Sunday School Lesson
Sept. 22, 2002
A NEW BEGINNING
Bible Background—2 Chronicles 34-35; 2 Kings 22-23
Focal Verses—2 Chronicles 34:1-3, 21, 29-33
Devotional Reading—Psalm 119:1-8
LESSON AIM
1. We will be able to narrate the events surrounding Josiah’s revival
2. We will be able to assess King Josiah’s response to the WORD of GOD
3. We will be able to examine and determine our own response to GOD’S WORD today.
“Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before GOD, when thou heardest his words…I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD” (2 Chronicles 34:27).
Josiah, who became King of Judah when he was 8 years old, did what was right in GOD’S eyes and began to remove all elements of idol worship (vv.1-3). The heart of this king is revealed by his actions. When a book of the law was in the temple, Josiah wanted to find out what GOD’S law required (v.21). The king gathered all the people of Judah and Jerusalem and read the book of the covenant to them (vv.29-30). Josiah made a covenant with GOD to keep the words of the book; then he made all present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin swear to it (vv.31-32). To show that his commitment was complete, Josiah removed all the idols from the territory, and for the rest of his life the people followed GOD (v.33).
GOD gives us opportunities to redirect our paths. In this lesson, we see the providence of the LORD as the people of Judah once again discover the ways of the LORD. Here we see the fruits of repentance in action. First, there is revelation of the divine standard. Next, there is a commitment to change in light of GOD’S standard to act differently. But this commitment to act differently is not based solely on human will. It’s a covenantal act that acknowledges the fact that without GOD any such commitment falls flat. In addition, we see that a leader may commit to obey GOD, but the people also need to understand this commitment and to buy into it for themselves. Josiah got the people to commit to this covenant, thus making sure that evil manners did not corrupt the good intention. This created accountability. Finally, there was the actual removal of the idols. This lesson shows us the steps we must take as we seek to move from the possibility of judgment to the blessing of restoration.
By way of background, Judah was once again under the leadership of a godly king. The hearts of the people had no doubt been pricked by the dire message of GOD delivered by the Prophet Zephaniah. You must remember that the people of Judah were notoriously stubborn. The fact that altars had been torn down and images ground up lets us know that these vestiges of immorality remained throughout the kingdom despite the intensive efforts of King Hezekiah. Now that they have heard the WORD of GOD from the man of GOD, their hearts are ready to be revived.
1. PRELUDE TO REVIVAL (2 CHRONICLES 34:1-3)
Josiah’s reign started off on a positive note. As a very young boy, he did the right thing “in the sight of the LORD.” Josiah was obedient and did what GOD said was the right thing to do. No doubt the young king had the assistance of godly advisors to guide him. In the eighth year of his reign, when he was about 16, we are told that he began to seek the LORD. Josiah must have expressed an intense interest in matters of faith. It is not surprising, then, that in just four years—by the time he was 20—he began reforms that would lead his nation in a great revival.
The heart of the young man had been watered by the divine wisdom of the elders. How important it is for those who have known GOD’S way to pass it on to the new generation.
Even before the revival hit, Josiah was working on cleansing the people from idolatry, but it would seem that these actions were taken based solely on the feeling that they were wrong. Moral consciousness is the prelude to genuine revival. Also, the king and the priests had repentant hearts, which served to prepare them for revival.
Josiah’s efforts extended far beyond the borders of his own territory. Josiah was determined that widespread immorality be put away—not only in Judah, but in all the Kingdom of GOD. This selfless act of inclusion allows us to recognize Josiah’s reformation and revival efforts as the greatest of them all. Josiah went about cleaning up the kingdom and removing all the carved and metal images of false gods that were kept by the pagan worship were cleared and all pagan influences removed.
2. THE REDISCOVERY OF THE LAW (v.21)
So far everyone had done what was right in their own eyes; every god was okay. The people rejected absolutes in religion and morality. But to be renewed, they had to rediscover divine absolutes. The rediscovery of the law must be accompanied by genuine acceptance of its weight. But this book could not be discovered while the temple was in shambles.
The second act of reformation undertaken by Josiah was the clearing and renovation of the temple. Under King Manasseh, his grandfather, and King Amon, his father, the temple had fallen into disrepair. During the cleaning, the high priest Hilkiah “found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses” (v.14). This book (possibly the original copy of Deuteronomy) had been lost for many years.
When Josiah had the law read to him, his reaction was extraordinary. He tore his clothes, symbolizing how strongly he was grieved by what he had heard. Upon hearing the exact commandments of GOD, the king was distressed when he realized how far his people had strayed from GOD. The WORD of GOD had a profound impact on the king because it revealed the sins of the people with absolute clarity.
The rediscovery of the law must lead us beyond fear of what may happen to us personally. It must lead us back to the Lawgiver. Josiah knew this, so he desired an audience with the GOD whose laws had been breached. Josiah immediately commissioned a delegation of religious officials to “inquire of the LORD.” In other words, Josiah wanted to know what GOD wanted him to do about the situation. Josiah expressed his certainty that because the people had strayed so far from GOD’S commandments, the “wrath of GOD” was forthcoming. Now that he had heard the WORD of the LORD, he was ready to take action and do the right thing.
3. THE REVELATION (vv.29-30)
Genuine revival must not only include the rediscovery of absolutes; it must move on to revelation. Revelation implies an opening of the law to all so that its spirit is grasped and lives are changed. True revelation leads to humility before GOD.
Josiah sent a delegation to consult with Huldah the prophetess. Huldah’s prophecy to the delegation revealed that Judah would be punished for her iniquities. However, the fact that Josiah had a tender heart and was humbled by the WORD of GOD had not gone unnoticed by GOD (v.27). GOD graciously designed that Josiah would be spared from seeing his beloved city destroyed.
Josiah could have breathed a sigh of relief and become complacent about the whole matter, but he did not. Instead, his heart was moved to ensure that all of his people heard the Law. Perhaps he hoped that they would be similarly convicted by the WORD and moved to repent and change. Josiah gathered all of the elders and the people “great and small,” and read aloud to them from the WORD of GOD.
4. THE RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT WITH GOD (vv.31-33)
Finally, this revival ended with renewal of commitment. A revival cannot be a revival unless there is a renewal of the relationship between GOD and the people. But it must also result in the renewal of godly relationships between GOD’S people. Josiah entered into covenant with GOD to obey HIS commandments and rules with his entire being. Josiah was not just giving feeble lip service; he knew that true worship of GOD had to be genuine and heartfelt. He compelled everyone present to enter into this same covenant. Again we see Josiah’s unselfish devotion to and care for his people. Josiah had much more than a king’s title; he apparently had a king’s heart.
Such renewal of relationships empowered Josiah to ensure that the covenant made by the people of Judah was honored. He embarked on an intensive campaign against idolatry. The pagan priests were expelled, and Jewish priests who had conspired to participate in pagan worship were stripped of their privileges to serve at GOD’S altar (see 2 Kings 10).
Under Josiah’s courageous leadership, Huldah’s prophecy was fulfilled. For the duration of Josiah’s life, the people of Judah obeyed the WORD of GOD. They heard the WORD of GOD, repented, heeded the commandments, reformed their ways, and changed. They expressed their commitment to faithfulness by becoming not only hearers of the WORD, but doers of the WORD.
Spiritually Yours,
Rev. Chris Lowe, Sr., DD