2 Crônicas 35
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 35
Clarke: Josiah celebrates a Passover, regulates the courses of the priests; assigns them, the Levites, and the people, their portions; and completes the greatest Passover ever celebrated since the days of Solomon, 2-19.
2 Crônicas 35
Clarke: Perhaps this means no more than that they took Josiah out of his own chariot and put him into another, either for secrecy, or because his own had been disabled. The chariot into which he was put might have been that of the officer or aid-de-camp who attended his master to the war. 2 Kings 22:20. Mark Boda: The Chronicler is careful to protect the veracity of Huldah’s prophetic word in 2Ch 34:28, where she promised that Josiah would be “buried in peace,” by clarifying that Josiah remained alive until he was safe in Jerusalem (the city of peace) where he died (cf. 2 Kgs 23:29-30). (See 1-2 Chronicles - Page 421) J.S. Wilkins: [Sermon points on the death of Josiah] 1. That the best of men may err in judgment and in act. 2. The danger of undertaking any work without asking counsel of the Lord. 3. How universal is the reign of death. 4. That we should be cautious how we attribute sudden and violent death to the vengeance of the Most High. 5. That it is not wrong to mourn for the dead. 2 Chronicles 35:25 Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations. Jeremiah: Jer 22:10 La 4:20 all the singing: Job 3:8 Ec 12:5 Jer 9:17-21 Mt 9:23 and made them: Jer 22:20 LAMENTATIONS FOR JOSIAH BY BY JEREMIAH & SINGERS Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations - “The Laments” appears to have been a separate, now-lost collection of elegies composed in response to Josiah’s death. These writings should not be confused with the canonical Book of Lamentations, though they likely shared a similar purpose—expressing deep grief over national tragedy. What makes this especially significant is that the mourning was not limited to the prophet Jeremiah; rather, “all the men and women singers” participated, indicating an organized, widespread expression of sorrow. This suggests that Josiah’s death was felt as a profound national loss—a turning point marking the end of hope for reform and the beginning of Judah’s irreversible decline. 2 Chronicles 35:26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the LORD, 2 deeds of devotion, 2Ch 31:20 32:32 JOSIAH'S LIFE ENDS WITH FOCUS ON GOOD DEEDS Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the LORD - Devotion is the great Hebrew word hesed which speaks of kindness or loyalty that goes beyond what duty requires, an enduring, covenantal love that reflects God’s own character. It describes not just a feeling but a faithful, active devotion that expresses itself in mercy and steadfastness. It is variously translated as “mercy,” “lovingkindness,” “goodness,” “steadfast love,” or “faithful love.” When the chronicler uses ḥesed to describe Josiah’s “good deeds,” he is not merely saying that Josiah did kind things or performed good works. He is saying that Josiah’s life was marked by faithful devotion to the Lord—a covenant loyalty that mirrored God’s own steadfast love toward His people. Josiah’s ḥesed was seen in his wholehearted obedience to God’s Word, his cleansing of the land from idolatry, his restoration of the temple, and his leadership in renewing the covenant and celebrating the Passover. His actions were not motivated by political ambition or personal gain but by a deep, enduring commitment to honor the Lord. The same word hesed is used of King Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles 32:32 - Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. Hesed in 2 Chronicles 35:26 tells us that Josiah’s legacy was not merely one of reform but of relationship—a heart bound to God in loyal love. His ḥesed was a human reflection of the divine ḥesed that “endures forever” (Psalm 136:26). Spiritually, this reminds us that God desires not just outward obedience but inward devotion. Micah 6:8 captures this beautifully: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness (ḥesed), and to walk humbly with your God?” Josiah’s life embodied that verse—he pursued justice, loved ḥesed, and walked humbly before the Lord. So, when 2 Chronicles 35:26 says that Josiah’s ḥesed was recorded, it means that his faithful love and covenant loyalty to God were so genuine and enduring that they became part of his eternal testimony. His ḥesed was not perfect—his final act at Megiddo showed human frailty—but his heart was steadfastly devoted to the Lord. In that, Josiah’s life points us to the greater King, Jesus Christ, whose ḥesed—God’s steadfast love in human form—never fails and endures forever. Despite Josiah’s fatal act of disobedience at the end of his life, the biblical record graciously concludes his reign by emphasizing “his good deeds,” specifically described as being “according to what is written in the Law of the Lord” (2 Chron. 35:26). This summary highlights the defining characteristic of his life, a deep reverence for God’s revealed Word and a consistent commitment to do what was pleasing in His sight, as seen throughout the various stages of his reform. Indeed, this stands as one of the most commendable evaluations of any king in Judah, and significantly, no subsequent king would receive such a testimony until the coming of the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ, who was perfectly “obedient to the point of death” (Phil. 2:8). 