conquering enemy, through humble and broken hearted prayer. Delivered from being conquered , robbed, taken captive into slavery, first by the combined might of the Syrians allied with the apostate northern Kingdom of Israel, ( 2 Kings 16; 5-6.) Then later by the cruel and mighty Assyrian army, which had conquered all before it, ( 2 Kings 19; 35-37.) Yet this people had turned again to the acceptance and practice of things that were hateful to God.

We might have thought that God would give them up, abandon them to their own folly and wickedness, but not so. He was faithful to the promises made to David, and it is ever His desire to purify and restore His people to Himself, to holiness, to obedience to, and the practice of His commandments, set out for us in His holy word.

I believe that a careful examination of the history of God's dealings with His people will prove, that since the departure of the Apostles, those who in every generation who have clung to the simplicity of the New testament pattern and teachings, have been singularly blessed of God. I also believe that over the past almost 200 years, there has been no single group, that have been so wonderfully blessed with the revelation of Biblical truth, which has led to godly and scriptural practice. There has not been another movement so singularly blessed and used of God in the dissemination of truth, in the sowing of the seed of the word of God in every nation under heaven, as those known as the brethren have.

Yet how sad is the powerless and ineffective is the state into which we have drifted. We must honestly acknowledge that we are verily guilty. Can we not take heart then, from the timing of this revival? Is it not possible that God may again visit us, may convict, cleanse and revive us? Will He yet convict us of our sins of dishonesty, immorality, materialism, selfishness, apathy, hypocrisy, half-heartedness, and sheer lack of commitment and devotion to Him who gave Himself, His all, for us?

Is it beyond the grace of God to yet restore us , to make us again a mighty power for good and an effective witness for Him in an evil and perishing world?

Is God not still able to so renew us, that our times of worship will be full, rich and sweet, with a proper sense of the reverence due to His holy name, so that the worship that we offer to Him may be of such a quality, as will bring joy and satisfaction to His great and loving heart, and glory to His great and holy name?

May not, even yet, in spite of the unfaithfulness and departure, the "Offering up of Judah. ( those faithful, and loyal to the Son of David), and Jerusalem, ( those gathered to His holy name in the place that He has chosen,) be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in the former years? (Mal. 3; 4.)

Dear brothers and sisters, let us take heart. Let us with humility, with broken hearts, with contrite spirits, ( for such He will not despise,) lay hold in faith on the promises of God, in believing prayer. Let us be willing to honestly examine and judge ourselves. Let us confess and forsake all that His Spirit, through His word, may reveal to us, that is grieving to His great heart of love!

This wonderful revival took place at one of the darkest times in the history of Judah. The apostate northern Kingdom of Israel had been terminated, and the wicked people carried away captive by the Assyrians seventy three years before, yet they failed to heed the warning.

Hezekiah's reign that began so brightly, had ended in dismal failure, and it would seem that material prosperity was his undoing.

After cleansing and reviving Judah, and restoring them to the scriptural worship of God, he was stricken with a fatal disease. For fourteen years he had faithfully and zealously followed and served Jehovah. God saw that the useful part of his life was ended, and was minded to take Hezekiah to his reward while at the pinnacle of his glory and success. God sent Isaiah to prepare him for his end, but he wanted to hang on to life, and pleaded with tears that God would remember his good deeds, ( such deeds God will never, indeed can never forget.)

Such was the kindness and tenderness of God's heart, that He was moved by the sight of Hezekiah's tears, and put the clock back for him, adding another fifteen years to his life. Those were fifteen tragic years, during which he compromised with the Princes of Babylon. He gloried in his riches. he was flattered by the attention of the foreign Princes, and he exposed to the gaze of these idolatrous men, all the riches, the priceless treasures that God had entrusted to him to use for God.

God sent Isaiah to question him, and to give him an opportunity to repent and confess his foolish actions, and also to warn him of the terrible consequences of those actions for the succeeding generations.

What a warning this is to us against fraternizing, and compromising with the corrupt and idolatrous ecclesiastical powers and systems of this world. What a warning Hezekiah's experience is to us personally also. He began so well, but ended so tragically. Like the Galatians, he "began well," but stopped. In Gal. 3; 3, Paul warns us not to be so senseless, that having begun in the Spirit, we should seek to be made perfect in the flesh. Life's beginnings are very important, but it is the finish that really counts.

Isaiah's warning to Hezekiah, and the revelation of what God in His judgment had determined to do, only revealed the heartless and selfish attitude that he had fallen into. "Good is the word of Jehovah which He has spoken" was his response, " For there shall be peace and truth in my days." He had no concern for the following generations, he thought only of himself, and his own peace and comfort.

It was during those fifteen years that Manasseh was born, and he was to become one of the most wicked Kings that Judah ever had, exceeded only by his more wicked son. His life and reign were ruined because he followed the ways of his father's backslidden years. He seemed to eclipse all the wickedness of those who had gone before him. He became so bold and arrogant in the promotion of every form of evil.

Here is another warning for us, we can never tell what the effect of our backsliding or carelessness may have on our children. Manasseh did not emulate his father's bright and faithful years, but he did follow the way of his father's backsliding.

However God stepped in, and brought against Manasseh the very people with whom his father had fraternized and compromised. They did not come as flatterers this time, but as conquerors and oppressors. They did just what God said they would do, they took him among the thorns, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. he had begun to reap the fruits of his wickedness, a very painful and humiliating experience.

In Babylon, he saw the full blown effect of idolatry, the sin with which he had played ,saw all its horrible nature, the corruption, and degradation, the bondage and misery that it brought, for there the demons held full sway.

This, together with the experience of the terrible bondage he had brought upon himself by his wickedness, broke his heart, and brought him to genuine repentance. He turned again to Jehovah his God, and besought His mercy and forgiveness, humbling himself greatly, and God who is rich in mercy, heard his cry, accepted his repentance, and restored him again to his kingdom.

Manasseh then set about to fortify Jerusalem, to rebuild the wall of separation, against the return of those who had captured him, and subjected him to such misery. He did all he could to ensure that his people would not have to suffer from the evil, idolatrous power of Babylon.

At the same time he began to undo some of the wickedness that he had introduced. Not only this, but he also tried to re-introduce the scriptural worship of Jehovah, he tried to return to the book. But in spite of his best attempts the people still persisted with unscriptural manners of worship on the "High Places", but they worshipped Jehovah only, though they did so in a way that was contrary to God's word. Wrong and unscriptural practices are easily introduced, but often hard to remove.

Sadly Manasseh's shameful example had a tragic effect on the son who succeeded him on the throne. Amon followed the ways of his father's wickedness, not the ways of his repentance and humility. What a warning to us! Who knows what a harvest the sowing of the seeds of carelessness, looseness, apathy, compromise and unfaithfulness may yet yield in the generation that succeeds us?

However the years following Manasseh's restoration were not wasted, because he had a little grandson, Josiah, and though we are not told this, yet I believe that he would use every opportunity to warn this little boy, who would one day sit on the throne of David, of the terrible results of infidelity and unfaithfulness.

Here is a word of encouragement and advice for the grandparents amongst us. Often because of our age, and because we are no longer feverishly engaged in the pursuit of material things, we have time to spend with our grand-children, and the ability to influence their lives when they are small Grand-parents are more remote, and tend to enjoy more of the respect of their grand-children.

I shall be forever thankful for the influence that my father has had on our children. I was in India when it pleased the Lord to call him home to be with Himself. I did not know of his death until weeks after his burial. However our two eldest sons ,did for their grand-father, what I would have loved to do.

They conducted his funeral in a way that was worthy of the old saint that he was. They rendered love's last service, in such a way as to win for themselves, the admiration of the many believers who were present on that occasion.

My father lived to be 93 1/2 years old, but to the end of his life he still remembered the advice of his own grand-father, and followed it faithfully.

Though Amon rejected and despised the years of his father's true greatness, the years of his repentance and humility, I do not doubt that Josiah was greatly influenced by them. Let us see that we exercise to the maximum good, whatever godly influence we may have, upon our grand-children.

Amon's reign was very brief, the people of Judah had seen and tasted the terrible effects of idolatry and wickedness, in every aspect of their lives, both social and spiritual. They had also experienced some restoration to peace and dignity, during the years of Manasseh's restoration. They were not prepared to submit again to the tyranny of idolatry, and the lust, selfishness, violence and injustice that it breeds.

Amon was slain by his own servants, in his own house. The action of those servants was wrong, violence and injustice should never be met with the like, but God allowed him to reap what he had sown.

God permitted this to happen, in order to bring forward the one whom He had fore-known, and whom He had been preparing through these unlikely circumstances and events. What a comfort it is to know that all of these events were foreknown by God, and foretold by Him, about three hundred years before.

