Our Priority is the Kingdom, Not the Kingdoms of this World
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2 Chronicles 35:18-19 (ESV) No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. [19] In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.
YET, as we have seen in every king in Judah since David, there was a weakness to the man Josiah that led to his end. In his case, it was not sexual immorality, idolatry or greed. It was rather, involving himself in military skirmishes that were not his own.
2 Chronicles 35:20 (ESV) After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.
Here was Neco doing his thing fighting his own battles for his own country and Josiah decides to go meet him in military advance. Why? What gives here? You see Josiah demonstrates a fatal flaw in humankind that I believe may be worse than ever. We love to involve ourselves in the lives and affairs of other people. We need to learn to be content with what God is doing in us rather than worrying about the entire world. No doubt, social media gives us plenty of options to pay attention to the lives of others. When we do, we miss out on our own and forsake the call God has placed on us.
Josiah goes out to meet Neco and Neco even warns him against this action...
2 Chronicles 35:21 (ESV) But he sent envoys to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.”
Now I imagine that Josiah perhaps took issue with Neco claiming to do God’s will here. After all, Josiah was God’s chosen king for Judah, God’s chosen nation. Who is this uncircumcised gentile king to speak for the God of Israel. But the scripture never corrects what Neco says. Which implies Neco was indeed led and influenced by God into this action.
I sometimes think Christians are the worst at ignoring the actions of the members of this world. We love to poke our nose in their business and act like we represent God to them. After all, we are God’s people. But here’s the thing scripture teaches. Governments and kings and nations are in the hand of the Lord. We are NOT to be about this world’s business in those matters, we are to be about the business of the Lord - seeking and reaching people from all nations for the family of God.
Josiah doesn’t listen, tries to disguise himself and heads into battle and he’s killed.
2 Chronicles 35:23-24 (ESV) And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” [24] So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.
What a tragic and unnecessary end to a wonderful reign. Josiah meddled in affairs that did not pertain to the Kingdom. Instead of focusing on God’s house and God’s people, he consumed himself with international politics. It cost him dearly.
Let the Church of today, that often likes to poke its nose in the businesses of nations and kingdoms which are ALL destined to fall eventually, learn to focus their eyes on the mission of Jesus, the preaching of the Gospel, and the saving of men and women for eternity in heaven.
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