2 Chronicles 35:27 and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. and his acts: 2Ch 20:34 24:27 25:26 26:22 32:32 33:19 2Ki 10:34 16:19 20:20 2Ki 21:25 JOSIAH'S FINAL RECORD and his acts, first to last, behold (hinneh) they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah - This closing statement serves as a formal summary and historical reference to the full record of Josiah’s life. The phrase “his acts, first to last” means the entirety of his reign—from beginning to end—encompassing both his godly reforms and his final failure. The writer then directs the reader to “the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah,” an official historical source (now lost) that contained more detailed accounts of the kings’ reigns. Josiah’s life was thoroughly recorded, carefully evaluated, and remembered, but the biblical focus remains on what mattered most—his devotion to God’s Word and the spiritual lessons drawn from his life. PAUL APPLE - DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS: 1) Why must our worship conform to the Word of God? 2) How does worship combine both sober reflection and joyful celebration? 3) How messy was this bloody Passover ceremony? 4) What motivated King Josiah to engage in battle with Neco of Egypt? Andrew Hill: This section of Chronicles highlights certain character traits of God, especially his compassion and mercy in responding to those who humble themselves and offer prayer seeking God’s forgiveness (i.e., Manasseh, 33:12-19; Josiah, 34:27). God is portrayed as one who listens and is moved to benevolent action on behalf of the penitent (33:13). Conversely, God’s righteousness in not acquitting the guilty is demonstrated in his response to Amon, who “increased his guilt” before God by refusing to humble himself (33:23). Ron Daniel: The ark of the covenant had been through quite the adventure since the days of Samuel the prophet. The Jews, who were losing the war with the Philistines, decided to take the ark into battle with them, believing that they would win (1Sam 4:3). But the Jews were defeated and the ark was captured by the Philistines (1Sam. 4:11). After God brought many curses upon the Philistine cities in which the ark was being kept, they returned it to Israel. The people of Beth-shemesh were the first to get the ark, but after more than 50,000 of them were killed for looking into the ark (1Sam. 6:19), the city of Kiriath-jearim was contacted and asked, "Would you like to have the ark?" (1Sam. 6:21). The ark was almost taken into battle again by King Saul (1Sam. 14:18) but he changed his mind and it ended up back at Kiriath-jearim (1Chr. 13:5). Once King David had established Jerusalem as Israel's capitol, he decided that the ark should be in Jerusalem. But when he tried to have it moved, he didn't do it in accordance with the Law of God, and a man died (2Sam. 6:7). So the ark remained at the house of Obed-edom for three months (2Sam. 6:11) while David read the Scriptures and figured out how it should be moved. King David was successful at bringing the ark to Jerusalem, where it remained in a tent (2Sam. 6:17). It was a short time later that David had the idea to build a permanent temple for the Lord, but God didn't allow it. When David's son Absalom rebelled and took over the kingdom, the priests took the ark of the covenant with them as they left the city with David (2Sam. 15:24). But David told them to go put it back (2Sam. 15:25). Years later, David's son, King Solomon, built the temple and the ark was placed in its permanent home (1Kings 8:6). But now, King Josiah is having to tell the Levites to put the ark BACK into the temple. When was it removed? At this, we can only speculate that in the same way the priests had removed the ark when Absalom took power in the days of David, that during the reign of either Manasseh or his son Amon, they must have removed it again. After all, it was King Manasseh's who built altars in the house of the Lord (2Chr. 33:4). Now, Manasseh did repent, and remove these altars (2Chr. 33:15), but his son Amon, King Josiah's father, never repented of the idolatry with which he caused the nation to be permeated. Apparently, the priests had been carrying it from place to place, probably to keep it in hiding. Now, it would not be a burden on their shoulders anymore. It would be returned to the Holy of Holies in the temple. Frederick Mabie: The ramifications of Josiah’s decision to involve Judah in this conflict were enormous. After a long period of Assyrian vassalage, Judah had begun to experience independence (or at least pseudo-independence) during the reign of Josiah in light of the contraction of the Assyrian Empire. However, in the aftermath of Judah’s battle with Neco at Megiddo, Josiah was killed in battle (vv. 23-24) and Judah became an Egyptian vassal. Only a few years later (ca. 605 BC) Judah would become a Babylonian vassal. Thus in the span of about two decades Judah shifted form Assyrian vassalage to (pseudo-) independence to Egyptian vassalage to Babylonian vassalage. Moreover, the final three kings of Judah