The Reforms of Josiah

 Where does acceptable service to God begin?

A. Jesus plainly taught that acceptable service must come from the heart. Mark 12:30

And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

1. It is easy to neglect the heart.

Prov 4:23  Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

2. Often people find themselves in religious activity purely as a result of tradition and peer pressure. These need to be converted.

B. Also we need to understand how the heart is changed.

1. Again this change of the heart does not come from “making people” outwardly conform.

2. In our case we must do more than just getting people in the pews.

3. The battle for the hearts takes place one person at a time with the powerful gospel. There is no other way. (2 Cor 10:3-5)

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

4. We will see these truths illustrated clearly in the reign of the OT king Josiah.

 I. The Reforms of Josiah

A. The background of Josiah. (2 Chron 33:22-34:1)  READ

1. His grandfather was Manasseh and his father was Amnon. These were two of the most wicked kings Judah ever knew.

2. The later fall of Judah was credited to the evil of Manasseh. 2 Kings 24:3

Surely at the commandment of the LORD this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done,

3. He was only eight years old when he began to reign. What kind of advisors did he have?

4. What chance would you give this young man of doing right?

B. God called Josiah a son of David. (2 Chron 34:2-3)

1. Why is he called a son of David? Was not Amnon his father? In truth you are a son of who you act like

 Matt 5:44-45  do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,   that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;

Mark 3:17-18  John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, "Sons of Thunder";

 Every man in spite of his background can make a choice to do right.

(Josh 24:15) Choose ye this day whom you will serve

C. The conversion and early reforms of Josiah

2 Chron 34:4-5  They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem

1. At 16 years old he began to seek after God. What did he learn?

2. At 20 years old he cleansed the city of Jerusalem.

3. How many years had these things been allowed to go on unopposed? What if they argued “we have always done it this way?”.

4. The truth is the people were not that concerned, they were willing to go along with whatever the king wanted.

Jer 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power;

And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

5. How much could Josiah do? He did not stop at Jerusalem but went on a

rampage!

2 Chron 34:5-7  And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with axes.   When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

6. How many enemies did he make? It did not matter because he was serving the Lord.

D. Later reforms of Josiah.

1. He began the work of restoring and repairing the temple. (2 Chron 34:8)

2. For the first time in years the book of the law was found. (2 Chron 34:14-28

14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. 15 Then Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 So Shaphan carried the book to the king, bringing the king word, saying, "All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 And they have gathered the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workmen." 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.

19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 21 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book."

22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect. 

23 Then she answered them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Tell the man who sent you to Me, 24 "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah, 25 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place, and not be quenched.'"' 26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard —  27 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. 28 "Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.

3. How could this have happened? They had long stopped reading it to follow the Lord’s will. Where do we stand?

E. The tender heart of Josiah.

1. He has the law read to him. He reacts in deep mourning.(2 Chron 34:18-19, 21)

2. Did others hear the same words? What is their reaction? What is the difference?

3. Josiah now wants to know exactly where he and his nation stands. He was not willing just to “try to have positive thoughts”. He wanted the truth of God.

4. The answer should not have surprised him. (2 Chron 34:23-25)

5. God however recognized Josiah. (2 Chron 34:26-28; 2 Tim 2:19)

6. Is this your heart? Is this your strength?

F. The efforts of Josiah to save his nation. (2 Chron 34:30-33)

1. Have you ever thought: “I will make them do what is right!”?

2. He had them observe the Passover.

Chron 35:1-9 Now Josiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD. 3 Then he said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to the LORD:"Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, built. It shall no longer be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. 4 Prepare yourselves according to your fathers' houses, according to your divisions, following the written instruction of David king of Israel and the written instruction of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the fathers' houses of your brethren the lay people, and according to the division of the father's house of the Levites. 6 So slaughter the Passover offerings, consecrate yourselves, and prepare them for your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses."

7 Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king's possessions. 8 And his leaders gave willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings two thousand six hundred from the flock, and three hundred cattle. 9 Also Conaniah, his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave to the Levites for Passover offerings five thousand from the flock and five hundred cattle.

3. He had to try and he did! What did God think of the fruits of his efforts?

 II. Jeremiah’s Response to the Reforms of Josiah

 A. Jeremiah started preaching during the reign of Josiah. (Jer 1:1-2)

1. Would you liked to have preached with such a king in power?

2. If Jeremiah looked at what he could see with his eyes, all is well!

B. What did Jeremiah say about the reforms of Josiah? ---- NOTHING!

1. Why? God does not look at the number in the temple, the lambs offered, or how many knees were on the ground. He sees the heart. (1 Sam 16:7) (talking to Samuel about David)

2. Josiah could make them go to worship but he could not make them serve God.

3. Many went because the king said so. Maybe it even became the popular thing to do. Jesus never trusted the crowds that followed Him.

John 2:24-25  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,  and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

C. Jeremiah was not a popular preacher.

1. He called Judah’s actions a pretense.

Jer 3:9-10 So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the LORD.

2. The people thought that they could blackmail God because His temple was in their midst. (Jer 7:4)

3. He went so far as to tell them that prayer will not help. (Jer 7:16; 15:1)

4. What about their sacrifices? He told them to eat them, that was the only profit they would be for them. (Jer 7:21)

III. We cannot Obligate God to us.

A. This is the God we serve, know Him! Isa 40:15

behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket,

And are counted as the small dust on the scales;

Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.

1. We should ask the question: “What does God want?” (Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

John 4:23  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

2. What are we saying in our worship? (Ex. Laughing and ignoring the invitation song.)

B. Outward conformity has never been the only test of faithfulness.

1. God wants a circumcised heart; Jer 9:24

But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me,

That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.

For in these I delight," says the LORD.

2. Why do we conform to the outward things?

3. Are you weary in your worship? ( Isa 43:22-24)  not giving your best?

4. If the answer is yes, you have a heart problem.

5. Some look at men rather than God in their worship. Why are you here?

Conclusion: Let us open our hearts to real change. Will you open the door?

 2 Cor 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.