Take Up and Read

In 2 Kings 22:19, Josiah was king and after he heard the word of God read, he immediately began to feel his heart tremble. Jeremiah Burroughs wrote of Josiah’s moment, “His heart melted before the Lord. Oh, what a happiness would this be, for kingdoms to have their kings to have such tender hearts!”

Of all the gracious, kind, merciful, wise, and loving things that God can bring to the trembling heart, why is it the world wouldn’t long for such blessing? What is it about the cross that so offends you? Is it the blood? Well, we are told that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Did Jesus show weakness to you in His cry of abandonment when even the centurion, upon hearing it, had to comment He was truly the Son of God. What was it? Please! What fault or darkness do you find in Him… what blemish when the very one who condemned Him to death, Pilate, found no fault in Him and attempted to wash his hands of his action? What is it? You don’t trust the record? It was not the Bible only that spoke of such great things. Read Josephus; Tertullian! You, who swear that Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey was historically accurate, while maintaining that the Scriptures are fraught with error and are unreliable. Such is a ruse; intended by the strongman to keep his property in peace. Still, I’m amazed. I’m baffled. Why are there not more trembling hearts? Well, as with Josiah, I am reminded of Augustine. What was it he heard called out that brought him to belief? He heard a voice say of the Scriptures, ‘Take up and read.’