Read 2 Chronicles 34
Highlights:
The Temple is repaired and what Treasure do they find (II Chr. 34:14-16)? Don't miss the promise of God to the king and the king's covenant with the Lord. Josiah's godliness is precious (35:24-25) but, after his death, the nation's sins result in their destruction. Decree of Cyrus to rebuild the Temple.
Josiah reigned on David's throne for thirty-one years. It was the last surge of political independence and religious revival before the disintegration of the southern kingdom.
Josiah's religious leadership ranked him with David, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah as an outstanding godly ruler, for he took a firm stand against idol worship and other evils that had permeated his kingdom (II Chr. 34:1-7). Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem. . . . sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the Word of the Lord. . . . And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (35:1,6,18). Josiah's love for God and his righteous example of spiritual leadership has been a blessing to many thousands of us since that time.
Josiah's leadership was abruptly ended when he attempted to stop Pharaoh Necho's plans to attack the Assyrians (35:20-24; II Kin. 23:28-30). From the time of Manasseh, the Kingdom of Judah had been under the control of Assyria. Josiah may have felt obligated to withstand the invasion of Pharaoh Necho. It appears that Josiah did not believe that Necho had received a message from the One True God since Necho was a worshiper of many false gods.
If our God had wanted to stop Josiah, He would have spoken to him, not to an idol worshiper. There is a time to die (Eccl. 3:2). Josiah was a godly man, and it is a fact that all things work together for good to them that love God (Rom. 8:28). Furthermore, there was no reason to believe that God was displeased with Josiah. Compare his life with that of Solomon and others. Josiah died a young man, as did Stephen and Jesus. The thirty-nine-year-old king was fatally wounded at Megiddo. He fulfilled the will of God, who spared him from the tragedies that were soon to come upon Jerusalem and the Temple, and God welcomed him home. There are few people about whom the Bible says: He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left (II Chr. 34:2).
Thought for Today:
Holding forth the Word of Life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain (Phil. 2:16).
Christ Revealed:
Through the messengers of God who were rejected by His people (II Chr. 36:15-16; compare Is. 53:3; Mark 9:12). Jesus came unto His own (his own people), and His own received Him not (John 1:11; also Matt. 21:42; Mark 8:31; 12:10; Luke 9:22; 17:25; 20:17).
Word Studies:
35:13 sod, boiled; 36:3 put him down, deposed him; condemned, taxed; demanded tribute; 36:10 brother, uncle; 36:15 rising up betimes, early every morning.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for International Broadcasts sponsored by Dr. John A. Hash • Staff: Rick Hash • Government Official: Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN), and Del. Madeleine Bordallo (Guam) • Country: Iraq (22 million) in southern Asia • Major languages: Arabic and Kurdish • Fierce harassment of non-Muslims • 96% Muslim; 3% Christian • Prayer Suggestion: Pray in such a manner that others would be encouraged to praise and glorify God also (Jude 1:24-25).
Optional Reading: 2 Corinthians 2
Memory Verse for the Week: John 15:12