"When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes."
2 Chronicles 34:19
Josiah was a godly king in Israel. However, before he came to power, the
nation had fallen into all kinds of evil. One man, Manasseh, had
brought the nation to a condition of inexorable evil. God finally had
enough.
"Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going
to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone
who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the
measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the
house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it
and turning it upside down" (2 Kings 21:12-13).
Josiah came into power just before this judgment. He began to clean up
the evil by burning all the idolatrous temples, ridding prostitution and
homosexuality from the streets, and destroying occult shrines. He did
this without the benefit of even reading God's Word, but through the
Holy Spirit working in his heart. Then one day the ancient Scriptures
were discovered in the temple that had lain dormant for years. They had a
profound impact on King Josiah.
When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave
these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah,
Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire
of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is
written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger
that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of
the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in
this book" (2 Chronicles 34:19-21).
Josiah was broken. He tore his robes in repentance. He fell to his knees
and repented for the wickedness of his nation. He stood in the gap, and
God honored Josiah; however, it wasn't enough. God still had to judge
the nation for its previous wickedness under the reign of Manasseh.
"Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before
God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and
because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in
My presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you
to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see
all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who
live here." ... (2 Chronicles 34:27-28).
God spared Josiah during his reign, but after he died judgment came upon the nation.
No nation is immune from God's judgment. Pray for your nation today.
Pray that your nation will have a repentant heart among the leaders and
the people.
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