How it should inspire hope, in the hearts of those who love God's name, God's house, and God's people, that He will yet intervene, even in the moral and spiritual darkness of our days. That we may yet see Him make bare His mighty arm in rebuking those powers of evil that seek to corrupt and destroy that which is for His pleasure. That He may yet visit us, to convict us of our sins, to cleanse and revive us again, and to quicken and revive the testimony due to His holy name. That He may yet open the windows of heaven, and pour out such a blessing, which is beyond our capacity to contain!

A study of the greatest revivals in the history of the Church, will show that they were sovereign interventions of God, at the darkest and most unlikely times. A study of the book of Judges will also confirm that over the history of Israel's judges, God intervened again and again, at the darkest times, when there was nothing about His backslidden people to warrant or merit His intervention.

There is a beautiful verse in Deuteronomy (32; 36,) 'For the Lord will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants, ( or in favor of His servants,) when He sees that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left," ( or none at liberty, i.e. all are in bondage.) Also verse 43, " and the Lord will be merciful to His land, and to His people."

God loves His people, even though they may be unfaithful and failing, even though through wrong leadership , through ignorance of His word, they turn away from Him, be ungrateful-grateful and tolerate that which is hateful to Himself.. He knows so well what unfaithfulness will cause them to suffer, but He never gives them up, His love for them never changes.

He has seen our whole history before it began, He will not be defeated Job could say, "I know that Thou canst do everything, and that Thou canst be hindered in no thought of Thine," ( Job 42; 1, J.N.Darby trans.) In His majesty and might, He will ultimately triumph. He is sovereign, and is neither helped, nor hindered by the faithfulness, or failures of His people, for "If we are unfaithful, He abides faithful, for He cannot deny Himself," (2 Tim. 2;13, J.N.Darby trans.)

Oh may it please God to visit us again, to cleanse, revive and renew us, by His grace!

God had already removed the northern Kingdom in His judgment, and He was going to remove Judah. He did this twenty two years after the death of Josiah.

We believe that the "Rapture" is soon to take place, the Church is soon to be "caught up". May we not expect God to send the "latter rain", before His Church is translated? Must that which began with such power and glory, end in weakness and shame? Can we not expect the "Judge" to come, and to "Stand before the door" ? (James 5;7-9.)

He will not purify His Church, through the fires and troubles of the "Great Tribulation", (as some would have us to believe), but through the washing of water by the word.

Shouldn't all this fill us with hope and expectation? Should we not "awake out of sleep", knowing that our salvation is near? (Rom.13; 11-14.) Should we not wake up, arise and trim our lamps, and prepare to meet our heavenly "Bridegroom"

Now let us look at the revival itself. It all began when young Josiah, who was just a boy in his sixteenth year, "began to seek after the God of David his father". This is the way that all true revivals begin, when people begin to seek after God. There were so many other things that he could have sought after, and probably received, but he was in pursuit of God. He was not seeking after a modern and up-to-date God, one who would approve gimmicks and novelties, one who would introduce interesting, entertaining and exciting things, to lure , to entice the people back to himself. No he sought after the God of David his father, the Eternal, the Unchanging. the Omniscient, the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent God. The God who says "I the Lord change not". We live in a day when people want to modernize God, even to make Him into a female, a Goddess so that he will fit into the women's liberation movement, and not be sexist, or discriminatory. We need to return to the God of the Bible, to seek after Him with all our heart.

Josiah having sought after this God for four years, his sensitivities became sharpened, his discernment became clear, his courage was strengthened. The tragic and blatant departure that had taken place became clear to him, and he knew that something had to be done about it, so he did do something, "He began to purge Judah and Jerusalem", he personally took a lead in the matter. It was not enough to see and acknowledge that these things were wrong, he had to do something to destroy and remove them, and he did it. This called for real courage, for it involved opposing the mighty demons that those idols represented. and possibly incurring their wrath. His actions rallied the support of others, and incited them to judge and destroy the abominations also. In verse 4, ( 2 Chron. 34), it says "They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence", how it must have cheered the heart of the young King to see this new courage and strength, this new zeal, this judgment of evil revived in the hearts of God's people.

God had begun to make bare His mighty arm, He had risen up to scatter and to overthrow His enemies, the spiritual forces of evil, that had so spoiled and corrupted His people, and robbed them of their power and decency.

Josiah first destroyed the high places, the groves, or Asherah, and the carved and molten images. The high places were first introduced by Solomon, to cater for the religious demands of his many foreign wives. These were places of sacrifice, and were contrary to the law of God, which stated that all sacrifice was to be offered at the tabernacle, and later at the temple, where it would be done under priestly supervision, so as to prevent sacrifice being offered to demons. But in the days of Manasseh's restoration, they were retained but used in the worship of Jehovah only. That meant that the people were using what was contrary to the word of God, in the worship of God. Just as today people try to bring the Devil's things, and the Devil's music, into the service and worship of God.

The Asherahs were groves of trees, or park-like places, where people became involved in sexual immorality, in the worship of the Ashtaroth, the images of Ashtaroth, the Phoenician goddess of lust. To the Greeks she was known as Astarte, to the Romans as Aphrodite. These images were in shrines amongst the trees, and sometimes the trees themselves were worshipped. Green trees have long been associated with idolatrous worship, and are still associated with this in Hinduism in India.

A graven image is said to be, " gold, silver or stone, graven by art and man's device, ( Acts 17; 29). It is made by removing that part of the basic material, that does not suit the design of the makers mind. In making such a god, they shaped a god that suited themselves. Men are doing that today, that is they hold a basic belief in the God of the Bible, but try to cut off, or gouge out, those things about His nature and attributes that don't suit them. They will re-move all idea of His righteousness, and the absoluteness of His word, but will make much of His love, mercy, patience and kindness, until they have a God who is all love and no righteousness, and does not trouble about holiness etc.

A molten image was usually made of silver or gold, mostly silver, ( Judges 17; 3 ), and silver is the metal which was used for the atonement money, showing how that these people believed in a redeemer god. The silver was melted and poured into a mold, and the result was a god who though a redeemer, and healer, was made in a shape and form that suited the whims and fancies of the worshipper.

The first thing done in this revival was to destroy all false ideas of a god who was a god of convenience, and reinstate the Lord of Heaven and Earth, in His sovereign and majestic power, as the God of His people. These false ideas of god, false gods, were not merely removed, and defiled, but made into dust, and the dust scattered on the graves of those who sacrificed to them. By this action, they desecrated the memory of those who had cultured and fostered these false ideas of god, and had misled-led generations of God's people.

Josiah, and the people, then destroyed the altars of the Baals, (Baalim), and broke down the sun-pillars, or obelisks that towered above them. The altars were the means by which these false gods were worshipped. The practice of idolatry leads to the deification of human lust. These sun-pillars, or obelisks, were a representation of the erect male sexual organ, this kind of worship is still carried on today in the Lingite religion, which is part of Hinduism.

The past two decades have seen the emergence of ideas amongst some of the assemblies of God's people, that are similar to these altars of Baal. We have seen the discarding of the old , time-honored, God-honored practices associated with the biblical worship of God, and the introduction of many new changes and gimmicks. All of these things are intended to make the worship of God, acceptable and exciting to the carnal minds of a modern generation..

It began with the introduction of repetitious, unsound choruses, that often have no real spiritual worthwhile content, and the gradual discarding of those hymns of spiritual depth, and real quality, which for over a century have thrilled the hearts of the saints of God, and moved them to worship. Then came the introduction of a variety of musical instruments that are used in the performance of popular music, and as the departure increased, the introduction of bands, even rock and dance bands into the so-called worship of God.

Then followed the introduction of "controlled worship", and the gradual elimination of the Lord's Supper from its central place, in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus, and the worship of God. All of these moves have led to a shameful lowering of moral standards, the loss, or denial of the respect and reverence that is due to the Almighty God, both in manner of dress and deportment, and the manner and attitude of the way in which God is addressed.

When God begins to work, all such things will be cleansed away, and the memory of those leaders who were guilty of their being introduced, will be despised.

Josiah did all these things without any reference to the word of God, because the book of the law was not yet re-discovered. I assume that his actions were the result of his grand-father's teaching, and perhaps the counsel of those who still maintained a fear of God amongst his contemporaries.

It is interesting to notice that in the work of cleansing the land of the filth of idolatry, and the remembrance of those who introduced it, and carried on the idolatrous worship, Josiah went far beyond the borders of Judah, and cleansed the cities of the northern tribes, who had been taken away as captives by the Assyrians long before. In so doing, he unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy of the un-named man of God, which was given on the day of the dedication of the altar at Bethel, when Jeroboam set up the golden calf there, and instituted his rival system of worship. ( 1 Kings 13 ). Truly the word of God cannot be broken, "The Lord is holy and just and true, and what He has said He will surely do".

After cleansing the land of the shameful public abuses and affronts to the rights and holiness of God, and to His supremacy, Josiah then turned to the house of God, first to cleanse, and then to repair it.

