9/21/25 Weekly Bible Lesson: Finders Keepers!

2 Chronicles 34:14-28 ESV 

Background of Text — Josiah was only eight years old when he was placed on the throne. Like Hezekiah, Josiah had received no spiritual guidance from his father or grandfather. The people of the Israelite nation, true to their history, took their eyes from the Lord, and did evil in His sight. However, from the very beginning Josiah sought the Lord’s will; he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in the ways of David his father.” 

Where did Josiah get this drive to seek out the Lord from such a young age? The best answer is that we do not know. However, the Scriptures point out he had the strong support of the priest, Hilkiah. Just as it was for Josiah, godly, biblical support is desperately needed for our young ones today. 

Verses 14-19 — There are times in both our daily and spiritual lives that we have surprises. Some of those surprises are welcomed, and some not wanted at all! An example of a wonderful surprise is when I got a call saying, “Your granddaughter is getting baptized today!” Those kinds of surprises are welcomed, but there are times in your life when you think you are doing good, but you are not! Josaiah was about to get that “surprise.” When Josiah was made aware that the Book of the Law had been found, and he subsequently heard the words of the Law, it was as if someone had died. Josiah became a mourner; “he tore his clothes.” 

My guess is most of us don’t recall the first time we read this passage, but the question that should pop into our heads is, “Why was it lost?” Wasn’t the book of the Law given to Moses by God and, through Moses, presented to the Israelite nation? This book was given to them so they would know how they should live as a nation, God’s chosen people. When we look at the history of the split nation, we see the Northern kingdom already decimated and in exile by this time. The kingdom of Judah was well on its way to receiving the same punishment because they too had forsaken the Lord. In retrospect, we can truly see why the book was “lost.” 

Isn’t it the same with us and the world today? We can say the world has lost God’s Word, living with no thought of Him and without Jesus Christ in their lives. They are lost. They couldn’t care less if there was a book given by God, the Bible. As Christians, however, we should never “lose” God’s Word! Paul tells Timothy to “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” and that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Scriptures are for us to read and study. They are not for us to lay on a table as a “decoration” or simply placed on a bookshelf collecting dust. Maybe, just maybe, by opening and studying His Word, by sharing the promises God has given to those that follow Him, we can convince the world, through His Word, so that they might give themselves to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and share in those promises of God! 

Verses 20-22 — What upset Josiah so much when the Word was made known to him? He realized that “great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the Word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.” Josiah knew God’s will and purpose had been totally disregarded. The question was, how could he and his people once more experience the grace and forgiveness of God? He immediately sent individuals to inquire of the Lord, not only for himself, but for those who were left in Israel and Judah. They went to the prophetess Huldah. Through her, the Lord revealed to Josiah that judgment and disaster was soon to come upon Judah and its inhabitants “because they have forsaken me.” 

Discussion question: What actions can we take to ensure we don’t lose God’s Word? 

Verses 26-27 — Not only did her words tell of the judgment and disaster of Judah, but they also contained a personal message to Josiah. She said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD.”  

Because of his tender heart and humble attitude before God, Josiah would be spared seeing the disaster that would eventually come upon Judah and its inhabitants. In other words, Josiah would be spared all the troubles that were to come because he loved God and sought His will. The discovery of the book of the Law laid the foundation for a genuine revival of true religion in the days of Hilkiah and Josiah. 

Discussion question: How does hearing God’s Word shape our attitude toward Him?