The humble King

When I was 8 years old, I wasn’t thinking too much about God, and I certainly wasn’t thinking about how my life could be an example of faithful obedience to him.  I wasn’t much like King Josiah from the bible at all.  Josiah was a young man, well, more precisely, he was a young boy when he became King.  Just out of 2nd grade this impressive character rose to the mantle of King of Judah.  His heritage wouldn’t have given anyone an inkling that he would follow diligently after God.  His grandfather and father were certainly not Godly Kings by any stretch of the imagination, and yet, this 8 year old boy somehow knew that his legacy needed to be different.  God’s ways were engrained into his heart.  We would all benefit from following the example of Josiah.

“He ripped his robes in dismay.”  “He ordered them all:  “Go and pray to God for me and for his people–for all Judah!  Find out what we must do in response to what is written in this book that has just been found!  God’s anger must be burning furiously against us–our ancestors haven’t obeyed a thing written in this book, followed none of the instructions directed to us.”  2 Kings 22:11-13  The Message

When is that last time you ripped your clothes in repentance about a wrong someone else committed?!  This is exactly what Josiah did after hearing the words of God’s impending judgment on the people of Israel, found in the newly recovered book.  (Some suggest that what was found and read to Josiah was a portion of the book of Deuteronomy)  It is difficult for me to take responsibility for my own sins, let alone taking responsibility for the sins of others in my family or others I am associated with.  Josiah sought to honor God by addressing the sins of his people’s past.  What a great testament to his character. 

“You won’t be around to see the doom that I’m going to bring upon this place.”  2 Kings 22:20  The Message

God promised Josiah that he would honor his humility and repentant heart by allowing him to die in peace.  His faithfulness would be rewarded, but perhaps not in the way Josiah might have liked.  For all his efforts to enact worship reforms and to reverse the sinful ways of Israel’s past it wouldn’t be enough for God’s hand of judgment to be averted.  Doom was still on the way.  I can just hear myself saying “but God, what’s the point of me going to all this trouble when your just going to zap all my people anyway?”  Good thing I wasn’t there that day, God would have discarded me in a minute, but not Josiah.  Josiah was obedient to God in spite of knowing his people would not avoid God’s judgment.

“The men took her message back to the King.  The King acted immediately…………..” 2 Kings 22:20, 23:1  The Message

I love the fact that Josiah didn’t hesitate a minute to begin carrying out his reforms.  We must learn from the responsive nature of Josiah’s heart.  He didn’t question, he simply trusted and obeyed. 

When God speaks are you ready to act immediately?  Are you listening?  If you are, you know that he has things he wants us to not only hear, but to act on.  We are his reformers in this world, just as Josiah was in his day.  Are we ready to do our part?  Josiah was.  Are we?

Dave for Wellspring  © 2008