Today’s Scripture Reading (November
3, 2015): Deuteronomy 17
Josiah
became King of Judah in 641 B.C.E. following the assassination of his father
Amon. King Amon is probably best known for his idolatrous actions committed
while he was king. “He
did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable
practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the
Israelites” (2 Kings 21:2). It was because of these practices that Amon was
killed. And after his death, the leaders of Judah looked at the young boy who
would replace him on the throne of David and likely saw an opportunity. They
had a chance to mold the next leader of the country. Josiah was young enough that
he could still be taught to follow a different path.
When Josiah was twenty-six, eighteen years after the death of his Father,
there was a major restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem that was commissioned
by Josiah and the High Priest Hilkiah. And during this restoration a previously
unknown Mosaic Book of the Law was found. Many believe that this book was the
Book Deuteronomy. The question that surrounds the book is precisely why it was
in this moment that the Book was mysteriously found – and why it had been
forgotten from what was predominately an oral society in the first place.
Conspiracy theorists seem to consistently look at the contents of Deuteronomy
and secretly wonder if, just maybe, it was written for the young king Josiah in
an effort to mold Josiah into the godly king that Judah desperately needed.
After all, Deuteronomy essentially just sums up the events and laws written
about in the previous three books – Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. And one of
the passages that causes some excitement is this one.
Israel was always supposed to be a theocracy, a nation where God was Sovereign
(King). Four hundred years after these words were spoken by Moses, the
fulfillment of these words would take place. Israel would ask for a king so that
they would be “like the nations around” them (1 Samuel 8:5). The priest in
charge at the time of the request was Samuel. But Samuel does not take this
request as a fulfillment of prophecy, as he might had he known of the existence
of Deuteronomy. Samuel responds to the request as a personal rejection of his
leadership and with the secure knowledge that this was not how Israel was built
to run. But God tells Samuel to do exactly as the people have asked saying that
“it is not you they have rejected, but
they have rejected me as their king” (1 Samuel 8:7). So Samuel, following
the instructions of God, anoints Saul as King over Israel – and the only King
that Judah would know who was not from the lineage of David.
But the one hole that is found in the first four books of Moses is the
duty of the King over the people. Deuteronomy conveniently fills that hole –
and it proves to be exactly what Josiah needed for the rest of his reign.
So, where did the book come from? No one really knows the answer. But my suspicion
is that it was written by an early priest from the oral traditions of the
sayings of Moses in the time immediately before his death. But for some reason
it was hidden within the Temple, until it was finally revealed by the hand of
God just when King Josiah needed to hear the words, so that he could truly
learn to be God’s king.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Deuteronomy 18
No comments:
Post a Comment