2 Kings 23 (Part 1) Bible Study (Josiah's Reforms) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

What we're doing here every Friday is a partial fulfillment of the great commission. What's the great commission? People kinda limit it to one dimension. Go therefore make disciples of all nations. Right?

But Jesus didn't end there. He said what following that? Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and then he ended there. What's the third component of the great commission? Does anybody know?

Teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. Again, people limit the great commission to go. Let's go to the nations. Let's go to the streets, the highways and the and the byways and let's win souls. Okay.

But what are you gonna do with those souls? The great commission includes people being baptized, making that commitment, that first step of obedience, and it's a perpetual reality, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. So if you're a person here and you've wondered or you've potentially even yearned to be discipled, what does it mean to be discipled? What does it mean for me to be discipled? I'll tell you this, in great part, in fact, the main part is you being taught what Jesus said.

You're being discipled here every Friday, including Sunday. So hopefully that encourages you. That encourages me to know that we are fulfilling in part the great commission for what we do here every Friday evening. Well, with that being said, let's come to our bibles now, and let's meet together in second Kings chapter 23. Second Kings chapter 23.

And as you and I prepare to come to this chapter, I actually would like to begin not in verse one, but in verse 25. The verse that we're going to read, verse 25, is a statement from the author that comes just before Josiah's death, and it really serves as a summary of his life. And the comment made in this verse will also be used to shape the direction of our bible study this evening. Second Kings 23 verse 25. The word of God says about Josiah.

Before him there was no king like him who 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, nor did any king or any like him rather arise after him. Can we pray together? We ask father that you would help us in this study. We are not concerned, Lord, with the length of it. We're not concerned about any component of this delivery apart from your power being realized in it, your voice being heard through it, your truth being understood because of it.

We long, Lord, to be conformed by this truth, and we pray that every step that we take, we would sense your leadership. And Lord, as we open the service with, we we pray that there would be a tangible joy that would accompany this study. We ask these things in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. Amen. I I trust that the verse that we just read, what was said about Josiah is something that you long for to be said of you.

That your devotion to Christ would not be partial, but it would truly consume all your heart, all your soul, and all your might. And if you are someone who shares in that holy ambition, then I want you to be encouraged this evening because Josiah is not just an outstanding leader that stands out from both his predecessors and successors. He's been given to us as an exceptional example of what true devotion to God looks like. And though this is a rather lengthy section of scripture, we have a detailed outline for why it is that Josiah was crowned with this uncommon praise regarding faithfulness to the Lord. There are two main characteristics that I want us to leave with.

Just two qualities that are striking. But if we rightly understand them, and more importantly, apply them, I guarantee that you and I will be set on a path that will promise the testimony of being wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. What are those two qualities? Number one, the motive of Josiah's obedience. What was his motive?

Well, it's spelled out for us between verse one and verse three. And not just his motive, but secondly, the extent of his obedience. And that is found beginning in verse four down to verse 20. And that's what we're gonna be covering tonight. Second Kings 23 beginning in verse one down to verse 22 main headings, two main characteristics of this man that can position us to know what it means to have every part of our lives truly set apart unto Christ.

Again, let me repeat it. The motive of his obedience. Why did he do what he did? And the extent of his obedience, where he was willing to go with his trust and his faithfulness to Christ. And, yes, although this is to the Lord and Christ comes in the New Testament, we interpret all things in light of the new covenant.

And so these are principles for us in our walk with the Lord. And so we're gonna begin tonight with the first characteristic, the motive of Josiah's obedience. Let's read from verse one down to verse three. Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him. And the king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him all the men of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the prophets, all the people both small and great.

And he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book, and all the people joined in the covenant. As impressive as Josiah's conviction and leadership are in this moment, we will not know their full impact unless we remember how chapter 22 ended. Do we remember what happened last week? Josiah discovered the book of the law.

It was read in his presence. It cut his heart and without any hesitation, he sent for a prophetic voice to give him guidance of what he ought to do with the truth that he just discovered. And he was told by prophetess named Haldah, that judgment against the people of Judah was certain. It was imminent and it was fixed. Nothing could change the fate of this people.

And I want us to be reminded of that. Scroll up to chapter 22 verse 17. Notice what Holda the prophetess said to the messengers who came on behalf of King Josiah. Second Kings twenty two seventeen, because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands. Therefore, my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.

