28/02/2011 - Within the established boundaries

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“Prepare yourselves according to your fathers’ houses, according to your divisions, following the written instruction of David, king of Israel, and the written instruction of Solomon his son.” (II Chronicles 35: 4)

Josiah began reigning at the age of eight. Manasseh, His grandfather, was an idolater and a sorcerer. When the Lord brought upon Judah the princes of Babylon, they caught him in hooks and took him to Babylon and tied him up with chains on his ankles.  Extremely repented, he prayed to the Lord there and the impossible occurred: he regained his kingdom. So, he acknowledged the Lord as his only God; he got rid of the objects of his idolatry he’d made and those for witchcraft and died in peace. Now, as for Amom, Josiah’s father, he was a lunatic who preferred to serve the devil rather than consecrate his life to the Lord though he’d seen what had happened to Manasseh, his father; that’s why he reigned for only two years.

When Josiah took over the kingdom, he tried to do things the right way. He made amends with the Lord at the age of sixteen and began seeking Him. At the age of twenty, he demanded Jerusalem and Judah, to be cleansed of the spiritual trash that had been put there and he propagated that faith reform to some tribes of Israel which weren’t present in his kingdom. He ordered the house of God to be restored when he was twenty six. He was a man whose heart was thoroughly dedicated to the Most High and His work, that’s why he prospered.

The book of Law was found at the time the house of God was being restored. As Josiah read the Holy Text he cried his heart out, then he was cheered up in the Lord to accomplish the work of the restoration of faith he was working on. He also cleansed the whole land of Israel from its abominations and demanded everybody that was in that area to serve and worship the Almighty God. People didn’t go astray during Josiah’s days.

So, ordered by Josiah, Easter was celebrated again in the Holy Land. The Word says that a feast was celebrated in such a magnificent and splendid way as had never been done before, not even in the days of Prophet Samuel or in those of the Kings of Israel such as David and Solomon and those who came after them. Josiah made the statement mentioned in the verse above during that Easter: “following the written instruction of David, king of Israel, and the written instruction of Solomon his son”. He wasn’t only being humble; he also recognized that that guidance was coming from God Himself.

Never mind about how much God has been using us. We mustn’t make up new instructions. We’ve got to follow what’s already been established in the Scriptures. Our glory is within the boundaries pre-established by the Lord. Just because He allowed us to do something outstanding in His work, we mustn’t think we’ve got the power to change what He has already established. It’s good to stay within the established boundaries according to the instructions of the Lord.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares