More on Josiah Humbling Himself Before the Lord

by Bob Hoekstra

"Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard - because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD..."your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and it inhabitants" (2 Chronicles 34:26-27).

King Josiah was a godly ruler, who purged the land of idolatrous activities. When the neglected word of God was discovered in the temple, he responded humbly as he heard it read. "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes." He thereby escaped the judgment that was deserved by the rebellious people. Also, this appropriate wrath was postponed until after his reign.

These blessings of grace came because of Josiah's humble response to God's word. His heart was soft when he heard the word of the Lord: "Concerning the words which you have heard - because your heart was tender." The attitude of the heart toward the Scriptures is pivotal if a person is to experience God's grace at work in his life. A hardhearted response to the word of God does not receive the grace of God.

The Israelites in Zechariah's day were a sad example of this. The Lord sent His word to them, "But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 7:11, 12).

Josiah's attitude was a vivid contrast. "You humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants." He did what James would later call God's people to do. "Receive with meekness the implanted word" (James 1:21). Josiah's humility was so evident. "You humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me."

The result was that Josiah would enjoy the grace of God. His time of leadership would not have to go through the wrath that the people deserved from their previous rebellion and hardheartedness. "Your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants."

Dear Lord, I confess that I have not always responded in humility before Your word. I thank You for Your forgiving grace. Yet, even more, I hunger for Your transforming grace. Shape my heart into a tender vessel that will meekly receive Your holy word, day by day, for Your honor and glory, Amen.

Getting to Know Jesus: 1 Thessalonians 3

3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;

3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Josiah Humbled Himself Before the Lord

by Bob Hoekstra

"Then Hilkiah answered and said..."I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD"...Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes"...and said "...great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD" (2 Chronicles 34:15, 19, 21).

When Nebuchadnezzar and Manasseh humbled themselves before the Lord, our great God poured out amazing grace upon these formerly godless and prideful kings. Of course, it is not necessary to first be rebellious in order to be humbled and to become a recipient of further grace from God. This truth is illustrated by Josiah humbling himself before the Lord.

Josiah began to reign in Jerusalem at a very young age. "Josiah was eight years old when he became king" (2 Chronicles 34:1). When he was yet in the teen years, he began to pursue the Lord. "For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David" (2 Chronicles 34:3a). His quest for God led him to serve the Lord faithfully and courageously by destroying the implements of idolatry in the land.

"In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down" (2 Chronicles 34:3b-4).

Later, he ordered the temple to be repaired. "Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent"...various leaders..."to repair the house of the LORD his God" (2 Chronicles 34:8).

There, they found copies of God's word, which had been neglected for many years. "Then Hilkiah answered and said...'I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.'" Immediately, they took these precious writings to King Josiah. "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes."

The Lord had instructed His leaders to rule by the truth of His word. "It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book...And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes" (Deuteronomy 17:18, 19).

Josiah was humbled with intense grief, knowing this had been neglected and that severe judgment was in order. "Great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD."

O Lord God, my heart is torn when I think of the way Your word is neglected today. National leaders generally ignore it. Many church leaders compromise it. I have not given it appropriate attention. Let me be a Josiah in these wicked days, Amen.