As a result of finding the lost book of the Law of God, King Josiah was no going to allow this finding be wasted. Everything that occurs in his life since then is the direct result of Scripture in his life. He called for a national reading of Scripture, a covenant from the people to serve God, the eradication of idols from God’s house and the territories of Judah and as far as he could in Israel. Then the Passover celebration like none before. He pulverized paganism in Judah. However, his death was the result of presumption. Still, Josiah was a hero king.
The Beloved Paul
Christianity would have been absorbed in to Judaism as a sect and perished had it not been for this beloved Jewish Christian named Paul. God wanted Paul to settle this question at Jerusalem once and for all: “Must converts to Christ become Jewish (by circumcision) in order to be Christians and be saved?” The answer Paul fiercely upheld was, “Absolutely not!” Then the Holy Spirit who moved Peter and James to fully support this doctrine and they did it with reason, witnesses, facts and Scripture. Then they gave guidelines to the Gentile Christians to be sensitive to the conscience and upbringing of Jewish Christians.
Unwasted Scripture
The history of Israel proves that Scripture is wasted on some people. It also proves that it is not wasted on all the people. This was the case with King Josiah and the remnant that shared his love for Yahweh. At age 16 he sought Yahweh; At age 20 he began a major reformation, purging Judah and much of Israel of idols. At age 26 he began renovating the temple, and it was at that time the loss scroll of Moses was found and it had a profound impact on King Josiah. Scripture was unwasted on him and he remnant supporting him.
Don’t Be Them
As Paul, Barnabas and others were teaching God’s word in the flourishing church in Antioch Syria, men came from Jerusalem, men who wrongfully believed that Gentiles had to become Jewish before they could benefit from the salvation of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus. These men brought nothing but conflict and one lesson is “Don’t be them.” Don’t repeat their mistakes in doctrine and as troublemaking. Paul and Barnabas resisted them but the matter had to be brought to the apostles in Jerusalem and to Jerusalem they went.
Persons of Interest
We meet three kings in this chapter, each one a person of interest. The first two kings, Manasseh and Amon, are of interest to lost souls. These two are similar to the two outlaws on the cross next to Christ on His Cross. The first king, Manasseh, was an apostate butcher and anti-Yahweh, yet he gets saved. His son, King Amon is as evil but does not repent and dies young and lost. Lastly we meet King Josiah, a God send.
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