Anticipation

O. T. #998 "Anticipation"
June 7, 2017
2 Chronicles 34-Part 2
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.  (Isaiah 40:31)

LET IT GLOW

Anticipation. What commercial used that son? Was it syrup being poured on top of a pancake? If you are like me, the hardest thing to do is wait. We wait for vacation time to come, appointments, birthdays, special events, and test results. We are planning a vacation to Oregon in August. We are planning our agenda with anticipation of seeing the beauty of God's creation there-mountains, waterfalls, ocean, etc. However, there are some other things for which we await before that time comes, so I needed that key verse.

The word wait in the key verse above is the Hebrew word qavah (kaw-vaw'), which means to bind together; collect; to expect; look; wait; tarry.

I don't want to be weary or faint as I wait upon the Lord. I want to have my strength renewed. How about you? But how does this happen? It is God who does it.

God is the strength of my heart. My portion forever. Psalm 73:26b

If I keep repeating this verse it will surely sink into me, right?
We're an overcomer, as the song says. There's nothing God can't do, so let's stay in there, waiting for God to work in our situation. It will be for our good and His glory. So don't quit and don't give in dear one. Keep walking by faith in Jesus. (I hear those words, too.)

Okay. When King Josiah was 26, he had workers repairing the Temple, due to his father and grandfather desecrating it with idols. As the people sent money for the project, it was placed in the Temple. Then Hilkiah the high priest found  the book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. (verse 14) He gave it to Shapan the scribe, who in turn read it to the king of Judah. (Keep in mind that Ezra is writing this book to those Jews returning to rebuild the Temple after being captives in Babylon for 70 years. How encouraging for those Jews to hear.)
The thing is, there were few copies of the Law back then. No copy machines were available. What is significant is that the Word of God had not been lost. Think about it-the Bible has been preserved for us throughout all those ages. How precious I should be to us-the God of the universe speaks to us. Mind boggling to me.

The book of the Law that Hilkiah found may have been one or more scrolls containing the entire Pentateuch-the books of Moses from Genesis through Deuteronomy. Apparently Shaphan  did not realize the importance of the discovered Book since he left the report of it until after the general progress of the work. (Holman)

Can you imagine what it would be like if suddenly all of our Bibles disappeared, including our pastors' Bibles? How devastating it would be! It is our Bread of Life as Jesus feeds our soul. Do we treat it with respect and special significance? Are we reading it daily or is it just another book on the shelf collecting dust? Of course, I know you are not doing that, but others do.

LET IT GROW

The king's reaction is important, for he influenced a whole nation. Josiah tore his clothes showing strong emotion when he heard the Word of God for the first time. He realized that he and his people had strayed so far from its instructions. (verses 18-19)

King Josiah sent 4 men on a mission, who are listed in verse 20:

• Go to the Temple and inquire of the LORD for me and the remnant in Israel and Judah.
• Inquire about the Words written in the scroll that had been found.
• For the LORD's great anger had been poured out on them because their ancestors had not obeyed It. 
• The king admitted they had not been doing everything this scroll said they must do.

Keep in mind that prophets Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah were warning Judah of God's judgment.
Judah had stopped being faithful to the sacrificial system Moses recorded. Can you imagine the anticipation of what God had to say? We will wait in anticipation for the answer that God gave.


LET IT GO

Grieve over my sins and the sins of others.

Take them to God.

Surrender for His strength to be mine.

Anticipate soaring on wings as eagles with Jesus.