OVERVIEW:
Wicked Manasseh and Amon; the last good King, Josiah; four more evil kings; the Babylonian captivity.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
The righteous leadership of Hezekiah for which we were refreshingly able to rejoice in yesterday’s reading is quickly replaced by the overwhelming evil of his son, Manasseh. Though we read of his later repentance in 2nd Chronicles 33, Jeremiah 15:4 says that the kingdom would be removed because of the deeds of Manasseh in Jerusalem. The deeds of a leader (husband, father, teacher, pastor) have a far-reaching effect for good or for bad.
Josiah, the last good king, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. He had chosen to do right and restore the temple before the book of the law was found. The knowledge he received from the word of God would not have been revealed to him, however, had Josiah not already chosen to do right! God reveals to us in 2nd Peter 1:5-7, that virtue (choosing to do right, and doing it!) is to be added to our faith, before beginning to add knowledge. If we have not already purposed in our hearts to follow the instruction of the Lord, what need is there to accumulate more knowledge?
With the “new knowledge” received from the “newly discovered” books of the law, Josiah humbles himself before the Lord, makes a covenant to the Lord in the presence of all the people, and begins to cleanse the temple and the land. He is used of God to remove the idols and the high places of worship in Jerusalem. Interestingly, notice that he carries the items of sin across the brook Kidron, destroys them, and then scatters the ashes on old graves. The Lord Jesus Christ crossed the very same brook, Kidron (or, Cedron), on the way to become sin for us on the cross, where our sins would be buried in His grave! (John 18:1)
Josiah continues his cleansing reforms and goes to Bethel to destroy the golden calf set up by Jeroboam. The idol worship that plagued the children of Israel throughout their entire history is finally destroyed by the one who was prophesied by name. The Lord tells us concerning Josiah in 2nd Kings 23:25, “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.” It is almost unbelievable, that not until Josiah, did any king ever go up to destroy the golden calf!
After such an incredible example set by Josiah, surprisingly enough, not a single one of the final four kings follow in his footsteps. As seen in today’s reading, all four of them are weak, evil kings, who are actually controlled by other foreign kings. Because of the evil of Manasseh, the Lord will not spare Judah. The leaders, the people, and the treasures that should have been dedicated to the Lord, are carried away to serve the Babylonians in captivity.
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
As the PROCLAIMER OF THE WORD –– 2nd Kings 23:2 (Luke 4:16)
As the ONE PROMISED BY NAME –– 1st Kings 13:2 and 2nd Kings 22:1 (Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 2:21)
As the PASSOVER –– 2nd Kings 23:21 (1st Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29; 1st Peter 1:19)
As the INNOCENT BLOOD OF JERUSALEM –– 2nd Kings 24:4 (Matthew 27:4; Acts 13:28)