Highlight the last part. Nothing will change what has been determined for this people. The verdict is final. There will be horrific judgment that will visit this people. And Josiah was to hear this, although it was not the final message from Huldah.

In addition to that, Josiah was personally comforted with what? That he would not witness the tragedies of God's chastisement, but that he would be ushered into the grave with peace. He would not behold the horrors. He would live his life at rest knowing that it would come at a later time. Now, I want you to pause and think for a moment.

Does that leave much motivation for Josiah to continue to invest in this people? Think about it. If judgment is determined, if nothing will change the future, then what's the point of really leading this people onto holiness? What's the point of really continue to be an example of what it means to be consecrated onto the Lord? Why not just sit back and relax and not worry about it?

That's not what we find. Instead, the first verse that we read in chapter 23 shows us the opposite. That this man was catapulted in the direction of doing what he can to bring this people to God. Now there are some who assume that the reason why Josiah is ready to bring this reform to a new level is because he hopes that this verdict will be reversed somehow. That this indictment will be pushed aside, will maybe even be canceled if these people are brought back to renew their covenant with God.

But I don't believe that. Because there's no indication that that is his motive. And there is no hint that he was granted, that that was even possible, that the course can be changed. As we just read, the prophet has said, it will not be quenched. Nothing can be done to alter it.

And yet he still wants to obey God. And he still wants to lead this people to repentance and obedience to the one and only God. Why? This is why. Because you love God.

Consider this, there is no circumstance then or in the future that would deter Josiah from doing whatever he could to be in total alignment with God's will. For his life first and then as a leader of God's people. It didn't matter if what he learned concerning God's will was met with difficulty, was met with appreciation or even heavenly reward. Josiah would obey God for one main reason, he loved his God. Full stop.

There is no other incentive. There is no other pull. There is no other ambition. It was simply this, if God says it then I will do it. And that was the reward for him.

You see, Josiah wasn't leading this nation toward God because he wanted to evade punishment or because he wanted to secure some kind of prize. Instead, punishment was guaranteed and yet this man still wanted to honor and please God. That in itself was his pursuit. That was the end of his pursuit. That was the goal.

Can I ask you a question now? What would become of our sanctification if we had a similar goal? What would become of our consistency with Christ if we find total satisfaction in knowing that our choices and our commitments please God? And that's all we want. Just to bring delight to his heart, just to bless the Lord.

What could become of the purity of God's church? What could become of every facet of our life as we walk with Christ. If he is our ultimate goal, just him. Not what he can give us, not what he can protect us from, just him. I'm doing it for the Lord.

And though Josiah is a wonderful inspiration, Christ is a greater one. I'm reminded of the words of Jesus in John eight twenty nine when he said the following, he who sent me is with me. And he has not left me alone for I always do the things that are pleasing to him. You see that? The Son of God lived his human life with that as the banner over his obedience.

I do everything. For what reason, Lord? To please the father. To please him. Now we should be grateful that Christ's perfect obedience is imputed unto us.

Is it not? That there was not a moment where Jesus did not please the father. Every millisecond of his life brought perfect delight to God. And when we accept Christ by faith, that level of obedience is now given to us in our account before the throne. It's a wonderful thought.

But don't make the mistake that so many make, where they celebrate what they've inherited in their justification and fail to see how Christ is also an example for our own sanctification. As much as we see what we receive in his obedience, we also receive instruction. I always do the things that are pleasing to him. The same John who recorded the words of Jesus here says something to Christians in his first epistle. It's found in first John chapter three verse 22.

What did John say there? And whatever we ask, we receive from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. John isn't speaking about Jesus here. He did that in John eight twenty nine. He's speaking about Christians here.

And what does he say about Christians? We do what pleases God. Can I ask you something? Is that the heartbeat of your obedience? Is that is that why you serve the church?

Is that why you wanna represent him in any context you find yourself in? Is that the reason why you reject sin and deny the flesh and come to him in repentance when you act up in the flesh? Is it because down deep inside you really want to please God? Not your pastors, not your mother, not your father, not your older sibling, not your friend who's spiritual and loves Christ. Is it because ultimately you want to please Him?

Singular devotion to Christ. That was Josiah. I just It blows my mind. It really does. What do you do with that kind of prophetic report?

