THE BOOK OF THE LAW HAS BEEN LOST IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD!

 By Ken Carpenter

2 Kings 22:8-13 8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to 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. 9 So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, “Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the LORD.” 10 Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.
11 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 13 “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

The whole blame for the present degeneration and corruption lies at the door of the church, she tore the ten commandments off the wall of the church long before it was taken down from the classroom and just as the good King Josiah saw the great wrath of the Lord that burned against Judah in his day, can we not see the wrath today that burns against this nation today?

Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness.  Over one third of our children are born out of wedlock, in some sectors of our society, it is over sixty percent.  This nation has murdered over fifty million innocent children in the name of convenience in a lot of cases, yet we have millions of bibles, thousands of churches, ministries with number and yet what an avalanche of sin!  Why?  Because the church is presenting to the world, the New Testament standard of Jesus with a substandard of Christian living!

Products of modern evangelicalism are often said examples of Christianity, they make a profession of faith then continue to live like the world, present day preaching only pays lip service to the concept that a man must recognize himself to be a sinner before he can genuinely embrace the Savior, it is God’s law that convicts us of sin.  Until its condemnation is forcefully preached to a sinner, he will not run to Christ for mercy!  The man, who clearly understands the law, knows that only God’s grace can help him, and what he must do is beg for mercy.

This present moment of history finds more ignorance of God’s law than many previous generations.  Satan has effectually used a very clever devise to silence the law.  He has suggested to the church, that the law and love are enemies.  The law commands for us to walk in love, and love cannot be expressed without the guidelines of the law, and the law cannot be kept except through the guidelines of love to be perfected through Jesus Christ.  

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Law and love have no quarrel.  The conflict arises between the law and grace as a way of salvation.  The law provides no pathway to eternal life for the sinner.  There is no hope under the law and it drives him to God’s grace for justification.  Salvation is by grace through faith.  Therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ that we may be justified by faith.  Galatians 3:24

In America today, men are not turning to Christ with their whole heart because they have no sense of sinning against the Lord.  They have no concept of sin because the law of God is not being preached!  The rich young ruler believed and was moved but he was still lots.  He went forward publicly but he wasn’t saved.  He sincerely asked Jesus about eternal life and was told to keep God’s law but in the end he loved money more and went away sorrowful!  (Matthew 19:16-23)

Today he would have been given a false hope, a counterfeit ticket to heaven (especially being rich) just to walk the aisle and pray the prayer just as many come today, seldom with brokenness or true repentance of the heart so the church is filled with people that “know” of God instead of knowing Him. 

Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name and your name cast out demons and in your name perform many miracles?  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me you who practice lawlessness.  Matthew 7:21-23 That is not counting the ones that do not believe in miracles or demons!

What the law is really saying is that if you do these two things, love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself you have fulfilled the law and you are no longer a law breaker.  But this is impossible without Christ because of your bondage to the selfish flesh worldly nature.

If there is a law, there has to be court.  If there is a court, there has to be a judge.  The judge of God’s court of law is God.  Since there is a judge and a court of law, then there must be officers and a prison.  The powers of darkness are the officers and their bondage is the prison.  The powers of darkness build strongholds and fortresses to destroy as a moth and rottenness in everyone in the world who walks in rebellion to God’s law.  Only those who are fulfilling the law through Christ are protected by God.  YOU DON’T BREAK THE LAW, IT BREAKS YOU!

Since Jesus did not abolish the law, (Matthew 5:17) then what does the law do today?  The law stands today to bring judgment upon all sin. The law brings the wrath of God. (Romans 4:15)  The law brings a curse.  (Galatians 3:13)  The law is a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7) and the law is a ministry of condemnation.  (2 Corinthians 3:9)

In Galatians 5:19 is a list of the works of the flesh that is under the curse of the law.  Now the deeds of the flesh (the nature of satan) are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing and things like those of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

As a baby in the Lord you do not know how to love God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.  The spirit of God will lead you to put to death the works of the flesh one by one.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  Galatians 5:24

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.  1 John 3:3

When a child of God walks in obedience to the Holy Spirit, that person will have peace, rest and confidence to enter the Holy of Holies to the throne of mercy! (Hebrews 4:1-16)  But Christ was faithful as a son over his house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.  Hebrews 3:6

Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.  1 John 3:21 When my heart is condemning me and I have lost my peace, I have no confidence before the Lord, I know that God has a problem with me and it is called SIN!  In this condition I will pray and hope, so I go to my sacrifice, His name is JESUS, and asks “Lord what is wrong”?  Sometimes He will answer right then and say:  It is that evil spoken word against your neighbor, and I hate it!  Sometimes He will wait a few days to teach us to walk in love.  I know I have been spanked by a loving heavenly father.  I know then to get that sin under the blood of Jesus!  I then receive peace, rest and confidence in God.  I then can pray and KNOW instead of praying and hoping.

