Feeling Our Way Toward God

It had to feel like hopeless times in Israel when Amon came to the throne. The son of Manasseh set himself to wicked behavior without the repentance of his father. Hope sprung forth in 2 Chronicles 33 when the servants of Amon conspired to put him to death. Evidently, they saw the evil in him up close and knew the nation deserved better. But then more tragedy and trouble came soon after:

2 Chronicles 33:25 (ESV) But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon. And the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

Amon's corruption seemed to have won the day. Those valiant enough to put the wicked king to death were put to death by the "people of the land". The majority ruled and the majority loved wickedness. Does it not seem like that today? Guess what. It's always been like that.  This world is under the power of a devilish spirit now at work. 

Ephesians 2:2 (ESV) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

The world's system is bent on following the prince of the power of the air. And when someone is saved, everything changes. What used to feel normal and natural is suddenly immoral and deadly. It's what God has been doing since creation, saving some from the mess we inherited from Adam and Eve. 

Now here in 2 Chronicles 33, it would appear that the immoral nation of Judah is headed for even worse times as they continue to descend further and further into immorality and the spirit of the age wins more and more. But just when it would seem the inevitable triumph of evil was upon them, hope sprung forth in the form of an 8-year-old king.

2 Chronicles 34:1–2 (ESV) Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

Now, what could you ever expect from Josiah? He doesn't have a good role model and the nation is corrupt. But look at what happens at 16-years of age.

2 Chronicles 34:3 (ESV) For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images.

What led Josiah to take these steps of faith? Perhaps as he grew up and heard the stories of successful kings (like his great-grandfather Hezekiah) and unsuccessful kings (like his Father Amon). Perhaps upon hearing them he began to realize that certain actions led to prosperity and others led to pain. For this reason, he began to purge Israel of the idols as Hezekiah had done before him. 

As Josiah is in the process of cleansing the temple and setting it back in order, the book of the Law is found. 

2 Chronicles 34:14 (ESV) While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given through Moses.

The rest can be discussed in a future post but it must be noted that this moment will set the course of Josiah's reign on fire for God. He will reform the nation and lead them back to prominence in the region. And the thought I had up to this moment in his life is simply this: No matter where you are with the Lord, keep walking in the way you sense is right. That's what Josiah did. He didn't have the Bible. But he saw the evidence of those who served the Lord and as he followed their example, the Word of God was suddenly made clear and his life was set on a proper and powerful course. 

Where are you in the process of discipleship? You might not know everything God says in His Word about life but start where you are. Take the steps you see in the lives of those who honor Him and follow their example. Eventually, God will bring more and more clarity to your life and give you a greater and clearer understanding of His ways. In spite of the spirit of the age, God is still and has always been leading sons and daughters back toward Him. 

Will you be the one who hears and follows?

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