Nothing that you can do is gonna change the judgment that's coming on the horizon. It didn't matter to him. God still said it. So I'm going to do it. Well, why Josiah?

Because I want to please God. As simple as that. Now let's come back to our main text in in second Kings 23. I want you to notice a couple of things with me in the first three verses that we read. First, I want you to see how Josiah was the director of all the movement here.

Look at verse one. Then the king sent. Verse two, and the king went up. Verse three, and the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord. The impression that you have here is that this is coming from this man's heart.

He's the one who's orchestrating all of this. He's the one who is urgent. You can sense the urgency. You can sense the enthusiasm here even though there is a very great lack of shared concern. He's moving all the pieces.

He's setting up the meeting. He is doing it. And here's what I want to leave with you. It's a wonderful portrait of the power of the Word of God at work in the human spirit. What's energizing Josiah here?

What we read last week, the word of God being revealed to him. This is what moved him in the direction that he was moving in. And that's the power that the word of God contains. It is able to energize you and I. It is able to motivate.

It's able to compel you to this kind of level of obedience, even though nobody else has it. It's a remarkable thing to witness because it does compel us to live for him, but also moves you to be unashamed of the truth and to even be bold to call others to embrace it. Did you notice another word that appears here in the first three verses? It's the word all. Look again verse one, that the king sent and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.

Look at verse two, and the king went up to the house of the Lord and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people. And finally, he says it again in verse three, all, all, all, all. Now in my sanctified imagination, I step back after reviewing this today, and I just enjoy the thought. Because you read here that there was prophets, priests, men, women, small, great. What a sight it must have been to see Josiah elevated with the copy of God's law in his hand, reading it plainly, and there you have the priest, and there you have the prophets.

Who? Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and others like them, silently absorbing all that God was saying in his word. It's just a spectacular thing to think about. But that's not the main point. The main point is that Josiah desired that every person be under the reading of God's word.

And that there wouldn't be one person left out from the covenant that he was about to establish again. All. Now speaking of covenant, did you notice how the scriptures are referred to in the first three verses that we read? What's the title that's given to the scriptures? Anybody miss it?

The book of the covenant. Why is that striking? How is it introduced to us in chapter 22? What was it called? The book of the law.

Why the change? Any idea? Why did we go from the book of the law in chapter 22 to now the book of the covenant in chapter 23? If you have an answer, you you should feel free to answer. Can I give you a hint?

Another question. When was the last time we saw this title, the book of the covenant? Any idea? When was the last time we saw this? You have to turn there.

I will not just tell you. It's in Exodus chapter 24. This is the first time it appears and this is the last time it appears before this chapter in second Kings 23 and it's very telling. I believe that there's a connection that's to be made between this chapter and what we find in chapter 24 of the book of Exodus. This is where the covenant between the people of Israel and God is being ratified through the mediating work of Moses.

And notice what it said here in Exodus 24 verse six. And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. Sound familiar? And they said, all that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will be obedient.

And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words. It seems as though the spirit of God is using the same term to parallel Josiah's actions with the foundational moment of the covenant being established at Sinai. He wants us to link them together. He wants us to read chapter 23 and think, oh, the book of the covenant. Yeah.

We saw that in Exodus chapter 24. For what reason? To show us that Josiah is bringing the people back to their original promise to God. In other words, by using this title, Josiah is being portrayed as a leader, bringing the people back to what God intended for them from the beginning. He's renewing the original covenant.

Additionally, by using book of the covenant, there's an emphasis being made. And the emphasis is on the relational binding nature of God's word. Josiah is not just standing before the nation enforcing rules and regulations and laws. He's reminding them, listen, we gotta enter back into relationship with God. This is a covenant.

This is not just about abiding by certain precepts. No. This is about coming back into communion with God. Listen, that's the purpose of the Bible by the way. The Bible is not an end in itself.

It's a wonderful means to relationship with the Lord. The only means. The primary means. Yes, there's prayer and fellowship with the saints, all that, but the scriptures is meant to bring you and I closer to God and remain in fellowship with God. It's through this window and this window alone.

So that's the emphasis being made here. Josiah is calling the people back into covenant, not just to the law. So this is significant. The author is being very strategic. This is a very pivotal moment for the people of Israel, because the last time we saw the book of the covenant was when the people entered into covenant with God in the desert.

