GOOD KING JOSIAH: 2 Kings 21-22 & 2 Chronicles 34-35 (Days of the Prophet Zephaniah & of early Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah)
There were 3 particularly great Kings of Judah in the OT: David, Hezekiah, and Josiah. We might regard Josiah as the greatest, because he came near the end of the Kingdom of Judah, when wickedness has advanced so very greatly, what with sodomy at the Temple (men lying with men), idolatry, and child-sacrifice. The conditions remind me of the USA today; so the question is asked, "Do we need a President Josiah"? Could the Hispanic population of the USA take up the cause of protecting babies against murder (by abortionists) and the cause of making Sodomy again a crime?
The Situation into which Josiah was born:
King Manasseh preceded Josiah. Manasseh was so extremely wicked, that the Lord declared that for the sins of Manasseh, the Lord was going to destroy Judah.
Manasseh . . . did that which was evil in the sight of YHwh, . . . abominations . . . he reared up altars for Baal, . . . and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of YHWH. . . altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of YHWH. And he made his son to pass through the fire, and . . . and dealt with them that had familiar spirits and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of YHWH, to provoke him to anger. And he set the graven image of Asherah . . . in the House of . . . YHWH . . . .
And YHWH spake by his servants the prophets, saying, 11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, . . . I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; . . .
18 And Manasseh . . . was buried in the garden of his own house, . . . .
the people of the land made Josiah . . . king . . . .
King Josiah's Success
22:1 Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign; and he reigned 31 in Jerusalem: . . .
2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of YHWH, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
2Kings 22:3 And it came to pass in the 18th year of king Josiah, that the king sent . . . to Hilkiah the high priest, . . .
to repair the breaches of the house, . . . .
2Kings 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said. . . , I have found the book of the law in the house of YHWH. And Hilkiah delivered the book . . .
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. . . .
Huldah the prophetess, . . . to them, Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me, 16 Thus saith YHWH, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read. 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18 But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of YHWH, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard, 19 because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before YHWH, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith YHWH. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
23: . . . 3 And the king . . . made a covenant before YHWH, to walk after YHWH and to keep his commandments . . . . with all his heart, and all his soul, . . . . ; and all the people stood to the covenant.
[2 Chronicles 34:33: And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Jehovah their God. All his days they departed not from following Jehovah, the God of their fathers.]
[Jeremiah 3:6-9: ". . . YHWH said . . . in the days of Josiah the king, . . . Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Jehovah.]
2Kings 23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest . . . , to bring forth out of the temple of YHWH all the vessels that were made for Baal, and . . . for all the host of heaven, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, . . . 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests [like wicked judges?] whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, . . . . . . . 7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of Jehovah,. . . ; and he brake down the high places . . .
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. 11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Jehovah,. . . ; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
. . . 13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, . . . , which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for . . . Chemosh the abomination of Moab, . . . the king defiled. . . .
2Kings 23:15 Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, . . . he brake down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, . . . 19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Jehovah to anger, Josiah took away, . . . And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them; and he returned to Jerusalem.
2Kings 23:21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto Jehovah your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant. 22 Surely there was not kept such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, . . .
nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem.
. . . 25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
. . .
King Josiah's Tragic Defeat
2Kings 23:29 In his days Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh-necoh slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him, . . . .
2 CHRONICLES 34-35L
2Chr. 35:20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations unto this day; . . . .
[Application: Pray first & trust the Lord for wisdom; then act. No matter how holy our behavior may be, no matter how long we have walked with God, the danger is always there, the danger of acting without the Lord in our flesh.
Are we strangers & pilgrims? or salt & light to the world? Or both? Should we pray only or also act to bring in a President Josiah and to put an end to baby-murder & flagrant sodomy? Could the Hispanic population of the USA help this happen?]