When I am not submitted to God, it is impossible to resist the attacks of the devil.  Submit therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  James 4:7 The law says to forgive your brother from your heart.  Love says do not take into account a wrong suffered (1 Corinthians 13:5) or you will be turned over to the tormentors (Matthew 18:34-35).

As in the day of King Josiah, the book of the law has been lost in the house of the Lord.  The temple is lying in ruins and the people have been led into captivity, in bondage to wood, bricks and beautiful buildings, chained to debt, imprisoned to numbers, programs and fleshly works for God.  Lulled to sleep with a message of peace and safety, looking for a temple to be built in Israel, with hands, when Jesus Christ himself is building a glorious temple not made with hands.  Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  1 Corinthians 3:6

The sleepy church (foolish virgins) admire and build beautiful buildings for God, while the true craftsman builds up and fits together the body of Christ in love.  And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelist and some as pastors and teachers, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.  From whom the whole body being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies according to the proper working of each individual part, covers the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.  Ephesians 4:11-16 

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.  1 Corinthians 3:9

Also the law had been lost in the day of Ezra and Nehemiah.  It has been lost to us today.  They found themselves in disobedience to God’s law as we have found ourselves in disobedience to God’s law today.  God’s grace brought revival and restoration so HE could rebuild the wall and the House of God in the midst of distress.  The temple today will also be built in the midst of distress and oppositions.  (Traditions of men)  But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped Remnant and to give us a peg in His Holy place JESUS CHRIST, that our God may enlighten our eyes (understanding) and grant us a little reviving (revival) in our bondage.  Ezra 9:8

As in the day of Ezra, the Lord is giving His remnant understanding has He did then, when the people began to have understanding of the law they say the darkness and sin they had been living in and began to repent.  (Nehemiah 9:1-3)

The Lords promises stand today to those who return and become doers of the law through Christ.  God is gathering His elect today.  This remnant recognizes the ruin and desolate condition of the sleepy church today.  She thinks she is rich and wealthy and has need of nothing, but truly she is wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked!  Revelations 3:17

This land is full of people that have spent thirty, forty and even fifty years in the church and on the outside look successful (rich increased), but on the inside (the heart) are torn all to pieces with indecision, confusion, procrastination, suspicion, fear and depression (the works of the powers of darkness).  As God put it into the mind of an escaped remnant to t rebuild the ruins in those days, He is doing the same today. The temple (our hearts) and the wall is built today through repentance and dealing with overcoming all sin in the body of Christ.  This wall of protection is the Lord Jesus Christ.  For I declares the Lord, will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.  Zechariah 2:7-9

And I will shake all the nations and I will fill this house with glory-the latter glory of this house will be greater than the former and in this place I shall give peace (a hedge of protection) declares the Lord of Hosts.  Haggai 2:7-9

In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds (sin)  by which you have rebelled against me; for then you will never again be haughty on my Holy Mountain, but I will leave among you a humble (remnant) and lowly people, and they will take refuge in the name of the Lord.  Zephaniah 3:11-12.

The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of people of the earth fade away.  The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants for they transgressed laws, violated statures, broke the everlasting covenant, trampled underfoot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant.  (Hebrews 10:29)  Therefore a curse devours the earth and those who live in it are held guilty.  Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left (remnant) Isaiah 24:4-6

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.  Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?  Keep your tongue from (speaking) evil (against your neighbor), and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace (a hedge of protection) and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off (destroy) the remembrance of them from the earth. Psalm 34:11-16

Can we not see the wrath of God’s law released upon this nation and all law breakers today?  This judgment comes as a moth and rottenness so the natural man will never see it; he will say “we sure are having a lot of problems here lately!”  The rottenness will turn to a drip, the drip into a trickle, the trickle into as stream, and the stream into a flood!  DO YOU HEAR A TRUMPET BLOWING?

October 1993