This was the reaction of king Josiah of Judah when Hilkiah the priest read from God's Word in the king's presence after having found it in the Temple which had been trashed during the disastrously idolatrous reigns of Manasseh and Amon.Josiah's heart was good, and his reaction to hearing how far Judah had run from God's Law was to tear his royal robes as a physical expression of grief and indignation. Think for a minute how deliberate he had to be in that action: Josiah wasn't wearing burlap or commoner's clothing that might be threadbare and easily torn from a frayed edge. His kingly clothing would have been the best made in the land, not fraying or worn out or cheaply made. It probably took him several good minutes of concerted effort to make this happen. That, to me, indicates something real is going on!
Now, should not the same kind of thing happen when we are confronted with the Word of God as we read from it, and hear it taught in our congregations?
"Rend your hearts, and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God . . . " Joel 2:13
The inerrant Word of God to which we are accountable should never be allowed to fall on deaf ears or dull minds. Truly, we should each receive it with reverence and welcome its work in our hearts and lives.
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