Manasseh had built altars in the house of the Lord, and altars for all the host of heaven, in the two courts of the house of the Lord, (ch. 33;4-5), and though after his restoration he destroyed these, yet it is very likely that wicked Amon had restored them. We are given no details of what Josiah had to remove, but we are told that he purged the land and the house. It would mean that he removed all that was unclean and offensive to the holy God of Israel. The temple was cleansed, but also re-instated as the only place of sacrifice.

The temple was not only repaired, but amended, ( re-instated, J.N.Darby trans), that is restored to it's original condition, and to its original place of importance in the lives of the people of Israel. It is important to notice this.

The temple was the house of the Lord, it was the place where Jehovah said His name would be, and when all was in order, the inner sanctuary, the holiest, was the place where Jehovah's glory dwelt. Typically it represents the local Church or assembly. Timothy was told how to behave in the "House of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth".( 1 Tim. 3; 15 ).

In any true revival there will be a restoration of the local church to its proper place of importance in the lives of God's people. Our whole life should center around the local assembly, just as Israel's tribes camped around the Tabernacle. In these days of decline many assemblies have ceased to be the "Assemblies of Christ', and have become "our assemblies". In many places they have become little more than a Sunday social club, where comfortably placed middle-class, and sometimes wealthy people gather, to patronize God, by giving Him one hour of their time , out of the whole week, to observe sacred rituals, or attend a kind of sacred concert. To meet and to enjoy the company of other religiously inclined, and socially acceptable people, respectable citizens.

Others have gone even further astray, by turning their assemblies into Community Churches, taking God's house and giving it to the community, whereas the true Church is gathered out of the community and does not belong in it, or to it, nor is it a part of the community, it is the House of God, where His rights are to be supreme, where His Son is Lord, where His Spirit is the power, the president and leader of every activity, and His word is that which is to govern everything.

May God grant us yet to see such a revival, which will re-instate the house of God to its central and proper place!

Josiah then called the leading city officials, who were Levites, and instructed them to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord. It is incredible to think that breaches had been made in that glorious building.

It should be pointed out that the materials used in the original construction of the temple, were such as would not decay. God was the architect and supervisor of the temple design and construction. It was built according to His plans and specifications, of great pre-shaped stones, that fitted perfectly when put together, and with great cedar beams, the very best cedar from Lebanon, and it was floored with planks of cypress.

Whatever God specifies, and builds does not decay. How then did the breaches come to be in this magnificent structure? verse 11, gives the answer The kings of Judah had destroyed the house. Over the generations they had wantonly vandalized God's house.

The Psalmist, in Psalm 74, tells of those who attacked the beautiful carved paneling of God's house, with axes and hammers, (verse 4-8 ). It is sad to have to say that there are such spiritual vandals amongst those who aspire to leadership in the assemblies today. They do not hesitate to attack and destroy many things that have beautified the assembly testimony over the centuries. Attacking this and that, as being only "Brethren Tradition".

It was the Kings of Judah, who had destroyed the buildings and their floors. Those who were the leaders and rulers of the people, it was not the enemies from without, what a tragic situation!

Josiah wanted the temple to be restored to its original condition. Any true revival will see the saints restored to the original, beautiful principles and practices of the Church as it was according to the simple Apostolic pattern. The teaching and fellowship of the Apostles, the breaking of bread, and prayers.

We notice that it was hewn stone, joists and floor planks that had to be purchased. Those vandals had destroyed the very floors on which the priests were to walk, in the fulfillment of their service. The Psalmist says ' If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do"? (Psl. 11; 3 ). Here it is the floors, that on which one stands, there are some amongst the brethren who would even attack the veracity and authority of the Holy Scriptures, advancing the heresy of "Theistic Evolution", to cast doubt of the story of Creation, as described in the first chapter of Genesis. Such is the result of proud intellectualism, and professed "Research".

Hewn stone does not decay, I have seen, and walked on the stones of the Great Pyramid of Giza. These stones have been there for four thousand years, and are still as solid as the day that they were placed there. The stones of the temple were very large, some twelve, and some fifteen feet in length, " great stones" and "costly stones", (1 Kings 7; 10-11 ), it would require great and sustained effort to remove them, or destroy, or disfigure them, but such was the determined evil efforts of the Kings of Judah, that it was done. However through the labors of skilled and faithful men, the temple was restored. May we yet see the restoration of those precious truths and practices that have so beautified the assembly testimony, and supported the saints of God in their ministry of , worship, intercession, and teaching!

To do the repairs money was needed, and money was available. Where did it come from? It came mostly from the refugees from the northern Kingdom who had escaped being taken captive, and deportation to other lands. at the time of the Assyrian invasion.

During the reign of the apostate Kings of Israel, they had been denied their right and privilege, of worshipping and offering sacrifice, at the temple, the place where Jehovah's name was. Now after about three hundred years, they had the privilege of returning there. They had turned again to follow the Son of David, and to the place of which God said, "My name shall be there".

Out of gratitude, they had contributed generously for the purpose of the temple's restoration, and their gifts had been brought into the house of the God. Those of Judah and Benjamin had also contributed, thus was brought about a re-uniting of the long divided people of God, the remnant of Manasseh and Ephraim, re-united with those of Judah and Benjamin.

I wonder whether, as the apostasy of Christendom accelerates, and the spiritual darkness increases, we may see many of the saints of God return to the original, simple manner of gathering to the Lord's name, and the freedom of being led by the Holy Spirit, in the worship of God.

Recently I have met some believers who had come out of the denominations, and they seemed to have a much greater appreciation of assembly truth and principles, than many who had been born into assembly families, and had grown up in assembly circles. Thank God for such believers, who have gained their liberty through conviction and struggle, and thus valued it far more than many who inherited these things from their parents. Believers like these will contribute much to the spiritual wealth that is needed to restore the assemblies.

Restoration is always a costly work, but when they set about it, they discovered that the wealth was there to enable them to carry the work through to completion. Where did they find the money?, in the Temple!

Dear brothers and sisters, there is enough spiritual wealth, and spiritual gift, in the assemblies of believers, to bring about the repair, and restoration of that which is precious to God. There is latent spiritual wealth amongst the saints, that today is ignored and un-used. Just as the Levites gathered together, and brought out the money that had been brought into the house of God, may the Lord enable us to discover, and to wisely use, the spiritual wealth that He has placed in the assemblies.

Josiah called three men, and entrusted the project into their capable hands. They were;

Shaphan; who was a scribe. scribes are known for their accuracy in the scriptures, and in the records that they keep. Men who are meticulous in the observance of personal holiness as they do their work, and men who refuse to depart from, or to alter even the smallest details of the word of God. Shaphan's name means " coney, or Rock badger", and Solomon tells us that such are a feeble folk. and that they make their home in the rock, ( Prov. 30; 26 ). In Old Testament teaching, we often get a clue as to a person's character from the meaning of their name. and this name would suggest one who was humble, who realized his weakness, and because of this kept close to, and made his home in, Jehovah his Rock. Such was the one to whom Josiah entrusted the responsibilities of leadership. He did not gain his expertise from a "Leadership Training Seminar", but through a life of humility and dependence, and acquaintance with, and accuracy in the scriptures. We need such leaders today!

Maaseiah; was governor of the city, (Jerusalem), its Lord Mayor, a man with the gift of administration, and also a man of personal dignity and who was held in respect, who was worthy of his high office. His name means, " work of Jehovah", a faithful man, whose descendants were like himself, his grandson was entrusted by the prophet Jeremiah with responsibility, and with the written word of God. May God give us men like him!

Joah; was a chronicler, a man who kept an accurate record of things, a historian who recorded the ways of God with accuracy, and left those records for the following generations. He was not a man who was careless, or indolent, he did not trust to his memory. Luke was such a man, in the New Testament, he was accurately acquainted from the origin, with all things. A man who wrote with method.

Joah's name means "Jehovah is brother", which may indicate that he enjoyed a close relationship, and communion with Jehovah. These were beautiful and valuable qualifications, that fitted him for the task he was given.

How different was this group of manager-overseers, to many of the "Committees", "Brains Trusts", or "Think Tanks" of today! These are intellectuals, (knowledge puffs up), who are full of bright and progressive "ideas", but often ignorant of, or opposed to the simple commands of holy scripture.

For there to be real revival, and true restoration to biblical principles and practices, we need leaders of spiritual stature, quality, gift and ability, but leaders who are faithful, humble, dependent on the Lord, who will earn the respect and co-operation of the body of believers, leaders who will be "counted worthy of double honor", and will be regarded "exceedingly in love for their works sake".

These three men came to Hilkiah the high priest, and this would suggest to us that any responsibility given to leaders must be carried on in the spirit of prayer, and under the direction of Him who sits upon the throne of grace, our Great High Priest. It was Hilkiah's son who has the key of David, (Isa. 22; 20-25, Rev. 3; 7), and all who will be used in the work of restoration, must be under His control and supervision.

We will now look at those who were involved in the work of repair and restoration.

Doorkeepers are mentioned, and these Levites collected the money from the people. These servants kept watch over all who entered the temple, and over all that was brought into the temple. These were not to be found during the reign of the wicked Kings of Judah, because many things had been brought into the house of God which were contrary to His word, unclean and hateful to Him. With revival we may expect a restoration of watchfulness, and proper standards of holiness and discipline.

