2 Chronicles 34
-Josiah, the boy king, who began to reign at the tender age
of eight lasted 31 years in Jerusalem as a righteous leader of God’s people. He
walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the left or
right. He walked a straight and good path in discipleship by the age of 16, when
began to seek out the God of his ancestors. By the age of 20, he began to purge
Judah and Jerusalem of the high places built to worship pagan entities. He
ridded the land of the foreign gods and false worship systems totally in
obedience to the commands of the LORD (2 Chronicles 34:1-7). By the 18th
year of his reign, when he was 26 years old, after purging the land of its
idolatrous pollution, he began to restore the House of the LORD in Jerusalem
that had fallen into disrepair. Faithful men carried out the work to make
things better for sincere worship to the King of the Universe. In the midst of
this, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses
in the House of the LORD. Shaphan brought the book to the king and read it. When
the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes in a sign of genuine
sorrow and repentance. An inquiry was made for the word of God concerning His
opinions in righteous indignation because the fathers had not observed His
commands to do according to all that was written in this book (2 Chronicles
34:8-21).
-As the search was concluded for a prophetic word, the
prophetess Huldah proclaimed from God, “Behold,
I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses written in the book which they have read in the
presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken Me and have burned
incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works
of their hands, therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it
shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the
LORD, thus you will say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel regarding the words which you have
heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God, when
you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me,
tore your clothes, and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,’ declares the
LORD. ‘Behold, I will gather you to your
fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes shall
not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants (2 Chronicles 34:24-28).’” Josiah made
a covenant before the LORD and all the people “to walk after Him, and to keep
His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and
with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book (2
Chronicles 34:31).” Moreover, he insisted that all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
and Benjamin stand with him in this promise to live according to the ways of
God. Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands of the sons of
Israel and made all who were living in Israel to serve the LORD their God.
“Throughout his lifetime they did not turn from following the LORD God of their
fathers (2 Chronicles 34:32-33).”
-*Application* We see
here another example of how a righteous leader can affect his society much for
the better. Thank the LORD for the men of God raised up in integrity to lead in
our generation. Remember that He is just and will repay, but God will always
give grace to those who turn their hearts completely towards Him. These men are
worth following because they hear from the LORD and obey. Who are some of these
individuals in the modern era that you can think of? If you can, write them a
note of encouragement because it’s not always easy to stand for righteous and
tear down idols of the culture. Personally, I’m thinking of one Phil Robertson about
this time.
Verses to Memorize: 2
Chronicles 34:19, 21, 24-28, 31
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