2 Kings 23:21 -30 “The king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”
No such Passover had been observed from the days of the judges who had governed Israel through all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah. But in the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
Neither before nor after Josiah was there any king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, according to all the Law of Moses.
Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the fury of His burning anger, which was kindled against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to provoke Him to anger. For the LORD had said, “I will remove Judah from My sight, just as I removed Israel. I will reject this city Jerusalem, which I chose, and the temple of which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’ ”
The Death of Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:20–24)
As for the rest of the acts of Josiah, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
At the end of Josiah’s reign, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt marched up to help the king of Assyria at the Euphrates River. King Josiah went out to confront him, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.
From Megiddo his servants carried his body in a chariot, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.”
Amazing! From the time of the judges onward, the celebration of Passover has become a hit or miss thing, and mostly a miss. Even righteous King David and King Hezekiah have not observed Passover as they should. But now at age 26, Josiah is celebrating a Passover, the likes of which will never be seen again. What makes this Passover so different from those that have gone before? Josiah has cleansed the land and is continuing to do so; consequently, the Holy Spirit is able to descend in a manner previously unknown.
“Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.” The spiritual climate in Judah is better than it has been in years, perhaps ever since the Israelites crossed the Jordan River under Joshua. Mediums and spiritists leave the kingdom or die as prescribed in Deuteronomy. Josiah even succeeds in getting rid of the household gods, those little idols that people keep as family traditions and worship when nobody is looking. This cleansing ushers in a new spiritual era, one in which peace prevails in Jerusalem.
APPLICATION: The tragedy of Josiah is his death at age 39 in a senseless battle. How much do we value the ministries that God has given each of us? Even though Josiah has brought enormous reforms to Judah and Samaria, ultimately, he risks everything to fight a much more powerful ruler. Even the man Josiah is attacking tries to warn him to stay home, but Josiah refuses to listen. 2 Chronicles 35:20 – 21 tells us, “After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!”
Pharaoh Neco is en route to the Euphrates River when Josiah foolishly decides to attack him. Neco actually tries to avoid a fight; however, Josiah insists and is killed. Is Josiah’s death premature, brought on by his own pride? Does Josiah value his reforms so little that he fails to consider what will happen after his death? Certainly, those kings who follow Josiah are terrible, reverting right back to idolatry. Does Josiah consult God before going out after Pharaoh Neco? Is Josiah becoming tired of reform due to an underground movement back toward idolatry? All we know is that Josiah dies at age 39 and his 23 year – old son succeeds him.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to view the ministries that God has given us as OUR ministries! God calls us and empowers us, providing and protecting us. Just as we have no control over that call and the beginning of our ministry, so we also have no control over the scope of the ministry, its expansion, or even when it should end. When Jezebel threatened to kill the prophet Elijah, Elijah was ready to give up and die; however, God refused to allow him to do so. Instead of Elijah winding up as a pile of bones in an obscure cave in the wilderness, God re – commissioned him and eventually took him to heaven in a fiery chariot. Big difference!
Josiah is going to die at some point; the prophetess Huldah has already informed him that God will remove him before Judah suffers its final fate. But Pharaoh Neco insists that God is sending him to the Euphrates and that Josiah should simply leave him alone; instead, Josiah refuses to listen and dies as a result. God allows Josiah to exercise free will to make this poor choice; however, I contend that dying in this fashion is not God’s best for Josiah. Were Josiah to live a few years longer, his reforms would be firmly established and the result might be a withholding of God’s retribution on Judah. But as soon as Josiah dies, his son leads the nation right back into idolatry.
Let us make sure that we not only serve God with our whole hearts but also hang in there and continue to serve Him until He chooses to take us to be with Him. Remember, God is in management; we are only in advertising.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be sensitive to Your timing and to keep to Your schedule, not our own. To the praise and glory of Your holy Name. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment