20140627 Friday, June 27 2014
2 Kings 22: What Did Moses Prophesy About The Law Of Salvation?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law

King Josiah of Judah (see Josiah of Judah) was one of the most righteous kings that Israel and Judah ever knew: "He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left."

"22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 22:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left." (2 Kings 22:1-2 KJV)

Moses would have recognized Jesus Christ as the manifestation of the LORD God because Moses saw and spoke to the LORD "face to face" ("33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" Exodus 33:11 KJV; see 1 Corinthians: That Rock Was Christ and The Moses And Elijah Vision). The "law of Moses" was actually the Law of the LORD that the LORD gave to him for all of humanity. Moses never knew the "Judaism" that was created as the state religion of the Kingdom of Judah, centuries after Moses (see Israel In History and Prophecy: Judaism and The Politics Of The Two Kingdoms; also Israel Never Knew Purim, Hanukkah Or Judaism).

To prophesy means to "predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration," while a prophecy is what is prophesied. After the LORD gave Moses the Book of the Law, Moses instructed the High Priest and the attendant Levites about what to do with the Book of the Law, and what was going to happen to anyone if they deserted the Law of the LORD to follow Satan's way of lawlessness and perversion (see also Who Lights Your Walk?).

"31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 31:25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. 31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death? 31:28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. 31:29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands." (Deuteronomy 31:24-29 KJV)

Judaism did not exist before the Babylonian exile of the people of Judah, but the actual law of the Messiah was already being ignored in favor of a religious nationalism in the time of the last kings of Judah (see also The Seven Kings Of Judah On The Samaritan Frontier). The incident in which Hilkiah, the High Priest, was surprised to discover the Book of the Law in the neglected Temple of the LORD (the reason that righteous Josiah ordered the repairs and long-overdue maintenance to be done - during which the Book of the Law was found by the very man who should have been living by and teaching it every day of his life) is a stark and pathetic testimony that the people did exactly what Moses said would happen: "For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands."

"22:3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying, 22:4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: 22:5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to repair the breaches of the house, 22:6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 22:7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 22:9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. 22:10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king." (2 Kings 22:3-10 KJV)

The solely-prophetic Temple purpose was not the responsibility of the king (the Levite ministry was created long before the Israelite monarchy; see When Were The Levites Set Apart? and The Prophecy Of The Blood Upon The Anointed One), so Josiah was not aware of what should be done. He therefore commanded the negligent High Priest to "enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us."

"22:11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 22:12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, 22:13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us." (2 Kings 22:11-13 KJV)

Hilkiah sought and was given the Word of the LORD from "Huldah the prophetess, who was the wife of a Levite "keeper of the wardrobe" (see The Levite Clans to understand how the Levites were divided into groups of responsibilities). The LORD answered with a rebuke for the negligent priesthood, but a blessing for the righteous young king who brought about their correction.

"22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

22:15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 22:16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 22:17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

22:18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; 22:19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD. 22:20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place.

And they brought the king word again." (2 Kings 22:14-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: Why did the Messiah command, to the Christians that He was taking to, "5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20 KJV)?
See Christ Died For Repentant Sinners and Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?