And the men did the work faithfully. The Levites overseeing them were Jahath and Obadiah, descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, descendants of Kohath. Other Levites, all skilled with musical instruments, Sermons
I. WHAT CONSTITUTES FAITHFULNESS. TO be faithful is clearly a very different thing from being successful. Some men are successful, as men count success, who are not faithful in the sight of God; others are faithful who are not "successful." To be faithful is to act with rightful, earnest, patient effort in the sphere in which our Lord has placed us. 1. Doing our work honestly, fairly, conscientiously, keeping in view the revealed will of God and the claims of men (see 2 Timothy 2:5). 2. Acting with earnestness; not languidly and listlessly, but devotedly and energetically. 3. With patient, persevering effort; not daunted by the first nor by the fiftieth difficulty that presents itself, not silenced by clamour, not forsaking the path of holy service because prosperity seems long in coming; but calmly, patiently, thoroughly proceeding with and completing our work; holding on and bearing up until we can say, thankfully and reverently, "It is finished." II. WHAT INDUCEMENTS WE HAVE TO BE FAITHFUL IN OUR WORK. 1. Our Lord requires it. "It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). "Be thou faithful unto death," says the ascended Lord with commanding voice. There were "overseers," our text says, to "set forward" the work in which these artificers were engaged. We have one great Divine Overseer, who is ever looking on and taking account, desiring of us that we "do the work faithfully," and it behoves us to do everything we undertake, both that which does and that which does not directly belong to the affairs of his kingdom, "as ever in the great Taskmaster's eye." 2. By so doing we take rank with the best of the sons of men. Of Moses we read that "he was faithful in all his house" (Hebrews 3:2). He did not seem to be remarkably successful; probably in the eyes of his contemporaries he appeared positively unsuccessful. But when he lay down to die on Nebo he could feel that he had done his work faithfully. And thus with Paul. And so with the best and worthiest of our race. To be faithful in our work is to stand with the best of men. 3. Thus only can we secure the approval of our own conscience. But thus we shall; and how great a victory it will be to be able to feel as Paul felt when his course was run, "I have fought a good fight,... I have kept the faith"! 4. We shall receive a large reward. If we arc but faithful in a few things here, we shall be rulers over many things hereafter (Matthew 25:21). If faithful unto death, Christ will give us "a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10). Life in all its glorious fulness, in all its perfect blessedness, will be ours for ever. - C.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign. Monday Club Sermons. I. THE POSSIBILITY OF YOUTHFUL RESPONSIBILITY. Other children besides Josiah have been called to the cares of a kingdom. Manasseh commenced to reign at twelve, Joash was seven, Uzziah sixteen; Henry III and Edward VI of England were both nine; four of the Scottish kings, James II, III, IV, and V, ascended the throne when children. Of the French kings, Louis I. began to reign at sixteen, Louis IX at eleven, Louis XIII at nine, Charles VI at eleven, Charles IX at ten; Louis XIV, inheriting the kingdom at five, assumed full control by his own force of character at thirteen. Charles I of Spain, better known as Charles V of Germany, became king at sixteen; Charles II at fourteen, seizing the kingdom from an ill-governing regency which had existed since his fourth year.II. EARLY PIETY IS POSSIBLE AND DESIRABLE. When does the period of moral accountability begin? We cannot fix it definitely. But this much is certain: whenever the child can intelligently choose this or that because it is right or wrong, then has moral accountability commenced, and the child can be a Christian. III. THE INFLUENCE OF GOOD ADVISERS. Josiah was but a boy, and yet around him were spiritual Titans — Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah. IV. THE ENERGY OF YOUTHFUL PIETY. V. THE INFLUENCE OF THE SURROUNDING ATMOSPHERE ON PIETY. We must be watchful against irreligious influences. (Monday Club Sermons.) (W. M. Taylor, D.D.) (T. Hughes.) I was admitted into the Church at the early age of eight. I don't remember that I experienced at the time any extraordinary work of God on my soul. I loved Christ, and felt a strong desire to be identified with His people. When I mentioned the fact to some of the deacons some of them looked askance, and expressed grave doubts as to the propriety of allowing one so young to sit at the Lord's table. Among them, however, there were wiser men. Their counsels prevailed, and after some months of probation I was admitted. From that day until now I have never ceased to thank God that I was induced to take the important step at the time I did. Had I not done so I doubt whether I should have been a missionary — if a member of the Christian Church at all.