Josiah, the Last Benevolent Monarch of Judah
TEACHER
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Lesson 13
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
2 Chronicles 35.20-27
BASIC BIBLE TEXT
20 After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle.
21 But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.”
22 Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Necho had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.
2 Chronicles 35.20-22
BASIC BIBLE TEXT
23 Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, “Take me away; I am badly wounded.”
24 So they took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.
25 Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.
26 The other events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion in accordance with what is written in the Law of the LORD—
27 all the events, from beginning to end, are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
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2 Chronicles 35.23-27
GOLDEN TEXT
2 Kings 23.22
Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.
AIMS
• know the main features of Josiah's reign;
• understand how Hilkiah's collaboration was fundamental to Josiah's personal and spiritual growth;
• know that God can speak in many ways and through spiritual perception we can understand them.
INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, we will study the life of King Josiah (640-609 B.C.), ruler of Judah, successor of Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Ammon (Mt 1:10; 2 Chron 33:1,20; 34:1).
The young king behaved differently from his predecessors; he walked in the ways of the Lord (2 Kings 22:1, 2), bringing about indispensable changes in the Southern Kingdom. Josiah is considered by most scholars to be the most pious king since David and the last benevolent monarch of Judah (2 Kings 22:1-23; 2 Chronicles 34:1-35:27).
The ten tribes of the North (the Northern Kingdom), after the split, became known as Israel or Ephraim. The southern kingdom, under the leadership of the Davidic house (composed of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin), became known as Judah (MALAFAIA, S. Central Gospel, 2015, p 62).
1. THE WORD OF GOD WAS FOUND
IN THE TEMPLE
In his reform efforts, Josiah led a restoration work on the Temple; on that occasion the high priest Hilkiah discovered an ancient scroll of manuscript, which turned out to be a copy of the Book of the Law (Ki 22:8; 2 Chronicles 34:8, 15).
The high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 34:14) while repairing the temple (621 BC); it is possible that the scroll he found contained the Book of Deuteronomy, as the reforms instituted by Josiah resemble the orders found in this Book (Adapted from: RYKEN, L.; WILHOIT, J. Central Gospel, 2013, p. 109).
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1.1. Events following the discovery
of the Book of the Law
• Hilkiah told Shaphan, son of Azalias – the secretary who helped with the reform – that he had found the sacred scroll inside the Temple. Shaphan then read some portions of the book to Josiah, who was extremely concerned to learn that Judah was completely out of step with God's standards (2 Kings 22:8-10; 2 Chronicles 34:15-18).
1.1. Events following the discovery
of the Book of the Law
• King Josiah tore his clothes in mourning and dismay over Judah's sin (2 Kings 22:11; 2 Chronicles 34:19).
• Josiah ordered Hilkiah to inquire of the Lord about what would happen to the people because of their great sin. The high priest, accompanied by four men, went to the house of Huldah the prophetess, who foretold a word of judgment against the nation.
(2 Kings 22:14-20; 2 Chronicles 34:20-28).
1.2. Josiah the reformer
Upon learning of the prophetic prediction given by Huldah, Josiah promoted a true cleansing in the house of the Lord, removing the idols that were placed in the Temple and removing all the pagan priests (2 Kgs 23. 1-14). His purification work extended across the border of Israel 9 Northern Kingdom) at Bethel (2 Kings 23:15-20).
1.2. Josiah the reformer
Josiah's Deeds |
He destroyed all the altars of Baal, grinding them down to ashes, which were scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to this false god (2 Chronicles 34:4). |
He burned the bones of heathen priests on their own altars (2 Chronicles 34:5). |
He undertook these same reforms in distant cities of his own kingdom (2 Chronicles 34:6). |
At age 26, he began to repair the temple (2 Chronicles 34:8). |
He killed heathen priests appointed by the kings of Judah who preceded him (2 Kings 23:5). He removed the disgraceful idol of Asherah from the temple (2 Kings 23:6). |
He annihilated the house of prostitutes who were in the house of the Lord (2 Kings 23:7). |
He brought back to Jerusalem priests of the Most High God who were living in other cities of Judah (2 Kings 23:8). |
He destroyed the altar of tophet in the valley of Hinnom so that no one could offer sacrifices on it (2 Kings 23:10). |
1.2. Josiah the reformer
Josiah's Deeds |
He overthrew the statues of horses and chariots (dedicated to the use of the sun god) located near the temple entrance (2 Kings 23:11). |
He destroyed the pagan altars built by Ahaz on the roof of the palace (2 Kings 23:12). |
He tore down the altars that Manasseh had built in the two courts of the Temple (2 Kings 23:12). |
He removed the shrines of Ashtoreth (god of Sidon), of Chemosh (god of Moab), and of Milcom (god of Ammon, also known as Maican or Maloch), which Solomon had made for his many wives (2 Kings 23:13). |
He tore down the altar and sanctuary that Jeroboam I had made at Bethel (2 Kings 23:15), thus fulfilling a prophecy of 300 years earlier (compare 1 Kings 13:1, 2 with 2 Kings 23:15) – see Lesson 6, topic 2 |
He demolished the shrines on the hills of Samaria (2 Kings 23:19). |
He exterminated mediums, magicians and soothsayers (2 Kings 23:24). |
Adapted from: WILLMINGTON, H. L. Central Gospel, 2015, p 192.3.
Within the reign of Josiah, a discreet character, and at the same time audacious, stands out: Hilkiah, the high priest.
The positive influence that Hilkiah had on Josiah was essential for the far-reaching religious reforms undertaken in Judah and for the resumption of the celebration of the Passover of the Lord (2 Kings 23:21).
1.2. Hilkiah, the adjunct of reform
1.3.1. Passover celebration resumes
This symbolic act – Passover – emblematically represented the total return to the Hebrew faith. The paschal commemoration in that context exceeded the simple idea of a ritualistic ceremonial; rather, it represented the resumption of a divine commandment, whose objective was to make the people of the Covenant remember how it came into existence after the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian captivity (Exodus 12:21).
1.3.1. Passover celebration resumes
Regarding this biblical episode, Harold Willmington said: This celebration, which had begun in Egypt nearly 900 years earlier (Ex 12), certainly had not been celebrated since the days of Hezekiah, over 60 years ago. But Josiah was determined to correct this delay (Central Gospel, 2015, p. 194). The sacred author, in flagrant rejoicing, recorded: For there has never been such a Passover as this since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah (2 Kings 23:22)
2. JOSIAH'S LAST DAYS
Josiah's story ends abruptly; in fact, his death was a real tragedy, especially as it contrasts with a history of true devotion to the Lord.
2.1. Declared war on Egypt
Josiah was taken back to Jerusalem and buried with much ceremony and melancholy. Jeremiah himself attended the funeral (2 Chronicles 35:23-25). After Josiah's death, Judah would no longer see good kings. Only spiritual degeneration would occur thereafter. Joacaz succeeded his father (2 Chr 36.1) (WILLMINGTON, H. L. Central Gospel, 2015, p. 194).
The pious son of Ammon died making war against Egypt. The biblical text says that when Josiah had finished putting the Temple and the cult in order, King Necho of Egypt marched with his army – crossing the Southern Kingdom – to fight at Carchemish. Josiah then decided to declare war on Necho because of this (2 Chronicles 35:20).
2.1. Declared war on Egypt
Necho tried to dissuade Josiah, saying that there was no conflict between Egypt and Judah, so he asked him not to interfere in the matter, for otherwise God would destroy him in battle (2 Chronicles 35:21).
Josiah refused Necho's offer and attacked him in the valley of Megiddo (2 Chronicles 25:22). The biblical text says that for this reason the last pious king of Judah was killed with arrows (2 Chronicles 25.23, 24).
3. THE THRONE OF JUDAH AFTER JOSIAH
After Josiah's death, his three sons (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah) and his grandson (Jehoiachin) reigned over the Southern Kingdom – they were the last kings of Judah. Each of Josiah's descendants contributed to the further degradation of the nation's spirituality, for they were ungodly men who did not surrender to the sovereign rule of the Lord Jehovah.
CONCLUSION
Josiah did great things for the Southern Kingdom; unfortunately, however, when he was carried away by a sense of self-sufficiency, he was killed, unable to proceed with the reforms and purification of Judah.
May the Holy Spirit make us learn from the history of the kings of Israel and Judah. May He awaken us to a life of total dependence and obedience to His voice (1 Sam. 15:22).
God bless you!
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