Because He Served God, Josiah Would Escape Destruction

Eighteen years after Josiah became king, they began to repair and refurbish the temple.  In the process of cleaning things out, Hilkiah the priest found a copy of the Old Testament Law which had not been seen since Hezekiah’s death.  It was an important find, which they quickly brought to the king’s attention, as II Chronicles 34:14-18 points out.  “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.”

For eighteen years, Josiah had been trying to serve God, based on the traditions and memories of the priests and Levites.  He was shocked to learn how little of the Law they had kept.  Sadly, we see the same thing in churches across America today.  Though God’s Word has been there all the time,  few have bothered to read it, and even fewer to actually study and practice it.   When they begin to see what the Bible commands, like Josiah, many are shocked. 

Josiah sent a group of people to find out what they needed to do in order to escape God’s judgement, in II Kings 22:11-13.  “And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.“

Huldah the prophetess was able to tell them what God said about Judah’s disobedience, in II Chronicles 34:22-28.  “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.

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.  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.”

Beause of their continued sin, Judah was going to face all the judgments God had promised as a result of such sin.  However, the sin was not Josiah’s fault, and because of his efforts to turn them back to God, he would be allowed to finish his reign in peace, without having to see the consequences of their sin.   It is much like the promises to the churches at Smyrna and Philadelphia in Revelation 2 and three, when he promised that because of their faithfulness, they would not experience the same conflicts as the other churches around them.