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11 Chronicles Chapter 34
Josiah Reigns in Judah
He was the youngest king to reign. He
reigned 31 years and did that which was right. So refreshing to
hear.
- 2Chronicles 34:2 And
he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked
in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the
right hand, nor to the left.
- 3 For in the eighth
year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek
after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he
began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the
groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.
At the age of sixteen, he began to seek
the Lord and walk in the ways of David. Awesome. I love it when I
see young people so dedicated to the Lord and determined to serve
Him with all their heart. It is such a blessing to see.
- 2Chronicles 34:4 And
they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the
images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the
groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake
in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves
of them that had sacrificed unto them.
- 5 And he burnt the
bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and
Jerusalem.
- 6 And so did he in
the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto
Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.
- 7 And when he had
broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven
images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all
the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord. I'm for freedom of
religion but if a religion harms people especially the young
children, I say get rid of it. Idolatry is a danger not only to
children but to whole nations. It is a great insult to God our
creator who is out for our good, not our evil. Jesus also should be
worshipped with reference and respect. He gave His life to die for
our sins. He took our punishment for our sins so that when we
receive this and believe, every sin we have ever committed is washed
away. Gone, and not held against us. Jesus rose from the dead
offering us the same hope if we just believe.
The Book of the Law Found
- 2Chronicles 34:8 Now
in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the
land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and
Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz
the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
- 9 And when they came
to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was
brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the
doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of
all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and
they returned to Jerusalem.
- 10 And they put it
in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house
of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the
house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
- 11 Even to the
artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and
timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of
Judah had destroyed.
- 12 And the men did
the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and
Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and
Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and
other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of
musick.
- 13 Also they were
over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that
wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites
there were scribes, and officers, and porters.
This time we see that those that
received money to repair the house of the Lord, did faithfully what
they were appointed to do. I'm thinking they were so tired of all
the corruption and evil former kings had done. It just takes one bad
king to change everything and destroy what was good. Sounds like
some of our politians today.
- 2Chronicles 34:14
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.
- 15 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.
- 16 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.
It is a shame that the book was ignored
and hidden but it was probably a good thing because one of the evil
kings might have destroyed it. God knows how to preserve His word.
Reminds me of those that found the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. It is
interesting that in May 14,1948, Israel became a nation again after
being destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
Again I repeat, "God knows how to preserve
His word." He knows how to confirm that His word is true.
- 2Chronicles 34:17
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.
- 18 Then Shaphan the
scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a
book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
- 19 And it came to
pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent
his clothes.
We might think someone tearing their
clothes was strange but it was sign of mourning and agony over what
they are hearing or seeing. When the king saw how much his nation
had sinned against God, it grieved his very soul. This is a good
thing. This is the reaction we all should have when we read God's
word and see how nations have sinned and turned their backs against
God.
- 2Chronicles 34:20
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,
- 21 Go, enquire 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.
Josiah must be the one my great
grandfather was named after. I would like to see all nations have
leaders like that one. Sometimes I just hope that Jesus comes in my
lifetime and to see Him coming and gather His people to be with Him
forever.
Huldah Prophesies Disaster
- 2Chronicles 34:22
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.
- 23 And she answered
them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell ye the man that
sent you to me,
- 24 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:
- 25 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.
- 26 And as for the
king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the LORD, so shall ye
say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel concerning the
words which thou hast heard;
- 27 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.
- 28 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.
Josiah was blessed, the evil pronounced
was still going to happen but not in his days. The captivity to
Babylon was still coming because of the great sin of his fathers
before him but he will escape all the judgment of God. It pays to be
faithful to God and not fall away.
I noticed that this prophet was a
woman. God uses godly women. We must remember that. In fact times
now are so desparate that we need as many faithful teachers of the
word that we can get.
- 2Chronicles 34:29
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah
and Jerusalem.
- 30 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.
- 31 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.
- 32 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.
- 33 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.
Talk about revival....this was one of the
greatest ones I've read about taking place in Old Testament times.
So great to see and hear people turning to the Lord. In the days of
the kings, people tend to follow the kings. There are always a few
that do not but they have to remain hidden because they would
probably have been put to death if they don't go along with what the
king decrees. Many prophets are brave enough to warn but as we see
from reading about this period in history, those that speak out are
persecuted and killed. Isaiah and Jeremiah are two that were
persecuted for their words. Strange though that Daniel lived until
he died naturally and he was under the authority of foreign nations
during the captivity. Some tried to have Daniel killed but they were
unsuccessful. DC
11
Chronicles Chapter 35
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