after Jehoahaz (Eliakim/Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Mattaniah/Zedekiah) were placed on the throne by Egypt or Babylonia. Judah’s subsequent rebellions against vassalage would ultimately lead to the destruction and deportation of Judah. Peter Wallace: Neco was allied with the Assyrians, and was on his way to join Ashur-uballit II against an upstart Babylonian general, the crown prince of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar. Carchemish is a city on the Euphrates River (on the border between modern Syria and modern Turkey). Nebuchadnezzar was pushing the Assyrians back up the Euphrates, and Neco was in a hurry trying to rescue the Assyrians (the Egyptians had frequently quarreled with the Assyrians, but they feared the Babylonians more). Neco’s expedition would fail, and Nebuchadnezzar would shortly rise to the throne of Babylon. But while on the way up the coast of Philistia and Lebanon, Neco had to pass through the valley of Jezreel – and the plain of Megiddo. This is the bottle neck of northern Israel. The heights of Mt Carmel rise up to the west, blocking the coastal route and forcing the army to march inland. The hill country of Ephraim gives way to an opening leading eastward from the coastal plain into the valley of Jezreel, which turns north up towards Syria, (OR southeast towards the Jordan River and Jerusalem!) If you control the plain of Megiddo and the valley of Jezreel, then you control the military and economic destiny of the region. The city of Megiddo rises out of the plain at this point, perhaps providing a place for Josiah to ambush the Egyptians, as they approached the valley of Jezreel. Josiah plainly thinks that his liturgical reforms have guaranteed his military success. He looks back at David and Solomon – Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah – and says, hey, good kings who worshiped the LORD and restored the temple wound up winning great battles. What is more, Huldah the prophetess had said, “you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.” (34:28) Josiah may have taken Huldah’s prophecy as a blank check. “You shall be gathered to your grave in peace” needs to be understood in context. - First – the reason: “because you have humbled yourself before me” if you cease to be humble, then you will bring some other judgment upon yourself! - Second – the promise itself is of narrow scope: Josiah will be spared the “disaster” – the exile and catastrophic judgment that God has planned for Jerusalem. There is nothing in Huldah’s prophecy that gives Josiah a blank check to do whatever he wants. And Neco warns him: “I am not coming against you this day… And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.” Of course, Hezekiah had heard similar words from the Assyrians – so why should Josiah have listened to Pharaoh? Well, how does going to battle against Egypt demonstrate love for God? Sure, it’s true that from a political standpoint, Josiah thinks that a Babylonian empire would be more desirable than an Assyrian empire. But the problem is that the Son of David in Jerusalem should not be throwing his weight behind the empires of the world. Josiah is forgetting that in the end it doesn’t matter whether Assyria or Babylon is in control – he needs to worship and serve the LORD, and trust that God will exalt him. Habakkuk prophesied during these days– the last days of the Assyrian empire and the rise of the neo-Babylonian empire. Perhaps he was thinking of the death of Josiah when he said, So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. (1:4) Josiah goes forth in a perverted attempt to wield the authority of the Son of God. https://media-cloud.sermonaudio.com/text/122212930251.pdf Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown: Josiah most probably calculated that the restoration of the divine worship, with the revival of vital religion in the land, would lead, according to God’s promise, and the uniform experience of the Hebrew people, to a period of settled peace and increased prosperity. His hopes were disappointed. The bright interval of tranquility that followed his re-establishment of the rue religion was brief. But it must be observed that this interruption did not proceed from any unfaithfulness in the divine promise, but from the state into which the kingdom of Judah had brought itself by the national apostasy, which was drawing down upon it the long-threatened, but long-deferred judgments of God. STEVEN COLE - A Teenager Starts A Revival (2 Chronicles 34 and 35) Former Secretary of Education William Bennett writes about how teachers in the 1940’s were asked to identify the major problems they faced in the schools. They listed talking out of turn; chewing gum; making noise; running in halls; cutting in line; dress code infractions; and littering. When asked the same question in 1990, teachers listed drug and alcohol abuse; pregnancy; suicide; rape; robbery; and assault (cited in Liberty [Nov./Dec., 1994, p. 5). Do you remember the story of the little Dutch boy who saved his city from destruction by sticking his finger in the hole in the dike? Do you ever feel like that little boy, except that you’re trying to plug holes with all your fingers and thumbs, but more leaks are breaking out every minute? I