2nd Kings 23 BACK TO BASICS Covenants are established when agreements are made between two parties, individuals or groups. Each has to understand and accept the agreements and then the sincerity of both is tested by each dying to self- interest only and living with the welfare of the other covenanter as our basic objective. This is what is involved in our redemption. Christ died for us - we die to self and live for Him. The same is true in marriage. One dies to a self-centered, self-occupied life, and chooses to lives with the interests and well-being of the one with whom we have formed the marriage covenant. When each fulfills the terms of the covenant, there is meaning, purpose, beauty and happiness in life.
God had formed a covenant with Israel generations before Josiah became king. Apparently, he was not aware of the terms of the covenant, nor even understood how serious those terms were. Hezekiah was notable as a king for his faith. Josiah was notable for his obedience to the Lord. When he heard the words of the book found in the temple, he was frightened, humbled and shocked by what God had said compared to what was going on in the nations he led. Wisely, even though he was a comparatively young king, he called the nation together to hear what had made and kept them as a nation. The people came together, heard him read the word of God, responded out of respect for Josiah their leader, but never took it personally for themselves by repenting of their own guilt before God. Their worship was no more than a temporary change of religion. They pledged themselves to the terms of the covenant, but not to God.
It is possible to go along with that which is accepted because it is the easiest way to adapt to the present situation without having a personal relationship with God and thus the terms of the "New Covenant (Testament)." When one is truly humbled before the Lord and is conscious of the holiness of God and one's own sinfulness, that person realizes their need of cleansing from sin and new life in Christ. The gap between what God expects of us as His children and the honest recognition of who we are, brings us down in repentance to where we put our personal faith in Christ. That in turn generates a desire in our hearts to obey and serve Him.
When Josiah stood by that pillar and read the word of God to the people, there must have been a great silence as they listened and stood to pledge themselves to take action according to what they heard. From the lewd carvings that made up the "groves" in the "high places" to the grinding up of the images that had been placed in the temple; all the things that had led the people to idol worship were destroyed. Even to spreading ashes over the graveyards was with the intention of ridding them of the defilement of the sexual idolatrous practice in which they had been involved. There were altars to the stars on the roof that had to be destroyed; altars that had desecrated the temple to be thrown into the fires of "gehenna" in the valley of Kidron. The "Mount of Corruption" was the mount of Olives where Solomon had built "high places" for the worship of idols.
When we realize things are wrong and the terrible state that sin caused to bring God's work to a stand-still; it is not enough to bemoan the state of affairs. Something must be done. Action is called for to correct the wrong. it is also important to do what is right even though it may have been ignored for years. To "clean house" of every thing that is wrong in one's life or the life of an assembly - even a nation, leaves us "empty, swept and garnished." That leaves us open to the intrusion of satanic influence and worldly attractions that leaves us in a worse condition than we were in before.
The "Great Passover" was certainly an indication of the desire of Josiah to do what was right. It seems like the Feast of Passover was carried out in a way that seemed right. Instead of each family being responsible to do what was right according to the word of God, the Passover was conducted in a setting in which the Levites killed the lams and the nation celebrated this in Jerusalem rather than in their homes as responsible families.
It is possible for us to forget the spiritual significance of an event and just consider it a ritual we observe. When that happens, we are inclined to do what we do to suit ourselves instead of a sincere commitment to recall the origin and meaning behind an observance. The intention of the Passover was to keep alive the memory of Israel's divine deliverance from bondage in Egypt which was the foundation of their existence as a nation. It is good to a degree, to observe holidays and the reasons for them, but unless there is a response in the hearts of those who participate, there will be very little impact on the lives of those who keep these days. The Lord's Supper in many "Christian churches" has been demeaned to a mere ritual rather than a vital memorial of our Lord Jesus Christ - His death, burial and resurrection.
From the beginning of Josiah's reign under the teaching and influence of godly mentors to the end, he did not stop in bringing about the reforms and renewal to the Lord's people. With total dedication he served the Lord by doing all he could to cleanse the land from the polluting influences of idolatry and spiritual decay. He recognized sin for what it was and acted to eliminate the sinful practices that had become common-place. But he went a step farther in that he went after the causes of sin to remove not only the sinful practices, but that which made them happen in the first place.
Relationships that are formed with other people who do not want God to interfere in their lives, is a cause for departure on the part of a child of God. The practices of our lives including our habits, daily routines and the patterns of living we have accepted also cause departure and must be rejected and/or changed or totally forsaken. Temptation is constantly placed before us by the world, the flesh and the devil with the objective of bringing us down and defeating the covenant relationship God has made with us.
Unfortunately, Josiah ignored the prophetic warning against going out to battle against the king of Egypt and he died at Meggido. We are never immune from self-will and can make serious mistakes even though we may have done much good. The results of revival and renewal do not remove the consequences of acting independently of the will of God. The respect people had for Josiah was only outward, and in a short time under the leadership of Josiah's sons who did not have respect for the word of God, the people returned to their old ways and were taken away as captives. One son became a captive in Egypt, another was a greedy, dishonest and unjust leader whose name was changed and ultimately became a captive in Babylon.
As much as we desire the best for our children and teach them the word of God in the hope that they will accept Christ for themselves and live for God - we cannot make that happen. Our will for them is not the controlling power in their lives. They have their own will. If they personally choose to take responsibility for their own sin in the light of God's word; if they repent of sin and turn in faith to Christ for salvation; and if they are obedient to the Lord and God's word - they will find what they need and we will be glad. But it is not in our power to make it happen. "Salvation if of the Lord." "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land" - Isaiah wrote.
2Kings 23:2. “And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.”
THE BIBLE READING. They came together every one, Father and mother, daughter and son – And in a voice loud enough to hear so all could take heed To what God had said to His people in the past, The king read, so they would understand covenants were made to last – And God intended that each and every one should hear The positive and negative results of reverential fear.
Now they come in, in companies of one or two If it is convenient and the game is through. And someone asks where we read last week –
As people are thumbing through their Bibles trying to seek Some verses to compare the reading with those in another place Instead of reading the passage and taking its value at its face – They give elaborate explanations to something that is very plain – Missing the simple truth, they would learn if they read it again.
A number of old men walk in with Bibles so big And mount a platform before watchers – these men know how to dig Things that the common people are bound to miss – We need to hear them if scriptures we are going to properly assess – And we won’t get the point if we don’t know the tenses Which in turn results in young people breaking down the fences – And everything fails miserably because they don’t understand All the explanations given by a bunch of old men.
Why not go back to the early reading where people listened to God Make things plain to His people as a king read God’s Word, And paid heed to His will by applying the simple truths Given in writing and by the reading of it was revealed the worth Of acting on what we already know, then come back for more So we are not relegating or relating scripture to ancient folklore, But accept it as relevant to our present day and age – Finding truths there to live by on every single page.
“Father, may it be true that I have learned Thy truth in Thy Word by Thy Spirit, and from it practice Thy will in Thy way, In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”