Lost Revelation

Scripture Focus (2 Kings 22:8-20) – “Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10 Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” 14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. 15 And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. 18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 19 because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.’” And they brought back word to the king.”

I. Nobody Had Treasured the Word of God (8-9) “Lost Revelation”

A. Position without power (8a) – “And Hilkiah the High Priest said to Shaphan the secretary, I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.”

As the High Priest, Hilkiah should have rejoiced at the rediscovery of the Word

B. Possession without perception (8b) – “And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.”

Both gripped it, but it did not grip either of them

C. Routine without revelation (9) – “And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the Lord.”

II. God Determined to Reach Them (10-11)

A. A casual attitude toward Scripture (10a) – “Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.”

B. A curious reading of Scripture (10b) – “And Shaphan read it before the king.”

C. A consuming response toward Scripture (11) – “When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.”

III. With Awareness Comes Responsibility (12-13)

A. They needed a right-now word from God (12-13a) – “And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found.”

B. They needed to repent before God (13b) – “For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

IV. An Unavoidable Truth to Be Accepted (14-17)

A. A collective commitment to truth (14) – “So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess…and they talked with her.”

B. A painful prophetic word (15-16) – “And she said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read.”

C. A generational accountability (17) – “Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.”

V. A Powerful Grace For Humbled Hearts (18-20)

A. King Josiah’s response to truth was noted (18-19) – “But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard,19 because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.”

Isaiah 66:2 – “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at My word.”

Psalm 34:18 – “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Matthew 5:4 – “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

B. God’s pledge was released on earth (20) – “Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'” And they brought back word to the king.”