Workmen, Overseers: Those appointed by the King, having received the money that had been gathered, under the supervision of the high priest, then gave that money the workmen. There were three categories of workmen, those who had the oversight of the work, and the craftsmen , and the porters, ( burden bearers).

The overseers were Levites, and their qualifications are given in verse 12. Some were Kohathites, whose sacred privilege and duty was to carry the Ark, until it reached it's final resting place in the temple. These were men of holy calling, they had no technical skills, and we would assume, knew nothing about building, but they were skilled in instruments of music, which instruments were used in the service of worship and praise.

I fear that men like this would never find on the modern committees, where the emphasis is on expertise, and ability, but these were chosen by God to oversee, and to set forward the work of restoration. The typical suggestion is that those who are active in serving God with skill and devotion in worship, will be able to motivate others to give of their best in the service of God.

An overseer is a motivator, he is one who has the ability to get the best out of the workers under his supervision. These overseers were skilled in the use of musical instruments. The skilled playing of musical instruments, produces harmony. In the type, it unites the workers, the saints, it soothes and stimulates them to be active and diligent in the work of the Lord. Friction is a great hindrance to effort and productivity, and for the work to progress there must be harmony and unity, each doing the task allotted to him, the task suited to his skills, and not arguing, quarreling, or interfering with others in their particular work.

The overseers themselves did not do the actual work , but they encouraged, directed and motivated those who had the skills and strength, to do the work, to unite in harmony, to do the work of restoration.

All this shows the importance of godly elders , or overseers. Mere technical skills in organization, or management expertise, according to academic procedures, are of little value, when it comes to the house of God, and spiritual matters. The person of the Holy Spirit, who guided and empowered the Lord Jesus through His whole life and work here, is alone able to impart the skills that are needed for the work of oversight. What He needs is men who are willing to allow Him to fill them constantly, and to guide them in every area of their lives and responsibility. In their personal lives, in their family lives, in their assembly activities, responsibilities, and ministry.

The practice of the election, or appointment of young and immature men, who may be full of bright ideas, but lack spiritual growth and maturity, to positions of leadership, has proved to be disastrous in many assemblies.

Craftsmen or Carpenters; these were men who knew their trade, usually men with only a very basic education, men who were not afraid of work. Men who knew their tools, how to use them, and how to care for them. They did not acquire their skills in a college or academy, but through experience, under the guidance and teaching, the discipline of master craftsmen. They were men who knew how to shape and to make things fit. They could join timbers so skillfully, that the join could not be seen. They were skilled in construction, fitting each member into its place, uniting the strength of each beam, joist or board. Skilled too in the delicate, ornate finishing work, restoring the carved panels that had been destroyed. They restored the floors to their original condition, and made the temple such that the priests could again stand and walk without injury, and carry on their ministry.

Previously the priests when entering the holy place, or the houses of the temple, exposed themselves to injury, because the floors were destroyed, but now all was restored.. They re-lined the walls with cedar boards, with the beautiful carvings. replacing and restoring those things that had been destroyed by the axes and hammers of the vandals.

They would not introduce some new design, or use materials that they might consider to be better, but they restored the temple to what it was originally, just as God had designed it, in all its beauty.

The builders, or stone-masons; would shape and prepare the huge stones that were needed to repair the breaches, and then fit them into place so accurately, that when the work was done none would know that there had been broken walls. It was not just a patch-up, it was a true restoration. These men were what the prophet describes as "healers of breaches", (Isa.58; 12, J.N.D.)

It is interesting to note that the Lord Jesus is both "the carpenter's son", a builder, for He said "I will build My Church", and a stone-mason, because when we came to Him, as living stones, we were built up, a spiritual house, (1 Pet. 2 ). So we see the manifestation of the character of Christ, in those used for God in the work of restoration.

The porters, or burden-bearers; are the last to be mentioned, how we need them today. For the work to be done, more than skill was required, strength was needed also, the work could not have been done without the burden-bearers. These folk probably outnumbered the skilled craftsmen by a large amount. They did not have any special skills, but the did have both strength and faithfulness. Thank God for the burden-bearers, how we need them today! Those who will bear the burdens and heat of each day, without complaint, and never give up. You will find them at the prayer meetings, agonizing before God, upholding the weak, and bearing the burdens of others. Paul was a burden-bearer, as well as a wise master-builder, he daily, in addition to all of his sufferings, bore the "cares, (burdens), of all the assemblies. ( Acts 20; 35, 1 Cor. 3; 10, 2 Cor. 11; 28).

In ( 2 Chron. 34; 13,) we are told that the Levites who were scribes, and officers, were also among the porters, and they wrought in any manner of service. They were not afraid of toil, not afraid to lose sweat, or to join with others in the lowliest of labors. So often today's Levites think that they should only preach from the pulpit, and seem to regard themselves as a class above or apart from the ordinary brethren, not so with these Levites, what an example they set!

All of these workers had one thing in common, they were faithful, and trustworthy. We live in a day when faithfulness is becoming a rare commodity, like the day in which the Psalmist wrote, "Help Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; the faithful fail from among the children of men", (Psl. 12; 1). But when the Lord begins His work of revival faithful men will abound. In these days much emphasis is placed on ability, whereas God stresses the need for faithfulness. Timothy was told to commit the things he had heard from Paul, to "Faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also, ( 2 Tim. 2; 2). There we see that faithfulness comes before ability, we need to re-arrange out priorities.

These men in our chapter were not only faithful, but did the work faithfully, they were thorough and trustworthy in all that they did. They were workmen who "needeth not to be ashamed", ( 2 Tim. 2; 15). They were faithful in the use of the money given to them to use, so much so that they kept no account of what was spent, they were completely trustworthy. May God give us such today!

As a result of all this cleansing, renewing, constructive activity, Hilkiah found a book, it was none other than the "Book of the Law of Jehovah", what a discovery! It must have lain there for generations, probably for centuries, probably covered by hidden by dirt and debris. Ignored, and forgotten, even by the priests and the levites, whose duty it was to memorize and to teach that law.

It was no mere antique, or curio, but the mighty word of truth, the word of the Living God. It was that which was meant to regulate every aspect of the personal, and especially the spiritual and ecclesiastical lives of ever yone of God's covenant people, yet was laying there neglected, ignored, forgotten, while every man, from the King down, "did what was right in his own eyes".

How sad this was, yet do we not see a similar condition today? There is no shortage of Bibles, of many versions and some perversions, but the Bible in many homes just gathers dust on the shelf, or in the bookcase, it lays there neglected and ignored. How many believers regulate their lives by the book? Whether it be personal, family, business, or Assembly life. The word has mostly lost its power over us, because we choose to ignore what it says. We will gladly accept what it says about salvation, our home in heaven, and the many promised blessings of God, but when it raises questions about sin, personal holiness, morality, honesty, commitment, Church order, and many other such things, we often prefer to ignore what it says, or try to wrest what it say, and to twist it to suit our self-will or convenience. What a guilty people we are!

The book now re-discovered was passed from the high priest to Shaphan the Scribe. Being a scribe, he should have had a great reverence for the book of the law, but it seems from the way it reads, that he was ignorant as to what it was. It would also seem that the high priest did not open it, but passed it on to, as though he too did not appreciate its importance. So we find that Shaphan carried the book, still unopened, unread, to the King. This is like so many of us today, we carry the book also, but much of it remains closed to us. We do not lack in knowledge, but we do lack in obedience. Shaphan seemed to think that their work, was what was the important important thing, and first gave the King a report of all that was being done.

The work was important, because it was what led to the discovery of the book. I am sure that any genuine effort to restore the saints to personal holiness, and the practice of the truth of the house of God, will lead to a re-discovery of the authority of the word of God.

Having delivered his report, Shaphan then said, " Hilkijah the priest has given me a book",, just as if he still did not realize the importance, value and authority of what they had found. He then began to unroll that precious scroll, and to read it before the King. The reading of the word of God had a powerful and dramatic effect upon the King. He came under its convicting power, realised that it was the Holy Word of the Living God, the God of truth. It filled him with fear, it broke his heart, it made him to tear his royal robes in distress and grief. Here at last was one such as Isaiah spoke of in chapter 66; 2, of his prophecy. "To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word."

One of the marks of true revival is the evidence of the mighty convicting power of the word of God upon those who read it, or hear it read. In Nehemiah 8; 1-11, we have a similar scene, when this same book was read in the hearing of the people, it brought them to tears of repentance, it caused such grief that Nehemiah had to comfort and instruct them, not to be wholly occupied with their failures, but to rejoice in the Lord who had forgiven them.