So we're supposed to feel the weight of this. This is massive. But remember, we're considering the motive of Josiah's obedience because we we want to know how can it be said of me, not not from others, from God that with all my heart and all my soul and all my might, I truly am his. It's his motive. And here's my final question before we move on to the second characteristic.

That the people who are being prepared to enter into covenant with God again share Josiah's motive. Look at the end of verse three, the last sentence there, and all the people joined in the covenant. Seems so. Well, why would they join in the covenant? But as I pause in my reading of this chapter and visited the parallel account in second Chronicles, I discovered something that was disappointing.

I don't mean to disappoint you, but I think it will enrich your understanding of this passage. So look at this one verse in second Chronicles 34. In verse 32, In second Chronicles 34 verse 32, then he, being Josiah, made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. Read the first part again.

Then he made all who are present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join it. I get the impression that this isn't really voluntary. Instead, I think that the people are just doing this because they're being told to. He made them do it. And if you doubt the interpretation of this verse, remember that Jeremiah was raised up by God to be the prophetic voice during Josiah's reign.

And what was his repeated message to the same people who entered into this covenant with God? You're not really in it with your whole heart. You're partial. You're half hearted. He called them out for their apathy.

He he continually called them out for their shallow surrender. That's what you find throughout just, Jeremiah's writings. And so that really confirms what we find here in this verse that the people were made to do it. And unfortunately, you have you have some who imitate the Israelites here in their devotion to Christ. In what way?

Well, yeah, they're they're willing to become Christians, but for what? Well, maybe they respect the leader who presented them the gospel. Or maybe there was somebody over their life that they looked up to, so they just really want to honor them. Maybe just imitate them. Okay.

You're a Christian? Okay. Great. Yeah. I like it too.

I like you, so I'll be a Christian. Well, how many people sign up to serve Christ because they get caught up in the momentum of a movement? Or they see others being moved by the truth and they just wanna be part of the group and so sign me up. I'll follow Jesus. There's there's so many other ways somebody could be made to come into covenant with the Lord and then not being the real reason.

Again, we're we're discussing the motive of Josiah's obedience. What a contrast. Here you have a man, it didn't matter who had the same zeal as more the ambition. I'm gonna do it. I'm I'm making this happen.

And he stood out from millions who joined in the covenant for who knows what reasons. It's striking. It's sobering, but it's the truth. What's your motive in following Christ today? Your reaction before that question is even completed is Christ.

Christ. It's his smile that I'm after. It's his fellowship that I treasure. It's that face to face meeting that I will have when I give up my final breath that I always have before me in my life day to day. I wanna please him.

Surely that's one major reason why Josiah was crowned with such wonderful praise at the end of this chapter. But we're also considering the extent of Josiah's obedience, not just his motive. Maybe you're still there, hopefully, second Chronicles 34. Look at the next verse. We read 32.

Look at 33. And Josiah took away all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the people of Israel and made all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. All his days, they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of the Father. So there's just further confirmation. All his days.

As long as Josiah lived, we'll live for God. The moment that men died, you're gonna find out next week that they returned to their vomit. But that's not the point that I wanna bring up. What is briefly stated in this single verse is elaborated and expanded in great detail in our original text in second Kings 23. In other words, this one verse is stretched out through 16 verses.

In chapter 23 verse four down to verse 20. And it's this very precise unfolding of the abominations that Josiah confronted and cleansed after this covenant was made with the nation. And we're gonna read them in a moment, but I wanna just give you a summary. Here's the summary of what we're about to discover. Josiah is going to remove vessels of Baal, Asherah and all the hosts of heavens that were placed in the temple of God.

He's gonna remove these articles of false worship from the house of God. Beyond that, he deposed the priests who previous kings have ordained to orchestrate sacrifices at high places. Beyond that, he will break down the high places and the houses of male cult prostitutes. It doesn't even end there. He will defile these stations that were set apart to sacrifice children to false gods.

Moreover, he will destroy horses and chariots that were dedicated to the worship of the sun. If you're not overwhelmed yet, he will dismantle and burn various altars including the original ones that Jeroboam built in Bethel. That's not even everything. And the fact that these are just just laid out for us in rapid succession is meant to cause you to feel shock. This is just how corrupt the nation has become.

We're not talking about Israel, by the way. We're talking about the king of Judah. The one that was led by the dynasty of David. This is how low they have reached. This is how dark it became.