sometimes feel overwhelmed as I see our godless culture hurtling toward destruction. King Josiah must have felt that way. He lived in an evil day; his culture was on the brink of God’s judgment. His grandfather, Manasseh, had been the most wicked king in Judah’s history, plunging the nation into worse sins than the Canaanites Israel had conquered centuries before. Even though Manasseh repented, he could not undo the damage he had done. It’s much easier to lead people into sin than it is to lead them out again. It’s like emptying a box of BB’s on a hardwood floor. It’s easy to scatter them, but it’s not so easy to get them all back in the box. Josiah’s father, the wicked Amon, reigned only two years before he was assassinated. He reestablished the pagan practices of his father’s earlier years. Into this wicked culture, plunging headlong toward destruction, little eight-year-old Josiah was thrust as king. What could this boy-king do? He stuck all his fingers in the holes in the dike! He didn’t finally avert God’s judgment, but he did manage to hold it off for over 30 years. At age 16, Josiah began to seek the Lord (34:3). As a young man of 20, he started a series of reforms in an attempt to turn the nation back from destruction. But even though Josiah himself “did right in the sight of the Lord” (34:2), if we read the contemporary prophets, Jeremiah and Zephaniah, we learn that his reforms weren’t able to go deeply enough. But he did manage to keep one generation from judgment. As such, Josiah should be an example to us as we seek to make a difference in our evil culture. Like Josiah, Though we live in an evil day, we can see God work through us if we will seek Him and obey His Word. 1. Josiah lived in an evil day; so do we. When you read 2 Chronicles 34:3-7 and the parallel passage (2 Kings 23:4-15, 19-20) you begin to see what Josiah was up against. Although the people in his kingdom would claim to be followers of the one true God, they had incorporated all sorts of worldly practices into their worship: idolatry, sexual immorality, and even child sacrifice, all under the guise of religion! It’s amazing how people can delve into anything and everything other than God’s Word in the name of religion! These people claimed to be God’s covenant people, but they were totally corrupt in their lifestyle. In Josiah’s day, as in ours, there was a widespread lack of understanding of God’s Word. When we read of a copy of the Law being discovered in the Temple and read to the King, we get the distinct impression that even the godly Josiah had never heard it read before (34:15-19)! We don’t know whether Manasseh and Amon had destroyed the copies used by the priests and Levites during Hezekiah’s reign. But apparently God’s Word was scarce. Whenever people do not read and understand the Bible, they have no basis for evaluating or confronting their behavior. And so they drift into the worst of sins without even knowing that they are thoroughly pagan. I wish you all would read David Wells’ two excellent books, No Place for Truth and God in the Wasteland [both, Eerdmans], which show how worldly the American church has become because we have abandoned God’s truth and God-centered living and have replaced it with a human-centered, therapeutic approach in which human needs become sovereign. Wells argues that the church is in the business of truth, not of marketing its “feel-good” product to religious consumers. He states, A business is in the market simply to sell its products; it doesn’t ask consumers to surrender themselves to the product. The church, on the other hand, does call for such a surrender. It is not merely marketing a product; it is declaring Christ’s sovereignty over all of life and declaring the necessity of obedient submission to him and to the truth of his Word (God in the Wasteland [Eerdmans], p. 76). The evening before Thanksgiving I had an interesting conversation with Jim Owen, author of the excellent book, Christian Psychology’s War on God’s Word [EastGate]. He thinks that a major part of the problem in American Christianity is that we do not want to submit to authority, including the authority of Scripture that confronts our self-centered, fulfill-my-needs mentality. Thus we are abandoning the historical-grammatical-contextual approach to biblical interpretation and are accepting books in which popular authors subjectively read into the Bible the latest psychological “insights” and then claim that they are biblical. I think his analysis is correct. The point was clearly illustrated earlier this year when Christianity Today ([5/16/94], pp. 38-40) ran a news article summarizing some of the far-out views set forth by the popular Christian writer, Karen Burton Mains, in her book, Lonely No More [Word)]. She holds to a number of Jungian psychological concepts about “the male-within-the-female and the female-within-the-male,” which she says “have always seemed exceptionally scriptural to me.” She describes a seven-year-old, emaciated “idiot child” in her mind’s eye, who turns out to be “the Christ child that is within me.” She explained to CT that this was metaphorical language representing “the repressed, malformed” part of herself with which Christ identifies. In spite of these and many other weird things she