Oh may God do such a work today! May we allow the word of the Living God to speak to us, to convict us of our sins and shortcomings, allow it to pierce into our hearts, to reveal to us what is there, and to bring us to true repentance! May we no longer pay mere lip-service to its precepts and principles. , its commands and doctrines, but allow the Holy Spirit to bring the word right home to our hearts, in true conviction! May we be no longer just "forgetful hearers, but doers of the word. ", ( James 1; 22-25,) then we shall be "blessed in our deed", (doing).

I suppose of all the men of his day, Josiah would have been one of the most blameless, yet he was the first to tear his clothes. He was a true leader, setting an example for others to follow, how we need men like him today. Men in positions of leadership who will set a worthy example for the people of God to follow.

Josiah's next re-action was to send a deputation to inquire of the Lord for him. This was a testimony to his humility, for though he was King, yet he did not consider that his position gave him any right to come into the presence of God, but he sent others to inquire of God.

How we need leaders like Josiah today, those who will set others to inquire of God, who will motivate believers to get on their knees, to seek that God may speak to them.

It is interesting to notice that these men went to a woman to seek a message from God. We live in a day when the spirit of Jezebel is very active. When women are being encouraged to leave the place appointed to them by God, and to put themselves forward into prominent places, and to dominate over men. Not merely to claim equality with men, but superiority over them.

Huldah was not such a person, she dwelt in Jerusalem, in the second quarter, she was not one who sought the limelight. Though she was a prophetess, yet we never read of her entering the King's presence, or boldly crying, "Thus saith the Lord". Neither do we read of her crying out in the streets or public places, she did not come to the King or his deputation, they came to her. Thank god for faithful sisters, those who in their homes carry on a ministry of prayer, those who when sought, or inquired of, have a message from God, and who are prepared that message without fear or favor.

It is interesting to realize that Jeremiah, Habbakuk and Zephaniah were ministering during this time, yet they did not go to any of them. This shows that God is able to use whoever He chooses, and this should be an encouragement to our sisters. Huldah's message is to be noted. She did not vaunt herself, she did not give any commandments or directions. The message she gave was both convicting yet comforting. It showed the unchanging, uncompromising character of God. He would remain true to His word, He would do what He had said. We need to take notice of this, we so often play with sin, as if God cannot see. We do things that His word condemns, as if God will take no notice, as if He will not do as He has said in His word. But though He is so patient, yet the wheels of His government, (as seen by Ezekiel,) do not deviate from the course that He has determined, but go" straight forward". Disobedience to His word will bring retribution, will bring discipline, His educational judgment, self judgment alone can avert that, (1 Cor. 11; 31).

God saw the tenderness of Josiah's heart, He saw his humility, grief and repentance, ( He always sees such things in any of us). Because of what He saw, God deferred the judgment, a generation was saved. Oh that God would so speak to us , that we too may be in our hearts, that we too may weep over the disobedience of God's people, that we may come to true repentance, that we may see the blessing of God poured out, and a generation saved from His judgment!

Josiah's reaction to the message conveyed to him, was so different to that of Hezekiah, his great grand-father. He did not lay back with ease, and say, "Good.........if only there is peace and truth in my days". Josiah did something about what he had discovered, about what God had said.

Josiah's first reaction was to revive the elders of Jerusalem and Judah, whom he gathered, and then led them back to the house of the Lord. That is where the book was discovered, that is where the book belonged, that is the place where the book must be read, that would be the place of true revival..

Let us take notice of this, first the house of God is restored, next the elders are brought back to that place, then the Priests, the Levites, then the people great and small, are all brought back to the place where Jehovah's name and His glory dwelt. There the book was given it's proper place, there its message of power rang out once again, as it had not done for centuries.

What a sight it must have been! How the eyes of the weeping prophet, (Jeremiah), must have "run down with tears", as he witnessed that scene. Dear brothers and sisters, , if there is to be any true revival, there must be a return to true assembly principles and practices. The word of God must be re-discovered, it must be restored to its proper place as the only authority for faith and practice.

The King did not hand the book to others, but took that precious document in his own hands and with awe and reverence he slowly un- rolled the scroll. His voice must have boomed out over that vast company as he read the solemn and mighty words in their ears. He did not just select passages that suited himself, or passages that would not offend the people, but he read the whole of it. Its blessings and its curses, its warnings and its encouragement.

We may wonder why the King did not give the book to Hilkijah or to Shaphan to read. I believe that it was because the sword of that word had pierced his own heart and conscience. The word had done its own work in his own soul, now he had the moral and spiritual right the piercing power of its message to others. The word of God is a sharp two edged sword, (Heb. 4; 12, ) one edge is for me, the other for those to whom I may be called to minister tat word. Unless I feel the piercing, cutting edge of that word in my own conscience and heart, then what I try to say to others will have little effect.

This is important to notice, because it shows that the restoration of the word of God to its proper place, and allowing that word to speak to His people, though it makes them to tremble before its convicting power, all leads to the restoration to true power, to proper rule and authority amongst God's people.

I read in a book that was circulated amongst the assemblies, a couple of years ago, these words, "Principles without power are valueless". The writer seemed to think that we should discard the principles, and accept the changes that he was advocating, some of which were merely cosmetic, others fundamental. .

Never let us discard the principles, but cling to them, and let us re-discover the book, and allow it to speak to us, to cut into our souls, to convict us of our wrong practices, then we shall see the power return. The Lord Jesus said to the Church at Philadelphia, "Thou hast a little power, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name", (Rev.3; 8, J.N.D. trans.) The power comes when we keep His word, and do not deny His name.

On this occasion, and in 2 Kings 11, 14, and ch. 23; 3, it is said that the king stood by a pillar. It is interesting to notice that the Lord Jesus promises the overcomer in the assembly at Philadelphia that He will make him a "pillar in the temple of My god", it is beside the pillar that our King will stand.

There is no moral power like the power of example. Here the King gives a lead, he becomes an" example of the believers", (to use Paul's words). He "made a covenant before the Lord", he entered into a life-long, binding, agreement, "to walk after the Lord." He does not covenant to follow the book, but its Author. We need to follow his example today. It is fashionable today to follow men, they may be gifted and able men, but when people do this, their lives and activities become governed by the ideas and words of men, and what the word of God says becomes of secondary, or little importance. Let us also covenant to walk after the Lord. He must be our model and example, let us watch Him, walk with Him, commune with Him. Let us listen to His voice, enjoy His love, and grow in His grace. Let us watch how He does things, let us learn from Him to do things in the same way, in the same spirit, i the same grace.

The second part of his covenant was to keep, (obey), His commandments, testimonies, and statutes, with all his heart and with all his soul. There was no half-measure in this commitment, it was whole-hearted.

If we really follow the Lord Jesus, this will be shown out in a life of obedience to His will, as it is expressed in His word. In John 13; 15, the Lord Jesus says to us, "I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." There is no other course for the true lover of Christ, than to keep and obey His commandments. Herein lies the proof of our love for Christ, (John 14; 21). No matter how loudly we profess, or protest, our love for Christ, if we are disobedient to His word, our profession is empty and hypocritical.

Having taken such a stand, and made a personal and public commitment, Josiah was then able to influence the people, the whole congregation, to follow his example. He possessed royal authority, he could have wielded arbitrary power, he could have passed a law to compel the people to obedience, he could have executed those who dared to disobey, but he used none of those things. He used only his own moral and spiritual authority, which he had gained as the result of his own personal commitment. Here is an example of true leadership.

It seems to have become fashionable in these days, to hold, "Leadership Training Courses", "Teach-ins", "Seminars" etc., as if the qualities of "Leadership", can be learned over a week end. Some of these occasions have been used to teach unspiritual and immature young people the science of ecclesiastical sedition, revolution, and guerrilla warfare. To teach them how to overthrow the elders whom the Holy Spirit has set over them in the local assembly, or else how to make the elders submit to them and accept the changes that their teachers wish to see accepted in all assemblies.

True leadership cannot be learned in a few days of brainwashing, but can only be acquired by humbly following the Lord, and obeying His word. The scriptures abound with examples of this, but we will cite the case of Daniel. He was a captive in a foreign land, who had been set a very bad example by the elders and leaders of his time, yet he "purposed in his heart", not to defile himself, by taking the easy path, and accepting and enjoying things that would have ministered to his own natural tastes and desires. On the contrary, he decided to follow a path of courageous obedience to the word of God. as a result three of his friends were influenced by his example, and followed his leadership.

If we want to see a change in the commitment of believers, to see a return to the principles of holiness, honesty, morality, personal discipline, and obedience to the word of God, then let us be an example to others in these very things.

All who were present on the occasion of Josiah's personal commitment, were so moved by the humility and example of the young monarch, ( who was then only about 26 years old), that they "stood to it", that is they took a definite stand, and committed themselves to follow the example of their monarch, and to a life of holiness and obedience to the word of God, they did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

The commitment made by the people was no passing thing, because it is said that all the days of Josiah, they departed not from following Jehovah the God of their fathers. The impact of it was also far-reaching, all Israel were affected by this movement of God. The remnant who remained of the now destroyed Northern Kingdom, were also drawn to follow the Lord, and to put away the abominations that remained from that apostate regime, they were led to judge and to destroy the un-scriptural practices of the past centuries. It led to the defilement and destruction of Jereboam's altar and rival system of worship. ( 2 Kings 23; 15-20).

