Public reading of Scripture

For Jesus’ disciples, repeating obvious truths in a memorable manner becomes a daunting challenge. We say, rightly, reading God’s Word is essential to spiritual health, but frequently give little instruction to “how” to read God’s Word. For instance, recently a mature disciple of Jesus said, “I never knew that!” when she heard that the daily reading five Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs monthly helped establish rhythms in worship and built an internal encyclopedia of wisdom.

The turning point of Josiah’s reign in Judah occurred when Hilkiah found a book in a temple closet. The Law of God was in a state of disuse. Biblical illiteracy allowed kings and subjects to cook their children on altar spits as sacrifices to pornographic gods. Their behavior may have caused the grossest of people to hang their heads in embarrassment.

Josiah said, “Read the book!” “When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

A national revival broke out in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah when the Word of the Lord was read from a scaffold they had erected! The ordination charge read to ministers before the laying on of hands by spiritual elders includes, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching,” taken from Paul’s letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:13). It seems obvious that our worship services should include spirited, well-read, lengthy passages of Scripture read aloud and with an expectation that God’s Word would work powerfully.

When Hezekiah heard the words of the book, he began a movement of national repentance. ”He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them. It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard. Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives.” (2 Kings 19:1ff)

What might happen if a leader among us would stand still, listen to the Word of the Lord, and then lead God’s people in a widespread movement of humbling repentance? Is it possible that the Lord would heal our nation if spiritual leaders led by reading of God’s Word in the hearing of those against whom they hurl angry invectives? If prayers by the brokenhearted followed, maybe all the laws and political gerrymandering would be unnecessary.