G510S King Josiah Not Wanting to Hurt God Inwardly (to go with visual G510V) 1. In ancient times, God s laws were written on scrolls and read to people so they could learn and memorise them. There were no printers in those days so not every family could own a copy. 2. After learning God s laws, parents were encouraged to teach to their children. In this way, children wouldn t do things that hurt God inwardly. 3. But during the reign of King Manasseh the scrolls of God s laws were destroyed and burnt. It was thought that there was not a copy left in the land. 4. Because people could no longer read God s law, instead of obeying God, they worshipped false gods. 5. There were still some people who knew God s law the prophets and teachers of God s laws. They warned the people that what they did hurt God inwardly. But this just made the people angry and they attacked the prophets and teachers and put them to death. 6. After wicked King Manasseh died, his 22-year-old son Amon became king but he too had no time for God. He died after one year and his son Josiah, only 8 years old, was crowned king. However, this young boy decided he wanted to follow God rather than the wicked ways of his father and grandfather. 7. But without the scrolls of God s laws or people to teach God s ways, the people continued to worship false gods. 8. After reigning for 8 years King Josiah began to search for God. Four years later he ordered the altars of the false gods on the hilltops to be torn down. He must have heard something from those who knew God s law! 9. The once magnificent temple of God that King Solomon had built had been allowed to fall into disrepair. However, people gave money to have it repaired. 10. King Josiah ordered Shaphan, the ruler of Jerusalem, to take the money and give it to Hilkiah the High Priest to hire workers to have the repairs done. 11. Labourers, carpenters and builders were set to work repairing the damaged building. The Levites supervised the work.
12. Then, while the repairs were being made, Hilkiah the High Priest made an important discovery. There in the temple, hidden from view, was a scroll containing the Book of God s laws. 13. An excited Hilkiah rushed to Shaphan. I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord. Shaphan immediately set off to tell King Josiah the news. 14. Shaphan gave the king an update of the progress of the repair work and announced, Hilkiah the priest has given me a scroll. He then read the Book of God s laws to the king. When the king heard how God wanted everyone to live, he became very upset and tore his robes in grief. God s anger must be great because we have disobeyed His laws, he wept. 15. King Josiah called a meeting in the temple for everyone in Jerusalem and Judah, along with all the priests and Levites. The King read the words of God s laws to everyone, then promised to obey them with all his heart and soul. The people then promised to do the same. 16. The King then ordered Hilkiah and the priests to remove all the idols and items in the temple that had been used to worship false Gods. 17. All the pagan altars and sacred stones in the land were destroyed. 18. Figures of gods were pulled down and ground to dust. (Even the altar at Bethel that King Jeroboam had made many years before was destroyed. It had been prophesied that a descendant of King David would do this). 19. Priests of other gods were not allowed to live in the land of Israel anymore because they led the people to worship other gods. 20. King Josiah also found out from God s law that it pleased God for people to celebrate the Passover. It was a great occasion. 30,000 lambs and goats and 3,000 cattle were offered to God as people put their lives right with God. Musicians led in worship to God. There had not been a Passover celebrated like this since the days of the prophet Samuel. King Josiah was then in the 18th year of his reign.