(Griffith Johns.) As the sensitive plate in the photographic camera, when the person who sits for a likeness is placed in a powerful light, takes an impression of him in which every line upon the countenance and every furrow upon the brow are exaggerated, so that the artist has to touch the negative in order to do him simple justice, so, when a man sits in the fierce glare of public light, his failings are so prominently recorded, and his defects so clearly brought out, that it is necessary for us in fairness to touch the negative with the pencil of charity, and thus soften down the defects. Remembering this, this description of Josiah fills us with wonder. Consider —I. HIS DISADVANTAGES. 1. His extreme youth. 2. The degeneracy of the times. He ascended the throne in a dark age. 3. He was the son of a bad father. II. WHAT IS THE EXPLANATION OF HIS PIETY? It may have been largely due to the quiet but all-powerful influence of a good mother. But there are wonders of grace often wrought in the lives of the children of wicked men which you cannot explain. III. THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS PIETY. He "walked in the ways of David his father." Four hundred years separated Josiah from David. Thank God, there are seasons, even in degenerate times, when the old purity of things is restored, when the grand old faith is received and lived over again, and when the heroism of those who are gone comes back like a new inspiration to young lives. "Ah! he is an old-fashioned young man: he lives behind the age; he ought to have been living in the time of David, for he has quite adopted his ancient ways," exclaimed some young men of the period. All the conceited striplings of the day would join in the chorus, "Poor Josiah, he does not move with the age. He is an eccentric young fellow, very puritanic in his notions, and sings psalms as if he lived in the days of old King David." My young friends, a true man likes to be old-fashioned sometimes. It is noble to move with the age when the age is going forward; but it is grand to remain with the past when the age in which we live retrogrades from ancient purity and ancient faith. When there is no spiritual vigour or moral fibre in our day, it is well to stick to the old days when there were strength and fibre in religion and morals. Do not be afraid of the charge of being old-fashioned. It is cheaply made, and is often meaningless, save as it is the highest possible compliment. Be in the company of the world's best and noblest men: never mind whether they live to-day, or whether they lived eighteen hundred years ago, or even more. (D. Davies.) People Abdon, Ahikam, Asaiah, Azaliah, Benjamin, David, Hasrah, Hilkiah, Huldah, Israelites, Jahath, Joah, Joahaz, Job, Josiah, Kohath, Kohathites, Levites, Maaseiah, Manasseh, Merari, Meshullam, Micah, Naphtali, Obadiah, Shallum, Shaphan, Simeon, Tikvath, ZechariahPlaces Jerusalem, Second QuarterTopics Appointed, Authority, Business, Descended, Direct, Expert, Faithfully, Foremen, Forward, Instruments, Jahath, Kohath, Kohathite, Kohathites, Ko'hathites, Levites, Merari, Merar'i, Meshullam, Meshul'lam, Music, Musical, Obadiah, Obadi'ah, Overlook, Overseers, Oversight, Playing, Preside, Responsible, Seeing, Skilful, Skill, Skilled, Skillful, Song, Sons, Superintend, Supervise, Understanding, Working, Zechariah, Zechari'ahOutline 1. Josiah's good reign3. He destroys idolatry 8. He takes order for the repair of the temple 14. Hilkiah, having found a book of the law, 21. Josiah sends to Huldah to enquire of the Lord 23. Huldah prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem, but respite thereof in Josiah's time 29. Josiah, causing it to be read in a solemn assembly, renews the covenant with God Dictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 34:12Library Josiah'Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. 3. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Josiah and the Newly Found Law The History Books Josiah, a Pattern for the Ignorant. Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above. Chronicles Links 2 Chronicles 34:12 NIV2 Chronicles 34:12 NLT 2 Chronicles 34:12 ESV 2 Chronicles 34:12 NASB 2 Chronicles 34:12 KJV 2 Chronicles 34:12 Bible Apps 2 Chronicles 34:12 Parallel 2 Chronicles 34:12 Biblia Paralela 2 Chronicles 34:12 Chinese Bible 2 Chronicles 34:12 French Bible 2 Chronicles 34:12 German Bible 2 Chronicles 34:12 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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