Living By the Great Command 2 Kings 22-23:25 & 2 Chronicles 34-35 Living By the Great Command

The Four Attributes of the Great Command Luke 10:27 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind…” The Great Command is Foundational and Eternal in Scope How can we attempt to live by such a command? Romans 15:4 – “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” 2 Kings 23:25 – “Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to the Law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.” This morning’s lesson begins in Luke 10, where the lawyer tests Jesus with the question in verse 25. “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”. Jesus responds with the question “What does the Law say? How do you read it?” The lawyer then responds with the Greatest Command, which was taken from Deut. 6:5. Jesus responds by saying “Do this and you shall live.” Imagine being the lawyer, who is likely a Jew, and hearing that everything you are or hope to be hangs on this command. Also, this command is the foundation that scripture rests on and it is eternal in scope. It is INTIMIDATING. Jesus said in Matt. 22:40 that “On these two commandments (love for neighbor as well) depend all the Law and Prophets”. So the question comes to my mind, (Open next) How can we attempt to live by such a command? The entirety of the Law and the Prophets’ message hinged on this command. More importantly, eternal life hangs in the balance. But, as daunting as it may seem, I’m reminded of what Paul said in Romans 15:4 (Read) (Open next). As I look back through the O.T. I see someone who lived by the Great Command and although it doesn’t make the command less intimidating, it lets me know that God established this principle as the foundation because He loved me first and that this command is meant to build a lasting and meaningful relationship with Him. (Open next) In 2 Kings 23:35, we have a summary about a man who lived by the Great Command. For the next few minutes, we are going to examine the life of Josiah, which is recorded in 2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35, and learn how he loved OR (turned to) the LORD with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Open Next)

Love from the Heart Love blossomed through belief (2 Chronicles 34:3) Josiah’s heart was opened and transformed through hearing God’s word (2 Kings 22:8 – 13) Josiah’s heart remained tender in the face of coming destruction (2 Kings 22:14 – 23:3) First, let’s examine how Josiah loved from the heart. (Read) (Open Next) It is evident that Josiah’s love blossomed from belief in God at an early age (16 years old). With all of the idolatry in Jerusalem and Judah, the wicked kings both before and after him, I’m amazed that Josiah sought the God of Heaven. We don’t know what encouraged him to seek the Lord, but belief was the key that unlocked the door to his heart. Without belief, Josiah nor anyone else can even attempt to love God. Those two words are synonymous in scripture and it is certainly true with Josiah. (Open Next) Secondly, Josiah’s heart was opened and strengthened in a very painful, but necessary way. During the temple repairs that Josiah initiated, the priest Hilkiah finds the book of the Law and brings it to Shaphan the scribe who reads it in the presence of Josiah. (Read 8 - 10) The response was one of devastation, but also transformation and resolution. (Read 11 - 13) When Josiah heard the words of the Law, he realized that he and his people had simply forgotten and forsaken the covenant with God. He tore his clothes in despair, which is figurative of the blade of a sword cutting the heart in two just as the Hebrew writer describes in Heb. 4:12 or the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:37. However, the power of the Word of God entered Josiah’s heart that day and refined him to the point that he would reaffirm the covenant with God out of believing love. (Open Next) This incident leads to the final point regarding Josiah’s love from the heart. He had a choice to make when he hears the words from Huldah the prophetess (Read 22:14-17). What does he choose to do? (Read 22:18-23:3) Josiah never hardened his heart in the face of coming destruction. It would have been easy for Josiah to rebel, who although seeking the Lord, finds out that his kingdom is about to be punished; however, his tender heart allowed him to accept who God is, what God expects, and the just punishment that was about to come. In turn, God recognizes the love from his heart (uses the word tender) and offers him reprieve. (Open Next)

Love from the Soul The full measure of Josiah’s life was wholly given to God Age 16 – Sought the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:3a) Age 26 – Received the Book of the Law, reaffirmed the covenant, purged idolatry, and reinstituted the Passover (2 Kings 22:8 – 23:25) Age 26-39 – Sets the Land of Judah in order and fulfills the covenant (2 Chronicles 34:31 – 33) Age 39 – Returned back to the Lord (2 Chronicles 35:25) Josiah also loved the Lord from the soul. (Open Next) In this case, the full measure of his life was wholly given to God. Josiah lived to be 39, but what love he displayed for his God in a 23 year span. (Open Next) Age 16 – The search for God begins. (Read) (Open Next) Age 26 – Received the Book of the Law, reaffirms the covenant, and reinstitutes a Passover that had not been seen since the days of the judges. (Read 22:10; 23:3; refer to 23:4-ff; read 23:21-23) (Open Next) Age 26-39 – Sets the Land of Judah in order and fulfills the covenant. (Read) (Open Next) Age 39 – A life ends before destruction comes. (Read) Conclusion – I believe Josiah fully understood that a life lived is no life at all unless it is turned over in love to the God that gave it. (Open Next)