All of that system was designed to perpetuate the supremacy of those rulers of the people, by denying to the people under their rule the liberty to go to Jerusalem, and to offer sacrifice, and to worship God in the way that He had commanded. It was designed to prevent the sons of Israel from following the Son of David, and from gathering to worship at the place where Jehovah said, "My name shall be there". This is what the clerical and denominational systems of men has done in our day, perpetuating the rule of the clergy over the laity, and robbing the saints of God of their precious heritage, and of the exercise of their priesthood.

Josiah gave a lead in all this, but in doing so he was fulfilling the very word of God, though it seemed that he was not aware of this. He was surprised to learn that God, through His un-named and failing servant, had foretold all of this, even to the naming of Josiah, (1 Kings 13; 2, & 2 Kings 23; 15-18). So it was, that in obeying the general principles of the word of God, he was unconsciously fulfilling the specific and personal prophecies of Holy Scripture. As well he was also fulfilling the more recent prophecies of Jeremiah, ( Jer. 3; 6-17). This revival was a foreshadowing, and a foretaste of that wonderful day, that is yet to come, when Israel and Judah will be forever united under the blessed reign of the glorious Son of David.

Let me encourage all faithful men, who may have hitherto remained silent, because of their humility. Who though they have witnessed the words and acts of clever, but carnal men, that have, and are having such a destructive effect in many of the assemblies of God's people; yet not wishing to be seen as "negative", nor the instigators of trouble , or possibly division, amongst the assemblies of God's people; have not raised their voice, or have remained passive; Rise up and stand for the supremacy of Christ, the honor and authority of His word, and what it commands!

Listen to the words of Mordecai, ( Esther 4; 13-14), " Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" At that time, when it seemed that all was lost, when the testimony and the purposes of God seemed about to be destroyed, by a seemingly unstoppable enemy. Yet because Esther put her life at risk, , such a wonderful deliverance was wrought, by the power of God. "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto, (for) good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them", ( Eph. 2; 10). Surely these were good works that God accomplished through Josiah. perhaps He wants to do the same through you?

Josiah, having defiled and destroyed the remains, or memorials of the false and idolatrous system, then set about to re-introduce that which was true, that which had been commanded, but which Israel and Judah had neglected. We turn now to (2 Chron. 35; 2-5). The revival of the Passover, was preceded by several reforms, without which it would have be difficult to properly observe the feast of Passover.

First he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them in the service of the house of Jehovah. For too long, these men, though priests by calling, had been inactive, they had no part in the service of sacrifice, or in the offering of incense or worship. We find a similar situation today. One of the precious truths discovered by our early brethren, was the truth of the priesthood of all believers. That it was the privilege and calling of every believer to offer the incense of praise and prayer, the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and the sacrifice of worship and adoration, to our Great God, our Heavenly father, and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the teaching of the New Testament, the brothers are to do this audibly, and the sisters silently, when we are assembled , gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet it is so sad to attend many meetings for remembrance and worship, and to find so many of God's priests dumb and inactive. There may be a large gathering of believers, but pitifully few will take any audible part. Most come with their hearts empty, come to get some blessing to tide them over until the next Lord's day, instead of coming with their hearts, "welling forth with a good matter", with no composition of their own to offer in praise and adoration of the King of Kings.

Yet nothing is ever said or done, to shame, or to encourage these dumb and inactive priests to fulfill their precious privilege and solemn responsibility. It seems that most are prepared to accept this as the status quo, and do not expect there to be any change. But while ever this situation continues, God is robbed, and the saints are impoverished.

Those leaders and teachers of modernist and liberal views and tendencies have used this state of things as an excuse to offer a carnal remedy, which they call "controlled worship". They would overcome the grieving of the Holy Spirit, by ignoring Him, and replacing Him with human organization, by putting a man in charge, making that man a master of ceremonies. They would overcome the shameful slowness of the brothers to exercise their priesthood, by encouraging the sisters, ( most of whom do not even have their heads covered, as commanded in scripture), to break the Lord's command, to usurp the brother's place, to rebel against the ordering of God, as laid down in the Apostles Teaching, by publicly and audibly leading the assembly in prayer, praise or worship.

It is true that many of our sisters are frustrated and disappointed by the low spiritual state , and the deadness of the brothers. Once a sister told me, that she was often disappointed, and sometimes angry, when she comes to the meeting, and sits for long periods while silence reigns. She told that she often wished that she was a brother so that she could put them to shame. It is time that we brothers woke up, and confessed our barrenness, got right with the Lord, walked in daily communion with Him, and began to exercise our priesthood, and thus removed this shame from our testimony.

Josiah has shown us the way, he did not rob the priests of their precious heritage, but he encouraged them to exercise their priesthood. He set them in their charges, he reminded them of their God given responsibilities and privileges, and encouraged them to exercise, to fulfill their precious privileges. They had not received these charges from him, but from God, and he encouraged them to take up the service of God again.

Josiah then instructed the Levites, that taught in Israel, to put the holy ark back into the place that had been prepared for it, its proper place, the holy of holies. Please notice that it was not just any Levites whom he commanded, but those who were holy unto the Lord. that is, those who were of clean personal lives. These Levites were teaching priests. There are so many today who assume to be teachers of the people of God, whose lives are far from being holy. Such were commanded to prepare and to sanctify themselves, to carry out the tasks that God had appointed to them.

It would seem that the holy ark had become a public show-piece, the Levites had been carrying it in public procession, and treating that which was intended to be kept from the eyes of ordinary men, which only the high priest was to see, then only once a year, and even then through a cloud of incense; when on the great day of atonement the high priest was to enter the holy of holies with the blood of the sin offering to sprinkle on it, this they had been carrying like an idol, through the streets of Jerusalem. This was all a public show of religious fervency and festivity. They had removed the ark from its proper place, robbed it of its mystery, and degraded it in the eyes of the people, and in so doing, had exalted themselves. The ark itself, (not what it represented), had become an object of worship, and the people flocked to see it, as if it would bring them prosperity, good luck. (Jer. 3; 16).

The ark, is perhaps the most perfect type of Christ that we have in the scriptures. It speaks of Christ as the vessel of the will of God. The acacia wood of which it was made typifies the perfect humility of His incorruptible humanity, and the gold with which it was covered within and without, typifies the glory of His deity. Inside the ark was the two tables of the covenant which Moses put there at Horeb, showing that Christ had hidden the law of God within His heart. There was always to be an element of mystery surrounding the ark, even when carried by the Kohathites, as they followed the cloud in the wilderness journeys of Israel, from encampment to encampment, it was covered with several coverings. It was never to be seen by any but the high priest, all that the common people saw was the outer covering of blue. If they wanted to know what the ark was, how it was constructed, what it contained, they could only obtain this information from the word of God. All that can be known of the person of Christ is revealed there.

There is also a mystery about the person of Christ, He is inscrutable, He said "No one knows the Son, but the Father",. (Matt.11; 27). The hymn says,

The higher mysteries of Thy fame,

The creatures grasp transcends,

The Father only, Glorious claim!

The Son can comprehend.

Worthy O Lamb of God art Thou,

To Thee that every knee should bow.

There seems to have been a concerted effort by Satan in our times, to try to remove that veil of mystery that surrounds the Person of Christ. He has used some of the so-called, servants of God to do this, to bring the person of Christ down to a merely human level. To teach others to address Him by His personal name, "Jesus", which thing His disciples never did, though they enjoyed the closest intimacy with Him, yet they always addressed Him as Lord, or Master, or Rabbi, or Rabboni. Encouraging the use of the common personal pronoun, you, in our address to God the Father, or to our Lord Jesus Christ. To rob Him of the dignity, and reverence due to His holy name. We have the strange spectacle of young people singing with great gusto, and repeatedly, "Majesty, worship his Majesty", yet dressed as if they were attending a football match, or a rock concert, and speaking to God in a way that they would never speak to any of the human dignitaries.

It would seem that the Holy Ark, was stripped of its coverings, carried in festive procession by the Kohathites, who exposed it to the gaze of wicked men, just like the Hindu idols are still carried on festive days in India, and the Roman Catholics carry their idols, singing hymns of praise to those images made of stone, mud, or plaster, with much fanfare, and fireworks.

Josiah commanded that the ark be carried no more in this shameful, ignorant and degrading way, but that it be returned to it's proper place, in the Holy of Holies. He commanded that the Levites were to cease this public parading and showmanship before men. They were to return to their proper God appointed duties, the privilege of serving Jehovah, and serving His covenant people. They were to return to the order and the dignity that was proper to them in their service, to continue the holy trust handed to them by their fathers, and all was to be done according to that which was written.

They were to stand in the sanctuary, they were to serve in the presence of God, not before the gaze of men. They were to give themselves to the ministry of worship and of praise, to thanksgiving, prayer and intercession, on behalf of their brethren, they were to assist the priests in their ministry.

