Back in the day (I never thought I’d really get old enough to use that phrase, but alas…), when our family went to an MLB baseball game, it was not unusual to see an umpire, at times during the game, pull out a small booklet from his pocket – it was the MLB rule book. He would refer to it if there was a conflict with a particular play or ruling on the field. As he read it, it would not be uncommon to see some of the folks in the stands pull out their copies of the same rule book, also trying to interpret the ruling. Once the umpire had consulted the rule book, whatever adjustments needed to be made, were made and the game continued. (Today, umpires just consult instant replay – although not always successfully!)
I thought of that umpiring example of the rule book the other day when I saw on TV on the floor of Congress, several Congressmen in DC pulling out copies of their rule book, The Constitution. They consulted the book and talked with each other as they were discussing a matter hoping to get everyone on the same page. (I personally don’t think getting everyone on the same page in DC is coming anytime soon – too many arguments over that rule book it seems.)
There is yet another example of a group who pulled out the rule book. This one is found in the Bible, in 2 Chronicles 34. A 16-year-old young man named Josiah had recently become king in Jerusalem. His great, great grandfather was King David, a man who had followed God. Sadly, the kings who took the throne after David did not follow God – many of them lead the people so far astray that God’s Word and laws were ignored for generations. However, when Josiah became king, he had Godly men around him who became his advisers. They helped him restore the temple that had been ignored for decades. As they were restoring and cleaning it out, one of Josiah’s advisers came upon the rule book – God’s Word. It had been so long since God’s Word had been read, that when Josiah’s secretary took the scrolls they found to the king and read God’s Word and His laws to him, Josiah knew instantly that they had not been following God’s rule book for many generations! Josiah knew adjustments needed to be made! He was wise enough to know that you don’t change God’s Word to fit the people’s wants, but that the people’s wants must change to follow God’s Word.
So, Josiah sent for a woman named Huldah who was known to be wise and who had been one of the few who had remembered and was following God’s Word. She confirmed courageously exactly what God’s Word said – that they needed to make some changes or there would be dire consequences (See 2 Chronicles 34:19-33). Huldah knew the rule book and played by it, even though most around her did not. She stood courageously and firmly on God’s Word – not bending it for the convenience of others, but obeying God’s Word as He commanded it. Praise God that Josiah listened and he lead the people in making the needed adjustments and they got back to following God’s Word!
We are in similar days, when God’s rule book is being ignored, or changed, for others’ conveniences. We as people of faith are being called upon in these days to have courage and to stand strong on God’s Word in our families, in our businesses, in our churches, in our schools, in our communities. We need to pray that God will lead His people to recognize it is time to return to Him and His Word, to stop compromising and bending His Word. It starts in the heart of each believer, to let God’s Word search each heart and then make the needed adjustments to return to Him. It starts in my heart. Who joins me in pulling out God’s rule book, consulting it daily, making the needed adjustments and choosing to play by it faithfully without compromise? Pull out God’s rule book today!