Love with Strength Josiah’s love for God built a resolve to withstand and purge evil (2 Chronicles 34:3-7 & 2 Kings 23:4-20) Josiah displayed his love through the exertion of spiritual strength which influenced the kingdom (2 Kings 23:1-3 & 2 Chronicles 34:33) Josiah loved the Lord God with all of his strength (might). (Read 2 Chron. 34:3-7) Although any opposition is never discussed, Josiah displayed a resolute strength to withstand and purge evil. (Open Next) Can you imagine the utter destruction of all of this idolatry and punishment? Surely someone would have tried to rebel against the king; however, the cleansing that Josiah initiated must have been so sweeping that any evil agents must of never had a chance. His strength was God’s strength! (Open Next) Josiah also displayed his love through the exertion of his spiritual strength to influence the kingdom. (Read) We all recognize that Josiah was a king, but just think of the measure of influence that he had. The entire nation of Israel came to know God once again through the consistent spiritual influence of one of God’s most committed and loving servants. Moreover, it never stopped throughout Josiah’s entire life. (Open Next)

Love with the Mind Josiah grew in love through a rational and thoughtful study and application of God’s Word (2 Kings 22:11-13; 23:2-3) Finally, Josiah loved his God with the mind (Open Next) or in other words, he committed himself to a rational and thoughtful study and application of God’s Word. (Read) Josiah spent 18 years seeking the Lord and he did some good things in the first few years of his reign, but it was not until he read and applied the Word of God that he fully became a godly leader and rounded out a mature love that was grounded in obedience to the covenant that his Creator made with Israel. What a great example of a man who although had the power of a King, lived his life in submission to the Great Command. Now, let’s use this example, as Paul encouraged us to do, to make some application and how can live by the Great Command. (Open Next)

The Four Attributes of the Great Command within the Christian Love from the Heart – The heart will only be filled with love when it is opened to the Word of God in faith (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 10:17; & Heb. 4:12) Love from the Soul – The very measure of our lives should be submitted to the cross (Luke 9:23-25 & Revelation 2:10) Love with Strength – Our love should be exerted with every ounce of spiritual strength (influence) that we have (Gal. 6:9-10; I Thess. 5:8-22; & Eph. 6:10) Love with the Mind – Our love for God should be cultivated through consistent study of His Word (John 14:15,23-24; 15:9-10) Love from the Heart – Just as Josiah began building his love through belief, the Christian must also develop faith that is deeply rooted within the heart. (Read Heb 11:6 and Romans 10:17) And as Josiah’s heart was tender enough to allow the very real truths of God’s word to transform him, we must also be willing to accept some painful truths for our hearts to be transformed and healed. Never discount what the Word of God can do for us if we let its power break through those hard areas in our hearts. (Read Heb. 4:12) (Open Next) Love from the Soul – Josiah submitted his every breath to serve God in love and in the same way, we must submit the very measure of our lives at the cross. (Read) We must be willing to amplify the belief from our hearts into the very actions that we take as long as we draw breath. The Book of Daniel lets us know that our very breath is in God’s hands whether we love him or not. Also remember that living out the Great Command can have it’s costs, but we must be willing to meet adversity and maybe our death in submission to it. Love with Strength – Josiah exerted his spiritual strength to remove evil, but more importantly to steer the Israelites back to God. We must have the same attitude with our spiritual influence. (Read Gal. and I Thess.) And the best part about it, God will continually supply spiritual strength for those who love to spread it. (Read Eph.) Our attitude from this verse should that “I will love the Lord my God with all my strength because he provides it to me” Love with the Mind – After reading and understanding God’s word, Josiah was able to fully commit himself to live by the Great Command. In the same way, we must cultivate our love for God through consistent study of the Word so that we can understand why we love God. I leave you with the words of Jesus in John 14 and 15.