When we view this in the light of the New Testament, we see a similar situation in the Church at Laodicea,( (Rev.3; 14-22,) This Church was full of pomp and show, boasting in their affluence and self-sufficiency. Their meetings were probably attended by large numbers, because they were lukewarm, the worldly people would feel comfortable there, nothing to trouble their consciences, or to make them ashamed in anything. A Church that was "rich and increased with goods, and had need of nothing", materially affluent, socially respectable, outwardly successful, yet the ark was not in it's place, the Lord Jesus was outside, there was no place for Him in a Church that professed to gather to His name. Thus in verse 20, He was outside knocking and appealing for an entrance into the heart of the individual. We often use this verse as a Gospel text, ( and rightly so), but really it is an appeal to a New Testament Church, in which the Lord Jesus had no place.

Brothers and sisters, let us put the ark back into its proper and rightful place, let us give to the Lord Jesus the honor, the glory, the reverence and respect that is due to His holy name! Let us make Him the absolute Lord of our personal lives, and of our assembly gatherings! Let us abandon all pretense and public show, and let us humbly and joyfully accept our place as the servants of our Sovereign and Almighty Lord! Let us acknowledge Him alone as our Lord and Head, let us restore Him to His rightful place of pre-eminence, and supremacy!

Let us acknowledge too our failure and sin, in allowing other things, or persons to take the place that He alone should have in His assembly. In the allowance of things that are contrary to His will and His word in His assembly, the place where He alone, and His holy will should be done, and His holy word should be followed and obeyed.

When we restore Him to His rightful place, and acknowledge that "He is head over all things, to the Church which is His body", then we will experience His power and victory over every opposing power and influence, because then (for us), " all things are under His feet", ( Eph. 1; 20-22).

Josiah then commanded the levites to prepare themselves, verse 4, and to sanctify, or hallow themselves, verse 6, so that they might be in a condition to serve their brethren in the celebration of the Passover. This emphasizes the necessity of personal holiness and preparation of heart, before we can worship God, and before we can serve and assist others to worship God.

The first command is to prepare themselves. The Hebrew word translated prepare, means to be established, suggesting the need for stability in our service to God. Our participation in worship needs to be a constant thing, not a spasmodic affair. David says, "Blessed are they who dwell in thy house they shall be constantly praising Thee", (Psalm 84; 4, J.N.D. trans.) So often we come together to remember the Lord Jesus, and we are totally un-prepared, that is why there are often long pauses of poverty, we have nothing to offer to the Lord.

The second command is to sanctify themselves, and this Hebrew word means to consecrated, set apart for holy purposes, or to be hallowed, made holy. Sanctification is an important doctrine, that is little understood, and seldom taught. In the New Testament is almost always spoken of as an accomplished fact, it was accomplished by the Lord Jesus when He went to the cross for us. He said, "I sanctify myself for them", but we come into the present gain of it by the work of the Holy Spirit, through the principle of faith, and the action of the word of God. It is not a once for all thing, like salvation is, but something that I experience in my daily surrender to Christ. There are so many believers who are truly saved through faith in the Person, and finished work of Christ, yet are not enjoying the power of His sanctification. Their lives are still controlled by sinful habits, they are not set free from sin's domination in their lives.

We have to learn that on the cross, the Lord Jesus not only dealt with my sins, but He also dealt with my-self. what I am as in Adam, that old corrupt self, who always sides with Satan, and yields to his temptation. To be freed from self is a wonderful liberty. This teaching of sanctification is so important, but I must not deviate from our subject, except to say, that the teaching of sanctification, is set out for us in chapters, 6, 7, and 8, of Romans, and the end result is to be seen in Romans 12; 1-2, and summed up in Gal. 2; 20.

The Levites were told to hallow themselves: Self is our greatest problem, what we are as in Adam, my possessing and being controlled by that sinful nature. In order to enter into the gain of the sanctifying work of Christ, I have to come to a judgment of myself, I have to agree with what God did with me at the cross, when He passed judgment on me.

That is why, in the chapter that deals with the Lord's Supper, ( 1 Cor. 11; 23-31), I am told to examine myself, and we are also told that if we "judged our-selves", we would not be judged. It is important to emphasize the need of personal holiness, but we must learn how to experience this holiness, then to teach others, how it is obtained.

May God grant us to see a return to the practice of personal holiness. That we may "Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God," ( 2 Cor. 7; 1).Separating ourselves from every unholy association, and separating ourselves to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, setting ourselves apart for His holy service, (Rom. 12; 1-2). Separation from the world, is of little value, without separation to Christ.

The Passover was essentially a feast of remembrance, which was to be celebrated at beginning of each year, because it recalled the beginning of their spiritual and national history. But because of their backslidden state, because of their apathy, because of their sin and idolatry, they had completely neglected the observance of this feast, with one exception - that Passover celebrated in the reign of Hezekiah almost a hundred years before. The feast had not been celebrated in the way that was laid down in the Law of Moses, since the days of Samuel. How sad!

We are not commanded to keep the Passover, in the literal sense, that was fulfilled when Christ died on the cross. ( Luke 22; 7-17). Nevertheless it has great spiritual significance for us, as we are taught in 1 Cor. 5; 6-8, but we are commanded to celebrate the Lord's Supper, and it has been the practice of sincere believers to do this, on the first day of the week. (Acts 20; 7), since the Church's beginning. The Lord's Supper, is a feast of remembrance, as the Lord Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me".

It is sad to see in these days of modernism and liberalism, how that the importance of the Lord's Supper is being minimized. Some are suggesting that it is not necessary to celebrate the Lord's Supper each week, others would remove it from its Biblical setting,( the first day of the week, Acts 20; 7,) others would remove it from its assembly setting, ( 1 Cor. 11; 18-20.)

I have known of young people out enjoying a picnic, or bush-walking on the Lord's day, to try to give some justification to their desecration of the Lord's day, by going through the ritual observance of the "Lord's Supper" at their picnic, or in the bush, (forest). Yet others shift it to another day in the week to suit their own convenience, because they have more important things to do on the Lord's Day. Others will allot ten minutes of their program of worship, to the Lord's Supper, after they have enjoyed their sacred concert.

We need to return to the observance of the Lord's Supper, as it is written. Some believers would alter the ordinance in different ways, such as substituting something imitation, in place of the wine which the Lord Jesus used. All kinds of moral arguments are brought forward to support their altering the ordinance, but to fulfill the scriptures the cup must contain, the fruit of the vine. Some assemblies have yielded to the pressure, to dispense with the one cup which the Lord Jesus used, and have substituted many little thimbles, which could never be rightly called a cup. The flimsy excuse given for this is that it is for reasons of hygiene, public health. It is claimed that it is not hygienic for so many people to drink from one cup, as there may be some persons in the congregation suffering from A.I.D.S. This suggests that they do not trust their brothers and sisters, and suspect that some may be practicing Sodomy, Adultery, or fornication.

It supposes too that the Lord Jesus did not care about the health of His disciples, or that He did not forsee the conditions of the late 20th century, so the wise and kind believers of our days help to overcome the problem of His short-sightedness, by changing the ordinance??? Is this not an affront to His person? does it not suggest that He was not wise in what He instituted? It may even unintentionally cast doubt on His Deity.

The argument is then brought forward, why don't we use un-leavened bread? It is true that the bread used at the Passover was unleavened bread, the Jews were not to have any leaven in their houses during the Passover and Feast of Un-leavened bread. If we are to be accurate in our observance of the ordinance, then it would be right to use unleavened bread. However the word used for bread in 1 Cor.10 and 11, is really loaf, and what we know as a loaf is what we buy at the baker's shop. To fulfill the ordinance there must be one loaf, and we should all partake of that one loaf, as it is an expression of the fact that we all belong to the one body, the Body of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, let us give to the Lord's Supper. its proper place, and let us return to the simplicity of the scriptural pattern, unaltered. Let us no longer exalt ourselves above our Master who gave us that supper, let us not presume that we are wiser than Him!

Let us humble ourselves and confess our sins and failures, let us come to the Lord's Supper with pure hearts, and clean hands. Let us come with our "baskets of first-fruits" full, and our "Golden bowls" full of incense, and our "harps" in tune, so that we may respond to the touch of the Chief Musician!

One of the things that has given both beauty and strength to the assembly witness over the past almost two centuries, has been the simple scriptural observance of the Lord's Supper, and the rich and beautiful responses of worship and adoration that it has prompted. Let us not yield to the pressures of those who would lead us back into the ecclesiastical confusion and unscriptural practices of the denominations!

The Levites and Priests, now prepared and sanctified, were able to help the people to prepare for , and to kill the Passover lambs, and also to offer so many burnt-offerings to God.