says, which are at best a mixture of worldliness with Christianity, the article was slanted in favor of Mains and against the “self-appointed heresy hunters” who dare to criticize her! And, the subsequent letters to the editor were largely defensive of her! David Wells is correct: American Christianity has abandoned the idea that we must submit to God’s revealed, absolute truth and has moved into a subjective, therapeutic hodgepodge of worldly ideas. But even though, like Josiah, we live in an evil day when even those claiming to be God’s people are marked by worldliness, there is a way out of the darkness. It involves seeking the Lord and obeying His Word. 2. Josiah sought the Lord and obeyed His Word; so can we. A. JOSIAH SOUGHT THE LORD (34:3A). There are two lessons to note here: 1) Seek the Lord early in life if you can. Josiah was 16 when he began seeking the Lord. He was not from a godly home. He lived in an evil day. And yet he began seeking the Lord during his teen years and never turned away. Many Christians have the erroneous notion that teenagers must go through a phase of rebellion. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where Christian parents expect their teens to rebel! Some kids feel like they’ll never be well-adjusted if they don’t sow some wild oats. That’s baloney! I want every young person to hear this: Even if you come from a bad home and even though we live in an evil world, you can seek the Lord. You’ll never regret avoiding drugs or drinking or sexual immorality, because sin always leaves scars. I thank God that He graciously preserved me from rebelling against Him or against my parents. I think I’m fairly well-adjusted in spite of it! 2) Keep on seeking the Lord. “He began to seek God.” Seeking the Lord is a lifelong process. You don’t just try it halfheartedly for a few months and then say that it didn’t work. Walking with the infinite God and learning His ways is a lifetime process. You’ll go through dry times and difficult times. You’ll be tempted to turn to the world for the latest wisdom on how to deal with your problems. You’ll be tempted to give up on the Bible because “it doesn’t seem to work.” But always remember, what you need is the Lord! Let your problems drive you to depend on Him alone. Seek Him through His Word! Trust in Him and don’t lean on any other source. The renewing of our minds through Scripture isn’t a quick fix. We’ve got to run with endurance the race set before us. With Josiah we must keep seeking the Lord. B. JOSIAH OBEYED GOD’S WORD (34:2). Verse 2 summarizes Josiah’s life: “And he did right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.” There’s a difference between doing right in the sight of people and doing right in the sight of the Lord, isn’t there? We can only do right in the sight of the Lord when we obey His Word. Josiah had, as you will have, many opportunities to turn aside to the right or to the left, but he didn’t do that (except at the end of his life). He obeyed God’s Word. The story of the discovery of this copy of the Law of Moses (at least Deuteronomy, but probably the first five books of the Old Testament) is a marvelous example of how God has preserved His Word down through the centuries. Tyrants have tried to eradicate it. Even clergymen have tried to keep it from the common people. During the middle ages church authorities opposed the translation of the Bible into the vernacular because they feared that if lay people read the Bible, heresy would result. William Tyndale, one of the early translators of the Bible into English, was condemned for heresy, strangled, and burned at the stake in 1536 on account of his efforts. A letter he wrote from his prison cell requests a Hebrew Bible, grammar and dictionary so that he could continue translating. We take it for granted that we have several translations of the Bible lying around the house. But it has not always been so. But whenever God’s Word is read and obeyed, great changes begin to take place in individuals and in society. But owning several copies of the Bible or keeping one on your coffee table won’t do you any good. 1) We must read the Word. We can’t obey it if we don’t know what it says. And we must not just read our favorite sections which reinforce our prejudices. We must read it all. Read the sections that step on your toes. We don’t know for sure which portions for the Law Hilkiah read (maybe all of it). But I would guess that he read Deuteronomy 28 which spells out the grave consequences of disobedience for the nation. 