Now, I step back and I thought to myself two things. One, this just makes Josiah's devotion to God all the more amazing. Because with all the wickedness that surrounded him and tempted him, as though there was nothing around him, he obeyed the Lord wholeheartedly. But it got me thinking, is this what we're about to read, Josiah's initial reform? Is it his initial attempt to cleanse the land of idolatry?

Let me ask you this way, what year are we in in Josiah's reign? Anybody know? Let me give you a hint. It didn't change from last week. Good.

We're in the eighteenth year of his reign. What year did he begin to purge the land of idolatry? The twelfth year. Yes. So here's what I'm thinking.

As I was reading the rest of this chapter, chapter 23, and all the things that Josiah still how had to confront and cleanse, what was really accomplished in the past six years of reform? Is that a legitimate inquiry? Not to say he didn't do anything. Now one can answer, well, that's just the the depth of iniquity that the people were swimming in. Sure, you can say that.

But I think there's a more powerful statement being made. Here it is. That whatever Josiah was trying to do in the past six years, he was able to do in one year because of one key component. He had the Bible this time. He had the Bible this time.

True reformation, true restoration, true renewal, true healing, true salvation can never be realized apart from God's word. It can't. All these silly attempts and ideas and outreaches and movements and events that try to usher in revival with little to no attention to the Word of God is just silly. It's really futile. One year with the Bible, outshined what Josiah was trying to do in six years without it.

Now let's bring it into our own lives. Let's bring it into something that we deal with on a day to day. How many marriages are trying to be healed without the bible? How many hearts are trying to be fixed without God's word? How many people are trying to manage their financial situation, their friendships?

Whatever it may be apart from the scriptures. You are wasting time and energy unless you invested and based your efforts in this truth. The wisdom of God, the power of God, the breath of God, awaits to breathe on whatever it is you need to see restored. That's what I see here. It just reinforces my trust in the scriptures.

Just give people the Word of God and let the Word do the work. But let's look at these things now in greater detail. I want us to look at the extent of Josiah's obedience. It's one thing to say, I want to live for the Lord Jesus. I want to obey him.

I do obey him with all my heart, all my soul, and all my might. But when you really break it down, it's helpful to see if that is the case. The first thing I want us to look at, and there are three Ps by the way. The first thing I want us to consider is the permanency of his obedience. The permanency of his obedience.

Let's read verse four down to verse six. And the king commanded Hilkiah, the high priest and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the hosts of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem, Those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations, and all the hosts of the heavens. And he brought out the Asherah from the house of the Lord outside Jerusalem to the Brook Kidron, and burned it at the Brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people.

Is there anything that stands out to you from the verses that we just read? We've seen idols being burned before. Correct? We've seen idols being crushed before, have we not? But there is something that does stand out.

What is it? Look at the last part. And cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people. Why are you doing that, Josiah? Why are you taking the dust of the altars and the different items of false worship and sprinkling them on the graves of the common people?

It gets even more strange as you continue. I wanna read to you three other passages in this text. Scroll down here to verse 14. And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the ashram and filled their places with the bones of men. Verse 16.

And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount and he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it, according to the word of the Lord that the man of God proclaimed who had predicted these things. If we didn't get it, there's one more verse. Verse 20, and he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars and burned human bones on them, then he returned to Jerusalem. So with almost every site of destruction, Josiah chooses to take bones of humans and to sprinkle their bones on these altars or these different artifacts. And in the original case, he took the artifacts and he sprinkled them on the graves of the common people.

Any idea why he is doing this? Is it just to be cruel? Let me give you a hint. Does this ring any bell to a law in the old testament relating to the people of Israel and what was to happen if they engage with anything that is dead. Here's a scripture reference that you wanna put in your margin.

Numbers 19 verse 16. Here's the reason why Josiah is doing this, and it's brilliant. It's absolutely brilliant and there is a deep spiritual truth attached to it. Notice what the law says in numbers nineteen sixteen. Whoever in the open field touches someone who was killed with a sword or who died naturally or touches a human bone or a grave shall be unclean seven days.

You see what Josiah is doing now? After destroying these false things, he ensures that they are defiled by linking them with that which was dead. For what reason? To make it that much more difficult for those who would be tempted to return to false worship. Because in coming in contact with those things, they would come into contact with human bones and they would become ceremonially unclean.