There were 3 particularly great Kings of Judah in the OT: David, Hezekiah, and Josiah. We might regard Josiah as the greatest, because he came near the end of the Kingdom of Judah, when wickedness has advanced so very greatly, what with sodomy at the Temple (men lying with men), idolatry, and child-sacrifice. The conditions remind me of the USA today; so the question is asked, "Do we need a President Josiah"? Could the Hispanic population of the USA take up the cause of protecting babies against murder (by abortionists) and the cause of making Sodomy again a crime?
The Situation into which Josiah was born:
King Manasseh preceded Josiah. Manasseh was so extremely wicked, that the Lord declared that for the sins of Manasseh, the Lord was going to destroy Judah.
Manasseh . . . did that which was evil in the sight of YHwh, . . . abominations . . . he reared up altars for Baal, . . . and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of YHWH. . . altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of YHWH. And he made his son to pass through the fire, and . . . and dealt with them that had familiar spirits and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of YHWH, to provoke him to anger. And he set the graven image of Asherah . . . in the House of . . . YHWH . . . .
And YHWH spake by his servants the prophets, saying, 11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, . . . I will wipe Jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. 14 And I will cast off the remnant of my inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies; . . .
18 And Manasseh . . . was buried in the garden of his own house, . . . .
the people of the land made Josiah . . . king . . . .
King Josiah's Success
22:1 Josiah was 8 years old when he began to reign; and he reigned 31 in Jerusalem: . . .
2 And he did that which was right in the eyes of YHWH, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
2Kings 22:3 And it came to pass in the 18th year of king Josiah, that the king sent . . . to Hilkiah the high priest, . . .
to repair the breaches of the house, . . . .
2Kings 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said. . . , I have found the book of the law in the house of YHWH. And Hilkiah delivered the book . . .
11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. . . .
Huldah the prophetess, . . . to them, Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: Tell ye the man that sent you unto me, 16 Thus saith YHWH, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read. 17 Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it shall not be quenched. 18 But unto the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of YHWH, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel: As touching the words which thou hast heard, 19 because thy heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before YHWH, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith YHWH. 20 Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.
23: . . . 3 And the king . . . made a covenant before YHWH, to walk after YHWH and to keep his commandments . . . . with all his heart, and all his soul, . . . . ; and all the people stood to the covenant.
[2 Chronicles 34:33: And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Jehovah their God. All his days they departed not from following Jehovah, the God of their fathers.]
[Jeremiah 3:6-9: ". . . YHWH said . . . in the days of Josiah the king, . . . Judah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Jehovah.]
2Kings 23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest . . . , to bring forth out of the temple of YHWH all the vessels that were made for Baal, and . . . for all the host of heaven, and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, . . . 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests [like wicked judges?] whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, . . . . . . . 7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were in the house of Jehovah,. . . ; and he brake down the high places . . .
10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. 11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of Jehovah,. . . ; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire.
. . . 13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, . . . , which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for . . . Chemosh the abomination of Moab, . . . the king defiled. . . .
2Kings 23:15 Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, . . . he brake down; and he burned the high place and beat it to dust, . . . 19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Jehovah to anger, Josiah took away, . . . And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there, upon the altars, and burned men’s bones upon them; and he returned to Jerusalem.
2Kings 23:21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto Jehovah your God, as it is written in this book of the covenant. 22 Surely there was not kept such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, . . .
nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; 23 but in the eighteenth year of king Josiah was this passover kept to Jehovah in Jerusalem.
. . . 25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to Jehovah with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
. . .
King Josiah's Tragic Defeat
2Kings 23:29 In his days Pharaoh-necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and Pharaoh-necoh slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him, . . . .
2 CHRONICLES 34-35L
2Chr. 35:20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war; and God hath commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations unto this day; . . . .
[Application: Pray first & trust the Lord for wisdom; then act. No matter how holy our behavior may be, no matter how long we have walked with God, the danger is always there, the danger of acting without the Lord in our flesh.
Are we strangers & pilgrims? or salt & light to the world? Or both? Should we pray only or also act to bring in a President Josiah and to put an end to baby-murder & flagrant sodomy? Could the Hispanic population of the USA help this happen?]