2) We must respond to the Word. Josiah’s response was to tear his clothes in horror. You don’t need to tear your clothes, but sometimes the Word ought to rend your heart. When Josiah heard what God’s Word said, he said, “We’re in a heap of trouble” (paraphrase of 34:21). He had deep convictions about the truthfulness of God’s book. He knew that when God says something, He means it. He knew that sin has consequences. So Josiah responded with a tender heart and humbled himself before God (34:27). Even though Josiah’s reforms to purge the land of idolatry (34:3-7) preceded the discovery of the Law, what he did illustrates what ought to take place when a person gets into God’s Word. It exposes things in our lives that are displeasing to God. You’ve got to take strong action against such things: chop them down, break them in pieces, grind them to powder, burn it and scatter the ashes, etc. (see 34:4-5). Jesus said that if your eye causes you to lust, tear it out; or your right hand tempts you to adultery, cut it off (Matt. 5:29-30). He meant that we need to respond to God’s Word by dealing radically with our sin. 3) We must learn the Word from mature believers. The king wanted to find out exactly what these words meant as applied to him and his kingdom. So he sent a delegation to Huldah the prophetess (34:22-28). Apparently Jeremiah and Zephaniah weren’t nearby. While God prefers to use men in positions of spiritual leadership, when obedient men are not available, He will use women (Judges 5). Clearly, a woman like Huldah is an exception in Scripture, not the rule. Those who use such exceptional cases to build a feminist theology are grasping at straws. But even so, God does use godly, faithful women. Huldah shoots straight by telling the messengers what the Lord says (34:23). The job of a person teaching or preaching God’s Word of truth is to make plain what God says, even if it steps on some toes. The Word doesn’t always make you feel warm and fuzzy. It confronts sin and speaks of God’s judgment, as well as His love and mercy. But the Word always brings healing if we submit to and obey it. As a hearer of the Word, Scripture warns you against shopping for teachers who tickle your ears and tell you what you want to hear rather than what you need to hear (2 Tim. 3:3). I’ve read church growth books that tell pastors if we want to build the church, we shouldn’t preach with authority or confront sin, because baby boomers don’t like that sort of thing. You can find many pastors who fall for that marketing approach. But they will turn away your ears from the truth (2 Tim. 4:4). So, we must read the Word; respond to the Word; learn it from others. 4) We must seek to influence others with the Word. Once we have read the Word and responded to it with personal obedience and have been taught it by others, we have an obligation to influence others with the Word. Josiah didn’t keep it to himself. He got everybody together and read the Word to them and sought to help them obey it too (34:29-33). If God’s work in your life is real, you will want to bring others under its influence. Some may say, “I wouldn’t want to offend somebody by telling them what the Bible says.” If you see someone with an illness and you’ve been cured of the same thing by taking a certain remedy, won’t you tell him what you’ve found? God’s Word gives us all that we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3-4). People with problems don’t need human wisdom; they need God’s Word. Every Christian should grow in being equipped with the Word so that you can help others discover its riches. Thus even though Josiah lived in an evil day, he sought the Lord and obeyed His Word. So can we. The result? 3. God worked through Josiah; He can work through us. Josiah purged the land of idolatry and immorality. He restored the Temple and reestablished worship in its proper place. He led the people in the greatest Passover in hundreds of years. Josiah’s Passover was greater than the one led by Hezekiah because all Israel participated and because it was observed in more accordance with the Mosaic law. He saved a generation from God’s judgment. In our evil day God can do great things through us if we will seek Him and obey His Word. Although it seems impossible to see our nation restored to the place where school teachers complain about the kids chewing gum instead of carrying guns, God can do the impossible! We need spiritual revival! Conclusion Josiah’s story ends on a sad note. Pharaoh Neco passed through Judah on his way north to Carchemish where he intended to join with Assyria against Babylon (35:20). He did not intend to fight Josiah, but Josiah insisted on fighting him. It probably seemed like the sensible thing to do. But no where do we read of Josiah seeking the Lord about this battle. In fact, he disguises himself before going into battle (35:22), which reminds us of the ploy used by the wicked Ahab. Why disguise yourself if you’re in the will of God? But Josiah goes against Egypt, gets shot in battle and dies at 39. The revival stops. And in a few short years, Judah falls to Babylon. What that says to me is, “Don’t get sidetracked from what God has called you to do.” The good is often the worst enemy of the best. We’ve got to be careful or the devil will entice us into the wrong arenas and it can nullify the eternal impact of what God has called us to do. Josiah got sidetracked from the spiritual work into political solutions. Didn’t the land need to be defended? Wasn’t that a king’s job? Yes, but he should have sought the Lord. In this case, God really was speaking through this pagan pharaoh (35:22)! Josiah should have stuck to his spiritual reforms. Just before the 1984 election, I heard a well-known pastor speak on “The Second Most Important Day of Your Life.” He said that the most important day of your life is when you trust Christ as Savior. But the second most important day would be when you went to vote for Ronald Reagan! In my opinion, he was putting far more faith in the political system