King David Caring for God and Wanting to Please God (to use with visual G510V2) Introduction David was living in his own house. We probably should not call it a house, because it was really more like a palace a very nice place. God had also given him rest from all of his enemies. He had been hunted by King Saul for a few years before he became the king. The nation had now entered into a time of rest and peace. It was during this time that David said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God dwells within the curtains. David was settled in Jerusalem and was enjoying great blessings from the Lord. He began to look at the present circumstances. Was it right that he dwelt in a palace while the ark of God dwelt in a tent? David desired to build a house for the Lord, a more permanent structure (a temple) in which the Lord could dwell with His people. David shared his idea with Nathan, the prophet. Nathan was a godly man and certainly would give him good advice. Nathan said, Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. However, Nathan spoke hastily; he spoke from his own feelings, not by pursuing divine revelation from the Lord. In fact, there is no mention of Nathan or David seeking the Lord for His direction or will concerning the matter. Yet, David s desire appeared a good thing. He wanted to build a beautiful building for the Lord. He felt that God deserved a beautiful temple in which to dwell. 1. God did not allow King David to build a temple in Jerusalem as David was a man of war. However, David prepared a plot of land in the city for his son Solomon to build the temple and he also gathered some of the building materials Solomon would need. 2. Before he died David gave Solomon the plans and instructions for building the temple. Be strong and courageous, and do the work, for the Lord is with you, David told Solomon. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work is finished. 3. When Solomon became king he purchased expensive timber from King Hiram of Tyre. 30,000 workers were conscripted to work in shifts cutting trees in Lebanon. Large cedars and Juniper trees were then floated down the coast to Joppa. 4. These trees were then hauled overland to Jerusalem. 5. Solomon had 70,000 carriers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, managed by 3,300 foremen. They quarried large blocks of high-grade stone and chiselled them into shape before transporting them to the temple. In this way no hammer, chisel or iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built. 6. The temple was 27m long, 9m wide and 14m high. The interior walls were lined with cedar boards. On the walls around the temple were carvings of angels, palm trees and open flowers.
7. The inner sanctuary was overlaid inside with pure gold. The floors of the inner and outer room were also covered with gold. Gold was used to make the altar, the table for bread, the lampstands and other furnishings. There were also gold floral work, large golden cherubims, golden lamps and tongs; pure gold basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and censers. The silver and gold furnishings that King David had dedicated were brought into the temple. 8. Top craftsmen who worked with bronze were hired from King Hiram to make two large pillars for the portico of the temple. A large wash basin stood on top of 12 bronze bulls. Ten movable stands and basins were also crafted in bronze. It took 7 years to complete the magnificent work on the temple. 9. The elders and a vast number of people were assembled at a holiday feast to watch as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple. 10. It was put in the Most Holy Place beneath the wings of the cherubim. 11. When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud of the glory of the Lord filled the temple and was so overwhelming the priests were unable perform their service. 12. Solomon blessed the people and praised God. The Lord has kept his promise to David and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, he declared. 13. He stood before the altar with his arms spread then knelt and prayed, May your eyes look at this temple night and day and hear our prayers. Hear from heaven, and when you hear, forgive. The king then told the congregation, May the Lord be with us as he was with our ancestors and never leave or forsake us. May He turn our hearts to fully obey His commands. 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats were offered to God.
C.T. Studd Sacrificing His Effort, Money and Time for God Charles (C.T.) Studd was among the most privileged young men of his day. Born into a wealthy British family and educated at England's best schools, he became famous in his own right as one of the greatest cricket players England had seen. Yet Charles forsook all fortune, future, and fame for the sake of Christ. As one of the "Cambridge Seven," he left his family and homeland to labour for Christ in China. Later he and his family heeded the call of the Lord to bring Christ to India. Still later, though broken in health and advanced in years, he once again launched out as Christ's pioneer this time to the heart of Africa. Charles s Father Edward Studd had made a fortune in India as an indigo planter and had retired rich. He loved sports, especially horse racing with its attendant gambling. God began to move in the Studd family when Edward s good friend, Mr. Vincent, received Christ under the preaching of D. L. Moody. Later, Edward himself was saved through Moody s preaching. To the amazement of all but those who know the Lord's ways, Edward Studd withdrew from horse racing, and he sold and gave away his horses. He furnished a large area on his estate for the purpose of having gospel meetings. He regularly invited capable