By Jeremy Harrell

The Bible is the world’s most valuable and vital possession. All of the combined works, of all the ages, by all the greatest thinkers of this world pale in comparison to the Word of God. How do we, as Christians, approach the Bible? Do we approach the Bible with a “know it all” attitude, proud, and arrogant? Or do we approach the Bible as humble, obedient, servants of the Lord. I’m convinced that if man would leave his own will out of the equation, then we wouldn’t have false teaching. The Bible says that God is not the author of confusion in 1 Corinthians 14:33.

There are two men of the Old Testament named Josiah & Jehoiakim. The approach they took towards the Word of God, were quite different. In 2 Kings 22 we see a man named Josiah, one of my favorite people in the Bible. Josiah is one of the great heroes of the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 22:1-2 “¹Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.   ²He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left.” Notice in chapter 22:5 of 2 Kings, Josiah was first going to repair the house of the Lord. In verse 8 of chapter 22 the book of the law is found. In verses 10-11, they read the book of the law and Josiah rends his garments. This is a show of grief and humility because of the state that God’s people were in. Josiah spends the rest of his life trying to restore the people to the true religion of God.    

In Jeremiah 36:23-26, we read of Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim is the son of Josiah, and is now the King. Notice, he could have continued the work that Josiah had started. Look at all that his Father had done. Imagine the opportunity. Now Jeremiah, one of the “firey” preachers of the Bible, has the word taken to Jehoiakim. Jeremiah gives a scroll to Baruch and he takes it to Jehoiakim. In verses 2-23 of chapter 36 it says, “²⁰So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. ²¹Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. ²²Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. ²³When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe's knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.” Now compare this attitude to Josiah, his father. It pierced Josiah’s heart and he rends his garments. His son Jehoiakim cuts it up and tosses it in the fire.

Notice the two kinds of hearts that you have in these verses. Josiah had a tender heart that was willing to do what it takes to please the Lord. Jehoiakim has a callused heart that was self willed, and would not allow the Word of God in. A question for you to consider: When Jehoiakim rips the up the Law and throws it in the fire…does that change anything? Certainly NOT! Hebrews 4:12 states, “¹²For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Matthew 24:35 says, ³⁵"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” The Bible has always had enemies….but God says “My words shall never pass away.” 1 Peter 1:23 says, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” ²⁴ because “ All flesh is as grass,
      And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
      The grass withers,
      And its flower falls away,
       ²⁵ But the word of the LORD endures forever.

We need to be like Josiah and repent when we are wrong. How important is your “heart”? Luke 8:15 states, ¹⁵"But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”   Proverbs 4:23 says, “²³ Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it springs forth the issues of life.” Proverbs 23:7 says, “⁷ For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Let us all consider our “heart” and how we approach the Word of God. We need to approach it in humble obedience like Josiah did. It is the Word of God, abide in it. John 8:31-32 says, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”