The Book

8/4/2016

2 Kings 22.1-2 22 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. ² He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Josiah is a popular name nowadays for boys in Christian circles; I know at least three named such. The ancient Judean king Josiah, was the last great hope for revival in Judea before the collapse of the southern kingdom. King Josiah was sold out to following the Law God had given to His people.

Josiah became king at eight years old. (I don’t know any eight-year-olds I would entrust to be my king.) But surely he had priests and counselors behind the scenes that helped him until he was old enough to take the reins. And when Josiah was twenty-six, Hilkiah, the priest, found the Book of the Law (their Bible) in, of all places, their very own Temple. Talk about irony.

It was a huge find because the Book had been lost for years; and though everyone believed in it (as a Book), not everyone followed it, and it was largely ignored. So, for this king to have the Book, it meant the kingdom would be ruled differently than it had been previously. King Josiah found the key to success: obedience to God’s law.

Just to confirm the discovery, Josiah sent the priest, Hilkiah to a prophet named Huldah asking her what all this meant and she responded: Well, Joey,  ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ (2 Kings 22.16-17) Bummer.

However, she also said to Josiah: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’” (2 Kings 22.19-20)

Josiah acted correctly: he humbled himself at the discovery of the Book and lived to obey it. By that time in their history, the Jews were past the point of recovery, so God proclaimed it would be on future peoples that imminent disaster would come. The key to Josiah’s success was humility and obedience – what about us?

God doesn’t require me to follow a Law, but He does require me to humbly obey Him. As I commune with God and seek Him in my life, I am to inquire earnestly, listen carefully, and obey entirely. His promise as I do, is to commune with me, and use my life for His Kingdom, and the good of others. Pretty simple plan.

Father, use me as I do as You command. I pray for success in life as I obey You! Amen.