God’s Word and Israel

Joshua understood the importance of leading a biblically literate people, so he began and ended his forty years of leadership by promoting Bible literacy: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8, nkjv). He continued, “Be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, lest you turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left” (Joshua 23:6, nkjv).

Like conjoined twins, the lack of Bible literacy and spiritual declension are evident throughout Israel’s history. Following the death of Joshua Israel entered into a four-hundred-year dark period characterized by idol worship and sexual immorality. Israel’s first king, Saul, did not refer to the Book of the Law. Disobedience toward God, irreverence toward Samuel, and continued defeat by the Philistines characterized his reign. King David personally extolled the Word of God, but Scripture does not record the public reading of the Book of the Law during his reign.

King Josiah discovered the Book of the Law in the temple and tore his clothes at its reading (see 2 Kings 22:11). Josiah gathered all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem and “he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 23:2, nkjv). As a result Israel experienced one of its greatest revivals.

Israel’s relationship with the Book of the Law teaches every generation the importance of Bible literacy.

Thank You, Father, that I have the Scriptures in my language. Help me to know, obey, and teach Your Word to the following generation. Amen.