2 Chronicles 35:1-33

The result of obeying the Word of God will always be worship.  Josiah had been seeking the Lord and purifying the land of its idolatrous practices and then He discovered the Word of God as he was cleaning the temple.  The result of his reading the Word of God was genuine repentance that led to worship and praise of the Lord.  God’s Word is a mirror that shows us the sin in our lives it exposes our hearts and shows us our need of forgiveness and grace.  God’s Word also reveals the hope that He provides for forgiveness through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus.  God has constantly revealed in Scripture that there is hope for forgiveness of sin that is found in the cross of Christ.  Hope is what spurs our hearts and stirs our minds to worship.  The truth of God’s word should always reveal our sin, His provision and then promote our worship.

JOSIAH KEEPS THE PASSOVER: Josiah’s Passover celebration was even greater than the one that his great grandfather Hezekiah had celebrated.  He organized the priests and the Levites and then he offered thousands of sacrifices that he dedicated and then that the people brought before the Lord.  The Lord had promised to save His people and had demonstrated this in the land of Egypt but this was also a promise of the ultimate deliverance from sin that would be found in Christ.  The Passover was a symbol of forgiveness that was available through Jesus.  Josiah was obedient to what he read in the Scriptures and sought to keep and follow all the instructions of God’s Word.  This is what he looks for in all of our lives; obedience and worship.


JOSIAH IS KILLED IN BATTLE: When the king of Egypt came to attack Israel but did not have any problem with Judah.  When Josiah came out against him, the king of Egypt warned him that God had sent him and for him not to come out a join in this battle lest he be killed.  It appears that Josiah simply could not believe that the Lord would send Egypt against Israel so he goes out into battle without consulting the Lord to confirm His direction and as a result Josiah is killed in battle.  This is a tragic ending to Josiah’s life as it cut short what could have been a tremendously godly kingdom.  We must be very careful not to assume that we know the desires of God before we inquire of the Lord.

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