How we need such a ministry today, those who will teach and help the saints to gain a deeper appreciation of Christ, and who will lead them back into the understanding and enjoyment of the deep things of God! Those who will teach and help the believers to worship the Lord in an intelligent and affectionate and biblical way. Those who will encourage and help the saints to cling to the deep and precious things that have been handed to us by those who have walked with God, to cherish them, learn what they mean, and never surrender those precious truths and practices.

This is one of the things that we may rightly expect when revival takes place, and when it does, " The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in the former years", ( Mal. 3; 4). But sadly today we often see the opposite taking place. Those who are not established in the word of God are being persuaded to discard the rich and beautiful old hymns of depth, and meaning, and to accept and sing, choruses that are often empty and meaningless, theologically unsound, irreverent, many of which do not even make sense. Many of such choruses are so vague and impersonal that they could just as easily be sung in an idol temple, to praise the idols, ( and the demons that those idols represent) that are worshipped there.

We find that once the feast of remembrance was restored, there came a new generosity. Josiah, in stead of raising the taxes to pay for all this renewal, gave to the people vast numbers of animals, both for the Passover, (remembrance), and for burnt-offerings, (worship,) and other offerings, peace offerings, (fellowship). The peace offerings were prepared in pots, cauldrons and pans, and then eaten by the people. It is important for us to see, that when God receives His portion, the saints are also enriched, strengthened and fed spiritually. So often it is the opposite today, it is considered that the meeting for remembrance and worship is for our personal entertainment and enjoyment, thus God does not receive His portion, and the saints are also starved and impoverished spiritually.

The generous and noble example of the King was followed by the princes, (verse 8,) and the rulers of the house of God, they gave a voluntary heave-offering to the priests and levites, there was no elaborate system of begging, coercion, or fund raising, it all came voluntarily and spontaneously from their hearts.

This is always God's way, the remembrance of Christ and His sacrifice, what He has given , will always move the noble and the mature amongst the saints to give to the Lord. There is sufficient wealth amongst the people of God , to supply every need, to support every worker who is truly called of God. But where the believers are motivated by self-interest, other carnal means are used to extract money from unwilling congregations. Such giving is neither acceptable to God, nor is it s blessing to the giver, or the receiver.

Paul devoted two chapters of his second letter to the Corinthians to the subject of giving, and used the example of the Lord Jesus, who though He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, to move their hearts to give cheerfully to the Lord. When the saints give cheerfully, God is glorified, those who receive are blessed, and the givers receive of God's blessing and bounty.

Before the scene closes on this remarkable revival, we see that instead of anarchy, and an anything goes, kind of attitude, instead of everyone doing what was right in his own eyes, we see each of the servants of God joyfully active, in the place and service that was entrusted to each, in the ordering of God, according to the command of God through Moses.

The priests; were fulfilling their vocation, preparing and offering the sacrifices that were brought by the people, that is in the type, leading and assisting the saints in their worship. They labored until night in this truly blessed occupation, not tiring in their service, not thinking of themselves or their own needs, just offering to God that which spoke to Him of His own beloved Son. They offered their own, and the people's appreciation of the worth and excellence of Him who offered Himself for us, an offering , and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savor. (Eph. 5; 2).

The Levites; ministered to the priests, so that they suffered no lack, they prepared the Passover and the peace-offerings for themselves and for the priests. What a lovely spirit of fellowship and co-operation, no jealousy, no hard feelings, no rivalry, each fulfilling his service joyfully. How different our assemblies would be if the same devotion to God, and the same love and care for each other was present.

The singers; the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commands of David. The ancestors of these men were indeed interesting and gifted men. Asaph, (gatherer), Heman, (faithful-right-handed), and Jeduthan, (let them give praise), are mentioned. These were psalmists, (hymn writers), seers, or prophets, singers, who sang each in his part, and musicians skilled in the playing of the different instruments, that were used in the service of praise and worship. They were men of deep feeling, and delicate ear, who produced both harmony and melody.

All of these things have a spiritual significance. Some would use scriptures like this to support the introduction of musical instruments into the worship offered in the assembly. But we need to see that their purpose was not to entertain the worshippers, but to minister to, and to glorify God. We find a New Testament counterpart to these people, (singers and musicians), in Eph. 5; 19-20, and Col. 3; 16. The believer himself becomes the instrument in the hands of the "Chief Musician", the Holy Spirit. He knows how to pluck the strings of our hearts, and make us to vibrate with the sweet and heavenly melody of praise. . These men were said to prophecy on the harp, the sweet and soothing strains removed their tensions, and put them in touch with the great God, to whose pleasure they ministered.

Who has never been touched by the message of a hymn? God often uses such to speak to us, to give light and insight as to the meaning of passages of His word. How often a hymn has proved to be the voice of God, giving strength, guidance and comfort to troubled saints.

May we see a revival of this aspect and quality of worship, those who will sing with the spirit, and also sing with the understanding!

These were descendants of the same families as the singers etc., and they were of the same spiritual stock. It shows how the ministry of praise and worship fits and prepares us for many kinds of service, as we have seen earlier in the repair of the temple. One who is accustomed to the leadership and control of the Chief Musician, the heavenly Conductor, (for us the person of the Holy Spirit), One who is moved and empowered by Him to harmonize with others in the praise and worship of God, will also be a burden bearer. Accustomed to handle and appreciate things of weight and value, the deep things of God, the very things that carnal folk complain of as being too heavy. They were also alert and watchful, watching at every door and gate, they would allow nothing to enter that would spoil what was for the pleasure and glory of God; Nothing that would mar the great joy of the saints of God.

The Ephesian elders were gatekeepers, Paul told them, "Take heed therefore", and again, "Therefore watch", (Acts 20; 28 & 31). Who will not acknowledge that we have been rather lax in our burden bearing, and gate keeping? Just as the early believers, who allowed some to be brought in unawares, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty, and to bring us into bondage, (Gal. 2; 4). On the other hand we have allowed others to creep in unawares, who have led the saints into the acceptance and practice of loose, liberal and worldly ways, those who turn the grace of God into dissoluteness, ( Jude; 4 ).

I would suggest that all of these features we have discussed, will accompany any true spiritual revival.

(1) Can I inspire you to hope, and to pray very urgently, to "Cry mightily unto the Lord", that God may yet bring such a revival. It must occur to us all, that it is not the will of God that things should continue as they are. So we know that when we pray for such a mighty movement of God to take place, we can be sure that we are asking according to His will, and if we ask according to His will we know that He hears us, and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him. ( 1 John 5; 14-15 ).

When we read the history of God's dealings with Israel in the book of Judges, we see that even when Israel had sunk to the lowest depths, had reached rock bottom, when they cried unto the Lord, He heard their cry, and raised them up a deliverer. Beloved it is not enough to say prayers, a cry comes from a soul that is distressed, from a heart that is broken. Let us also cry mightily unto God, and let us offer to Him the sacrifice of a broken spirit, and a broken and contrite heart, for such sacrifices He will not despise, ( Psl. 51; 17, Isa. 66; 2 ).

(2) I would challenge you to do even more than that; Let us begin to prepare for such a revival by (a), fearlessly and honestly examining our own hearts, judging, confessing, and forsaking every known sin. Let us ask the Lord to reveal to us everything in our lives, our motives, our words, our actions, that is grieving to His great heart of love. (b) Let us confess to others, those things that we have done wrong, wherein we have injured them; Let us humble ourselves, and seek by all means within our power, to be reconciled, and to make the restitution that may be necessary, as far as we are able. Let us get right with God, and let us get right with each other!

(3) Let us return to the ways of righteousness and of peace, the ancient paths! The ways of honesty, truthfulness, morality, faithfulness and commitment.

(4) Let us covenant with God to, (a) fulfill our proper role as His faithful witnesses in a wicked world, (b) fulfill our proper role in the local assembly, joyfully and willingly giving ourselves to the work that He has fitted us for, and using the gifts that He has given to us for that purpose; (c) to faithfully attend all of the meetings of the local assembly, supporting by our prayers, and our presence, those whom God has raised up as elders, to shepherd, to guide, and to teach the saints. (d). to give ourselves to earnest and believing prayer, not just for those in our local assembly and their needs both physical and spiritual, but for the lost souls of our community, and the governments of our land. (e). to be exercised to regularly attend the meeting for remembrance and worship, but to do so with clean hands and a pure heart, to take an audible and intelligent part in the worship of our Great God, of the Father, and of the Son, by the power and leading of the blessed Holy Spirit. (f). Let us be active, and effective witnesses to those who are our neighbors, our school friends, our work mates, our relatives. Let us restore the powerful preaching of the simple, time-honored, Gospel of Christ to our assemblies, and let us seek to get the lost under its sound!

If each of us will apply ourselves with diligence, honesty and urgency to these suggested things, we will then see a rapid improvement in the health, the growth, and the effectiveness of the local assemblies, the assemblies which we love, the assemblies that are so dear to the heart of Christ.

May God grant that it may be so! May His holy name be glorified!

C.E.Wigg,

P.O.Yolla, Tasmania,

Australia. 7325.

Written at Detroit, U.S.A. 28.7.1993.