What is Josiah doing? He is putting up obstacles and hurdles for the people to not go back to false worship. He really wants us to be a final commitment to the Lord. In other words, Josiah is doing this to make a statement. We're not going back.

We're not. Those things are buried. Those things are now defiled. And if you really wanna go back to it, you're gonna have to go through a lot to resurrect false worship. Because now they're associated and linked with human bones, with the graves of common people.

In your pursuit of obedience and mind, can I ask you a very very important question? What do we do? What are we doing to make it more difficult for us to return to the things that we once worshiped? What do we really do to cut off old ways? To separate ourselves from patterns that dishonored God?

Or have you found yourself making it very easy to return to things that you once denounced? Is it easy for you to return to ways of thinking and behaviors and places and people that you vowed that you would never return to? I'll never forget a meeting long before I was ever in ministry, where someone who I knew was entrenched in drugs and the party lifestyle. And he was sick of it. So he came to a meeting.

He couldn't even make it to the meeting. He was just weeping through it all. And finally, he just said, I'm done. I'm sick of it. I wanna repent.

I wanna I need a change here. And as he was trying to even catch his breath because he was heaving, and we discussed the gospel with this individual, we eventually called him to make a decision. Listen, you gotta cut off your past. You gotta cut off your past. And it's as though the holy spirit in that moment just led that conversation for a few friends.

People who love this young man. Pick up your phone, go through your contacts and delete all the numbers of your drug dealers. You know what was amazing to witness? How difficult it was for this person to do that. Cut it off.

Sprinkle death on it. Make it that much more difficult for you to return to your sin. And so you see, the extent of Josiah's obedience here is that he determined for it to be a permanent choice. And he determined to make it that much more difficult for him and others to go back to their way of life. So when we repent, we're really saying, I I crucify those things and I myself am crucified to the world.

That's what we see here. It's brilliant, but it's not the only thing. It's not just a permanency of his obedience. We also see the priority of it. The priority of his obedience.

Let's look at verse seven and we'll read down to verse 13. And he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the Lord. Just pause for a second. Can you believe it? So God is about to use Babylon to remove this people from the promised land.

And here you have people thinking, don't you think this is a little bit too harsh? Don't you think it's a little bit too extreme? Okay. Think about this. In the temple of God, you had male cult prostitutes.

In the place that was to be consecrated, in the place that was hosting the very glory of God, you had prostitutes. Not down the street, in the place. And people dared to sit on the judgment seat and criticize God. And he broke down the house of the male called prostitutes who were in the house of the Lord, where the woman wove hangings for the Asherah. It is believed that these women put together curtains, so that people can perform sexual acts behind those veils in the house of God.

Verse eight. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings from Geba to Beersheba, and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua, the governor of the city, which were on one's left at the gate of the city. So another thing that he does. Hey, all the priests, come here. All of you that worship at these high places and help the people worship at these places that were not designated to the true God and not even designated places to worship the true God, you're fired.

You're all fired. The priority, and we're gonna continue. Josiah didn't allow people and even people in certain positions to determine from obeying God. It's one thing to remove sinful entertainment, sinful items, sinful decisions. It's another thing to remove sinful people.

Sin doesn't just appear out of the air. Sin is encouraged. Sin is nurtured. Sin is invented by people. And Josiah understood this.

And so you priests that encourage people in this direction, you're gone. You're out of here. But notice what he does, something, something moving in verse nine. However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread from among their brothers. Here's what's happening, that as zealous as Josiah was, he did not become merciless.

And I believe Josiah is operating in the spirit of the law. From the old covenant, we find that there were instructions for the priests, even priests who disqualified themselves from serving in the temple primarily because of bodily defects. One One of the ways in which the Lord assured their livelihood is that even though they were disqualified from serving in the house of God, they were still allowed to eat from the bread of the house of God. You find that in Leviticus 21. You don't have to turn there.

So it could be that Josiah is operating with this in mind that he's borrowing from the spirit of that law and because the priests were solely dependent upon the provisions and the donations in the house of God for their own survival, he didn't cut that off from them completely. He didn't allow them to starve to death. And so even in his pursuit, his very passionate pursuit for purity, this man didn't become void of compassion and grace. And I think that's a temptation for people who really wanna obey God. In their great angst and even maybe in their righteous indignation, if you're not careful, you can go beyond what God says.