men to preach Christ, and then he himself would ride around the countryside, urging people to come and listen to them. The people came by the hundreds. In 1877, the year of Edward Studd's salvation, his sons were attending Eton, Britain's most prestigious private school. All three brothers Kynaston (J. E. K.), George (G. B.), and Charles (C. T.) were on the school cricket team that year. The set of Studds had become famous as Eton cricketers. The next year the Studd boys spent the summer at the family estate. Their father invited guest speakers to the Sunday meetings at his country estate. One afternoon, one of the guest speakers, Mr. W., managed to speak privately to each of the three boys in turn. Later, they were surprised to discover that all three had received Christ the same day! Despite his good beginning, of the three brothers, Charles seemed to make the least progress in his Christian life. Of that period of time, his love for God began to grow cold, and the love of the world began to come in. He spent six years in that unhappy back-slidden state. But while he was in decline spiritually, his accomplishments on the cricket field made his name a household word throughout Britain. It appeared that wealth and fame would quench the Spirit in him. However, two elderly sisters determined to unite in prayer for his return to God. God answered their prayers in full. In 1884 Charles's brother George fell seriously ill. Charles kept vigil at his bedside, not knowing if his brother would live or die. He asked himself, "Now
what is all the world's popularity worth to George? What are fame and flattery worth? Is it worth possessing all the world's riches, when a man faces eternity?" A voice seemed to answer, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Charles knew that only the Bible and the Lord Jesus were important to his brother now. In the light of eternity, Charles s evaluation of his own life's priorities also changed. God used this incident to restore his spiritual health, and shortly thereafter George's physical health was also restored. Formerly, he had as much love for cricket as any man could have, but when the Lord Jesus came into his heart, he found that he had something infinitely better than cricket. His heart was no longer in the game; he wanted to win souls for the Lord. He knew that cricket would not last, and honour would not last, and nothing in this world would last, but it was worthwhile living for the world to come. Charles began to seek God's will for his life. After consulting with his friends, he decided to study law, but was not at peace with this decision. He later realised it had been a mistake to consult with his friends more than with the Lord. "How could I," he questioned, "spend the best years of my life in working for myself and the honours and pleasures of this world, while thousands and thousands of souls are perishing every day without having heard of Christ?" Charles attended a farewell send-off for a missionary going to China. The call to go to China began to echo in his heart, and he felt a stirring to offer himself to the Lord for that country's unsaved millions. He did not decide at once, however, but prayed about it. Eventually he felt clear that the Lord was leading him to go to China. Many Christian workers sought to dissuade him, pointing out the needs among Britain's youth, who looked up to Charles because of his sports fame. Many of his friends and relatives also thought he was making a mistake, but it was his widowed mother's opposition that caused him the most conflict of heart. Charles applied to and was accepted by the China Inland Mission (CIM). His friend, Stanley P. Smith, who rowed for the Cambridge Boat, had also been accepted. Five more gifted young men soon joined them. They were dubbed the "Cambridge Seven," and soon the papers were full of the news that seven gifted and well-educated young men were bound for China as missionaries. The consecration of these seven caught the public imagination, and God used their testimonies to call many students throughout Britain to Christ. Before he left England, Charles knew that when he turned 25 he would inherit a fortune under his father's will. He was exercised before the Lord about what to do with this money. In the light of God's word, he determined to do what the rich young man failed to do. It was not a hasty or impulsive
decision, because he was then 23 and would not receive his inheritance for two years. The inheritance was substantial. Today the same amount would be worth more than 25 million U.S. dollars. One of the first gifts from Studd's inheritance went to D. L. Moody, who used the money to start the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. Some of the other gifts went to George Mueller for his orphanages in Bristol, England, to the China Inland Mission for sending out new workers, and to the Salvation Army for work in India and for work among the poor in London. On arriving in China, the seven toured the European settlements presenting the claims of Christ to the foreign residents. Here again, many were saved. They then joined the China Inland Mission and entered into the interior to begin their real labour. Learning Chinese was paramount to their usefulness, but Charles was impatient with his progress and weary of the struggle. On the slow journey upriver, he and two others of the Cambridge Seven put away their books. They fasted and prayed for the supernatural gift of the Chinese language. The Chinese language did not come as a miraculous gift. Charles and the others resumed their studies. As much as possible, they dressed, ate, and lived like the Chinese. Through the China Inland Mission, 476 churches were raised up in China with more than 21,000 baptised.