8-18-20

A couple of weeks ago at Bible study, my friend Melinda brought up King Josiah. The account she told us about him was just fantastic. Then one day last week, I was struggling with some issues. I was praying to the Father, asking for His guidance and discernment. When I got up from my knees, I had this overwhelming need to read about Josiah for myself. Oh the Father used the record of this young king’s life to give so much clarity on what His will is.

You can find the account of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23 and also in 2 Chronicles 34-35. I hope that you all take the time to get out your Bible to study it out too. Here is what the Father showed me about this young king, and I pray that I will forever hold in my heart.

Josiah was just a child of 8 years old when he became king. Yeah, I typed that right, the boy was king and not even double digits! He did right in the sight of the Lord, walking in the ways of David. During the 18th year of Josiah’s reign, he sent a man to the high priest to count the money that was brought into the Father’s house. They were to gather it together and give to workers who were going to be doing some upkeep on the house of the Lord, and to repair things that had been long neglected. As they are cleaning out the temple and gathering the money, the high priest uncovers something amazing, the book of the Law! They brought the book to King Josiah, and read all the words in it to him. Josiah was so overcome by the Father’s Word, that he tore his clothes. The King immediately started to clean house. He tore down the high places in his territory where other gods were being worshiped. He burned all the vessels that were made for other gods. He did away with the priests who were burning incense in the high places to other gods. Josiah cleared out all that was profane among his people.

Directly after this, King Josiah gathered all of the people of the land. He read all the words in the book of the Law before them. Then, they entered into covenant with the Father. They agreed to walk after Him and to keep His commands and statutes with all their heart.

King Josiah began placing everything in his kingdom in order according to the instructions of the Lord. During all this time of returning to the Father’s Word, the Feast of Passover came upon them. The Word says that the Passover they celebrated was unlike any that had been celebrated since the days of the Judges, approximately 424 years.

Josiah passed some short time later. He reigned as king for a total of 31 years, and the Word says that King Josiah turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and might. There was not another like him who arose as king over the Father’s people.

Wow, can’t you just picture all that went on. You guys, the Father taught me so many lessons by directing me to read this Scripture, and in turn I was able to understand the instruction that He was wanting me to follow on my own situation I had been going through.

First, how in the world was the book of the Law lost? I mean, how does a whole group of people who were called to protect and uphold a standard way of living instructed by the Almighty, misplace the very directions to do so? It just seems so insane! The more I thought about it though, the more I was being led to seeing what is actually going on in the body of Christ today. Have we lost the instructions? Are we just out here winging it, following the men before us without consulting the Source? Yes I do believe so. There is so much abomination being filtered into the walls of the Father’s house, it’s enough to make your stomach turn. I’m not over here pointing fingers though, I myself spent so much time searching out man’s interpretation of the Word, or a book by a man about the Bible when I had my own copy of the actual Word!

How did Josiah initiate the finding of the book of the Law? I want you to see something fantastic in 2 Chronicles 34. Verse 3 says this, “For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David…” Josiah began to seek! I know anther Scripture that is written in beautiful red letters from the mouth of our Messiah Himself. Matthew 7:7-8 He says “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Listen friends, if Josiah had not been seeking the Father, he would have never found the Father’s instruction! Isn’t that beautiful!! The Father’s promises are never changing, always true. He is faithful to deliver the guidance needed when we go in search for His Truth! HalleluYah!!

The next thing the Father pointed out to me in this passage was Josiah’s reaction to being confronted by the Word. 2 Kings 22:11 reads, “When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes.” Also 2 Chronicles 34:27 eludes to the fact that the young king not only tore his clothes, he wept before the Almighty! When confronted by his sin and the sin of his people, Josiah was so distraught, he wailed and rent his clothes in disgust and anguish. Oh, that we would all do the same when the Word puts a mirror in front of our faces and we see the iniquity within us. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Word should cut us to the bone, open up a gaping hole so big that no sin can be hidden.

And what happens next when Josiah’s sin is laid out before him in black and white? Did he continue in the way he had always done? Did he just cry and move along? No he didn’t! From that very moment, he changed. He completely turned. He sought the council of the Almighty and transformed every aspect of his life that was unpleasing to the Father!

Oh the next lesson is probably the most wonderful of them all. One of the first orders of business after Josiah orders the riddance of all the abomination among them, 2 Kings 23 says that he gathered all the people together to read the Word. Then verse 3 says, “The king stood by the pillar 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 all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.” Then, shortly after, they celebrated a Feast to the Lord. Not just any feast, but the Feast that calls to remembrance how the Almighty had delivered them from their bondage with a mighty hand! Giving Him thanks for His redemption!

Listen friends, I pray that this Word moves you in a way you have never been moved. I pray that when you are challenged by the Scripture that it leads you to a repentance just like Josiah did! That you throw out all the things learned by man, and seek only the Counsel of the One True God. He wrote all the instructions down for us, there is no need to wing it any longer! His Word is easy and straight forward. I pray that we all understand, that through the blood of Jesus Christ, our debt for our sins is paid. Not for us to continue living in transgression, but to turn and walk in the perfect example of the Messiah, walking in the instructions of the Word made Flesh. The Father gives us the Holy Spirit so we can have the power and the heart obey His instruction He has given us because we are redeemed, and He is a loving Father who we should heed His perfect Counsel. Lastly, I pray that we rejoice before the Lord. Thank Him for having the grace and the love to not leave us in our sin, and thank Him for His deliverance from the bondage of iniquity. I thank you all for taking the time to read this. I pray that you were blessed as I was!