And you can begin to unnecessarily punish and condemn and push people away. That's not what he's doing here, is it? This is a real reformation and yet, he is mindful. He is mindful of God's heart for people. This is just an incredible display of wisdom here and grace.

It just it it moved my soul this week. We're talking about the priority of his obedience. Let's read on in verse 10. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech. And he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun at the entrance of the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan Melech, the chamberlain, which was in the precincts.

And he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. Let me pause here. They got so creative with their idolatry that they even dedicated It's one thing for kings, remember, to have many horses. Now you had horses with chariots that were dedicated to what? The sun.

Verse 12, and the altars on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, he pulled down and broke in pieces and cast the dust of them into the Brook Kidron. And the king defiled the high places that were East Of Jerusalem to the South of the Mount Of Corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashraf, the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Ashram and filled their places with the bones of men. The one thing I wanna highlight as we're considering now the priority of his obedience is how he went to this mount called the Mount Of Corruption. And we discussed this when we looked at the life of Solomon.

Because we read there in first Kings eleven seven that he erected these false altars, these false places of worship on a mountain East of Jerusalem and most believe it was the Mount Of Olives. At least a part of the Mount Of Olives. And over time, it developed this reputation among the righteous. It was called the Mount Of Corruption. And what moves me here about Josiah is that though this mountain and though these things that were built were associated and linked to Solomon, he could care less.

He could care less. God's word says this, doesn't matter what Solomon did for good, didn't matter what his story ended up being like. This is evil, this is sin, I'm I'm getting rid of it. And I bring that up because you have some people who are not really fully, truly, wholeheartedly obeying God because of things like their heritage. I met people like this.

The history of their ethnicity. Right? The traditions that they've always known, that their families have passed down, that they were accustomed to in different expressions within Christendom. The testimonies associated with those who developed these traditions and these ideas and these teachings, Even though they are anti biblical, and so you have many who prioritize things like history and heritage and ethnicity and nationality and tradition over God's word. This man could care less.

If it's not in God's word, more importantly, if it contradicts God's word, I'm removing it from my life. Do you see the extent of Josiah's obedience? There's one final thing. The priority of his obedience, we just read, but there's also the progression of it. The progression of his obedience.

Let's read down here verse 15 to the last verse of our section of our study. Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high places erected by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. That altar with the high place he pulled down and burned, reducing it to dust. He also burned the Asherah. And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount, and he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word the Lord that the man of God proclaimed who had predicted these things.

You remember this. Right? Back in first Kings 13, there was a man who prophesied Josiah by name three hundred to three hundred and fifty years before he came into existence. And now that prophetic word is coming to pass. Verse 17, then he said, what is that monument that I see?

And the men out, the men of the city told them it is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel. And he said, let him be. Let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. And Josiah removed all the shrines also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which kings of Israel had made provoking the Lord to anger, he did it to them according to all that he had done at Bethel.

And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars and burned human bones on them, then he returned to Jerusalem. What's different about Josiah's actions here? Any idea? The hint is the geography. Where did Josiah begin?

The temple. Then he moved outside of Jerusalem. And what's the first thing that we read after he had dealt with the mount Of Corruption? Where was he? Somebody said at verse 15, the altar at Bethel, he went to Bethel.

And after Bethel, what happened? Look down at verse 19. He went to the cities of Samaria. Why is that important to realize? Is Josiah the king of Israel?

No. He's the king of what? Judah. These cities are located in the northern tribes where the Northern Kingdom Of Israel was. Now, are the people of Israel in Samaria and at Bethel?

No. They were exiled by the Assyrians and there was just a small population that remained. But for whatever reason, Josiah felt the need to go beyond his area of influence and leadership and to cleanse as much of God's land as possible. So this speaks of the progression of his obedience. That there was not one area that he left untouched.

That as much as it was possible, he would want every piece of real estate to become holy unto God. You and I are not dealing with properties in our spirituality, are we? We're dealing with these bodies, these souls, and yet there's still instruction here for us that we should grow in our obedience, that we should long for every part of who we are to come under his influence and to be permeated by his presence and his power and his truth. So we see the extent of his obedience. Right?

