Josiah Follows God’s Word

In the process of cleaning out and rebuilding the Temple, the priests found a copy of the covenant between God and Israel.  Knowing how dedicated Josiah was to God, the high priest sent it to the king as described in II Chronicles 34:14-18.  “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.  And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.  And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.  Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.”

Josiah had been doing his best to serve God for year, following what the priests had told him they were supposed to do, but this was the first time he had actually heard the scriptures of himself.  Josiah was shocked to realize how much difference there was between their traditions and God’s word.  He sent the priests and scribes to Huldah, the prophetess to find out what the consequences of not keeping God’s word would be, according to II Chronicles 34:19-22.

“And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes.  And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying,  Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.  And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.”

Even when they were trying to serve God, Judah had not been concerned enough to study God’s word in detail to see what he commanded, but had just followed the Jewish traditions.  Huldah told them that there would be serious consequences for their failure to keep God’s word, in II Chronicles 34:23-25.   “And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.”

Though they were sincerely following the Jewish traditions, Judah was not obeying God.  Many of the things he had commanded were not being done, and those that were done were done according to man’s ideas rather than God’s command.  Isaiah 29:13 describes the attitude of the people.  “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.”  Sadly, many Christians today are in the same position, following the traditions of their church, rather than God’s commands.  If they are to receive God’s richest blessings, they will need to be like Josiah.

In II Chronicles 34:26-28, God promised to reward Josiah for his efforts to do what God said, not just what their tradition said.  “And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.  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 that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.”

 Knowing What God actually said, Josiah was able to do far more to please God than any of the kings before him, including Hezekiah.  II Chronicles 34:29-33 describes some of the things he did.  “Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.  And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.

And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, 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 which are written in this book.  And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.  And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.”

Josiah insisted they keep God’s commands, not just the traditional ones.  II Kings 23:24-25 tells us, “Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.  And like unto him was there no king before him, that 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; neither after him arose there any like him.”