24.14 Josiah, the King Who Got It Right (Part 3)

Indigenous Faith

In today's third installment on the life of King Josiah, we begin to see that how he ruled gained him the blessing and favor of God. The Lord had favor on not only this king, but the people he ruled over, the Children of Israel. He did several important things as he turned the hearts of the people away from embracing the pagan gods of the nations around them and towards the One True Living God! He began by removing the places of worship that were dedicated over to the pagan gods they were compromising with. He also put time and effort, resources and people, into the repairing of the Temple of God, which had gone through much dismantling and destruction. While doing all this, one of the most significant things happened as the leaders were cleaning the Temple of God out. They discovered stashed away the book of the Law given originally through Moses. As it eventually made it's way into the King's throne room, and they began to read its contents to the king, Josiah wept bitterly when he realized how compromised Israel had become through his father and grandfather's influence and leadership. Josiah makes a covenant with God to restore true worship among God's people, including the commemoration of the Passover and all its celebratory parts. The death angel who passed over those Israeli slaves in Egypt while destroying all the firstborn of the Egyptian people because of the blood on the doorposts was one of the most powerful deliverances God gave to His people before they were released from their slavery by Pharaoh. Bringing that celebration back to Israel was a powerful expression, filled with joy, celebration, and feasting that spread throughout the land. What a contrast this one celebration had on a people who for over four hundred years knew only slavery in a foreign land. No wonder why God's blessing and favor was on Josiah. But all that goodness seems to be tempered a bit by what the last part of 2 Chronicles 35 tells us about Josiah's death. We all will die, of course, but some deaths are more painful than others. Josiah's demise ended on the battlefield, as his body was filled with arrows shot from the enemy forces. In next week's study, Pastor Craig tries to answer the difficult question of why does God allow so much suffering, especially among those who are considered righteous and godly? You won't want to miss that session, dear friend. But first, join hosts Craig and LaDonna Smith as they unpackage what God's Word has to say about this righteous and just king...King Josiah!