May we imitate this man if we long for us to carry the same badge of honor. Let me end it with this, The Mount Of Corruption. Again, it's believed to be the Mount Of Olives. I see Jesus in this. Isn't it significant that this place that hosted filth and vile practices was, yes, cleansed by one of these kings, but clearly didn't have a lasting impact.

And yet, one king would come. And he would, with total intentionality, make his way to the Mount Of Olives. And He would pray. And He would sweat drops of blood. And He would cry out for the Father's will to be accomplished.

And that very place that was littered and polluted by false idols hosted the King of Kings who would bring a permanent end to all kinds of corruption, Who would begin his victorious, vicarious death on that mountain and would willingly surrender his life to these wicked vile men who thought that they had authority over him when he, with his own authority, laid down his life and would make a statement from that mountain. I'm going to bring an end to all corruption. Even in this, as wonderful as Josiah is, he points to Jesus. I leave you with that thought. And I wanna let you know that the motive for true obedience and the possibility of your obedience to be like this man is only available in Christ.

It's his power in you. It's the grace that he showers over your life that gives you the motivation to say, I want to live purely for him and I wanna prioritize him. I want my obedience to progress and I want it to be permanent. You can't do it without Christ, and he's here ready to help us. Can we ask him to help us?

Let's do that. Father, we acknowledge that this book is your book. This book is alive. This book is your voice. This book has been granted to mankind to provide the wisdom of God unto salvation and transformation into your image.

Lord, we thank you for King Josiah's example. We thank you that you've shown us how it is possible to have every part of who we are given over to who you are. Give us the true motive for obedience, and give us the ability to know the extent of this caliber and quality of obedience. May it be permanent, may it progress, and may it be our utmost priority no matter what it costs us. Lord, tonight we afresh give ourselves to you joyfully because you are a worthy king.

Thank you that you climbed that mountain and you prayed for us, and you fulfilled the father's will so that you would deliver us from every sin imaginable, from every bondage, every chain, anything that has kept us, any addiction, any mindset, any brokenness, Lord. You are able to deliver us from it. And if there's even one person in here who has not truly been saved, we pray that today would be the day where they can know the power of your obedience on our behalf. May it be so in Jesus' name. Amen.

Why don't we stand and worship the Lord together? So as we conclude this study, let me leave you one final thought because sometimes when a message that's, you know, strictly or exclusively on obedience, obedience, it can kind of overwhelm people, maybe even discourage them. But there is a point in that study that we didn't really ex expound on. When Josiah was, coming to Bethel and he was ready to, you know, approach Samaria, he had encountered the monuments, the gravesites of the prophet who had predicted his arrival and his mission. And when he learned of the man of God, he had said, nobody touch his bones.

Now what you see in that, I believe, from God's perspective is that he supervises and he assured that the bones of his servant back in first Kings 13 would not be defiled. He honored the gravesite of that man of God who spoke about Josiah. And here's what moves me about that. We remember the prediction that that man made, the man of God, he was unnamed. Was his obedience perfect?

Answer? No. He he went to Jeroboam, he pointed his bony finger in his face, he told them what was going to happen to this altar, to his dynasty, and God told them don't go back the same way you came. And don't stop for any food, any drink, head back home in a different direction. Did he fulfill that request?

No, he failed. He failed to the degree that a lion killed him on his way home. It's not very inspirational in terms of obedience. Right? But he was still a man of God.

And he still lived for God, and God still honored him even in his death. The faithfulness and the kindness of God, even in our failures, even in our attempt to serve and obey Him and we fall short, God still finds a way to honor us. It's remarkable to think about His grace. So I want you to leave here encouraged, not beat up, not more exhausted than when you came in, but invigorated knowing that God's grace is not ready to supply you the energy to move forward, but to even pick you up if you ever fall. Help us remember that, Lord.

We pray, oh God, that we would find it a joyful thing to live for you. As we sang earlier, purify our hearts, make us like gold. Lord, do a work in us to the degree wherein you see us, you see your own reflection. And then when people see us, they see your reflection. We trust you're able to help us, and we thank you in advance for it.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen. Greet someone. Bless someone. Lord willing, we'll be reunited here Sunday as we continue in Revelation.

Listen, in Revelation, we are looking at the seven seals that Jesus will break, and each of them deal with an event that is to arrive on the earth preceding the soon return of the Lord, and we're also breaking bread together. So come with anticipation as we worship together. God bless you. We'll see you soon.