than is warranted! While I’m pleased with the recent election, I’m not optimistic that the Republican Party can solve America’s problems. Only God can solve our problems and He will do it as His people turn from sin, seek Him and obey His Word. The world’s problems are essentially spiritual, not political. The church’s primary task is to proclaim the gospel and bring people under Christ’s lordship. Let’s not get sidetracked from our main mission! At age 12 Robert Louis Stevenson was looking out into the dark from his upstairs window, watching a man light the street lanterns. His governess came into the room and asked what he was doing. He replied, “I am watching a man cut holes in the darkness.” Though we live in a dark day, we can be used of God to cut holes in the darkness, if we will seek Him and obey His Word. Discussion Questions How can we effectively proclaim God’s absolute truth to a relativistic world? What is worldliness? How has it affected the church? Some would argue that the church needs to experience God, not learn doctrine or theology. Why is this a false dichotomy? Should Christians be involved in politics? How much time should God’s people commit to the political process? BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR 1-2 CHRONICLES NOTE: SOME CAN BE BORROWED FROM ARCHIVE.ORG Archer, Gleason L. Jr. A survey of Old Testament introduction (BORROW). Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1964. Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book Vol. 2 Judges to Esther . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1960. Boda, Mark J. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary – 1-2 Chronicles. (Digital version) Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2010. Braun, Roddy. Word Biblical Commentary – Volume 14 –1 Chronicles (BORROW). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018. Cooper, Derek. Reformation Commentary on Scripture – Old Testament V – 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, 1-2 Chronicles. (Digital version) Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016. Constable, Thomas - 1&2 Chronicles (ONLINE) Daniel, Ron - Teaching Notes - 1 Chronicles; 2 Chronicles (ONLINE) Dillard, Raymond B. Word Biblical Commentary – Volume 15 – 2 Chronicles (BORROW) Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018. Ellison, H. L. The New Bible commentary, revised – 1 & 2 Chronicles (BORROW). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1970. Guzik, David. Enduring Word Bible Commentary 1 Chronicles; 2 Chronicles (ONLINE) Hill, Andrew E. The NIV Application Commentary – 1 & 2 Chronicles. (Digital version) Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Keil, C. F. and Delitzsch, F. Commentary on the Old Testament – 1 Chronicles & 2 Chronicles. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1975. Konkel, August H. Believers Church Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Chronicles. (Multipart video series also available) Harrisonburg, VA: Herald Press, 2016. Mabie, Frederick J. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised Edition – 1 & 2 Chronicles. (Digital Version) Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010. MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible (BORROW). Nelson Bibles, 2006. Olley, John W. (ED: IAIN DUGUID) ESV Expository Commentary, Vol. III – 1 Samuel – 2 Chronicles. (Digital Version) Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019. Payne, J. Barton. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Chronicles. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988. Schultz, John. - 1 Chronicles (177 pages), 2 Chronicles (239 pages) (ONLINE) Selman, Martin J. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – 1 Chronicles. (BORROW)Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994. Selman, Martin J. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries – 2 Chronicles. (BORROW) Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994. Sherwin, Simon & Mabie, Frederick J. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary -- 1 & 2 Chronicles. (Digital Version) Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009. Thompson, J.A. The New American Commentary – Volume 9 – 1, 2 Chronicles. (Digital Version) Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 1994. Utley, Bob. 1 Chronicles Table of Contents; 2 Chronicles Table of Contents http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/old_testament_studies/VOL07BOT/VOL07BOT.html Walton, John, et al - The IVP Bible Background Commentary Old Testament IVP - InterVarsity Press 2000. Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Restored – Trusting God to See Us Through – OT Commentary – 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles. (BORROW) Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010. Wiersbe, Warren W. Be Distinct – Standing Firmly Against the World’s Tides – OT Commentary – 2 Kings & 2 Chronicles. (BORROW) Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010. Williamson, H.G.M. New Century Bible Commentary – 1 and 2 Chronicles. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers 1982. Wood, Leon. A Survey of Israel’s History. (BORROW) Grand Rapids: MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970. Cyril