The divided nations of the Children of Israel, the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel were interwoven with the nations around them, especially Egypt, Assyria and Babylon. The history is a complicated puzzle through which the LORD built a foundation for the fulfillment of His promises made to Abraham, when He called him out of Ur. Abraham was faithful to the LORD and the divine promises from the Almighty could not fail, even if his descendants failed. The story of the children of Israel becoming divided because of Solomon’s breach of faith; still, it required an ongoing and everlasting commitment of the LORD to be married to the backslider.
Josiah was the last righteous king over Judah. Like his great grandfather Hezekiah, he tore down the pagan places of worship and drove idolatry out of Judah. He turned the people to the LORD. He reversed the evil ways of the reigns of his father Amon and Grandfather Manasseh. His father, Amon, was such an evil king that his servants conspired against him and killed him to make eight year old Josiah king; but it was another eight years before Josiah sought the LORD God of David his ancestor.
2 Kings 21:16-24 ESV Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he made Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. (17) Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh and all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? (18) And Manasseh slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza, and Amon his son reigned in his place. (19) Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. (20) And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as Manasseh his father had done. (21) He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. (22) He abandoned the LORD, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. (23) And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. (24) But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.
2 Kings 22:1 ESV Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
When Josiah was eighteen; the High Priest Hilkiah, sent word through the King’s Secretary, Shaphan, that the book of the law had been found. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it to the King. The WORD of the LORD pierced his heart and he tore his clothes in repentance. At the age of eighteen, Josiah began to seek the LORD and lead the people to the LORD.
2 Kings 22:8-11 ESV And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "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) And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, "Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD." (10) Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king. (11) When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.
Then Josiah sent Hilkiah to inquire of the Prophetess Huldah concerning the words of the Book of the Law and she spoke the WORD of the LORD saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, I will bring disaster upon this place and the people because they have forsaken me for other gods; but to the King of Judah, because he tore his clothes and sought me, he will go to his fathers in peace.
2 Kings 22:14-20 ESV So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter), and they talked with her. (15) And she said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Tell the man who sent you to me, (16) Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. (17) Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. (18) But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, (19) because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. (20) Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place.'" And they brought back word to the king.
Josiah summoned the leaders of the people and declare national religious reform. The nation would repent and turn to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All pagan shrines would be burned to the ground and every pagan god and remnant of their worship would be utterly destroyed. He executed all of the pagan priests on their own altars and burned their bones on those altars as well. Then Josiah ordered the Passover to be observed and it was the first time that the Passover was observed since the days when the Judges ruled Israel. Josiah got rid of all psychics, mediums, witches and every detestable practice, both in Jerusalem and throughout the land of Judah.
2 Kings 23:19-20 ESV And Josiah removed all the shrines also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which kings of Israel had made, provoking the LORD to anger. He did to them according to all that he had done at Bethel. (20) And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there, on the altars, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
2 Kings 23:21-25 ESV And the king commanded all the people, "Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant." (22) For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. (23) But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the LORD in Jerusalem. (24) Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. (25) Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
Many times we underestimate the impact of one peron’s conviction to serve the LORD. Every known revival has always started with one person. One man, William J. Seymour started the Azusa Street Revival in 1906 in a depressed neighborhood of Los Angeles. That revival shaped the Pentecostal Movement of the Twentieth Century and established Apostolic Ministry, a return to the teachings of the Apostles. Revival can start with each and every one of us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you gave the great commission of the Gospel to the Apostles and we are to carry it just as they did. Lead us into your ministry and complete the work that you began in us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment