2 Chronicles 34:1-33 - Homiletics

The reign of Josiah-its unexpected boon, in a republication of revealed religion, with the legitimate and happy results following thereupon.

In the reign and person of Josiah, once more and for the last time in the now numbered years of the kingdom of Judah, the light of piety and "goodness" flickered up in the socket. His reign began when his yearn numbered but eight; it lasted thirty-one years. Four reigns succeeded his to the date of the destruction of Jerusalem, but the four together occupied but twenty-two or twenty-three years in all. The term of life is run, therefore, within a very short length, and the pensive sadness of the coming end falls upon us before the horrors of the end itself overwhelm us. Josiah's care for the reformation of the national religion emulated, rather exceeded, that of any predecessor ( 2 Kings 23:22 , 2 Kings 23:25 ). He boldly denounced and destroyed, enlisted help and spiritual sympathy, and reconstructed. And, both by word and deed, laid most solemn stress on the immaculate celebration of the sacred Passoverse And explain it as we may, there was granted to him and his reign an opportunity, and it not neglected, which bid fair, going to the root of the matter, to promise brighter days—days of more lasting brightness for the welfare of the people, in the true security of religion. But the knell of doom was already clanging. To the piety of Josiah, it was not so much that respite of the dread sentence on Judah was given, but this was given, the condescending information and merciful assurance that it was dated to a time when he would be "gathered to his fathers, and gathered to his grave in peace, and his eyes not see all the evil" ( 2 Chronicles 34:27 , 2 Chronicles 34:28 ). This, with some special emphasis, came true; for Josiah, though slain in battle, and so far not dying "in peace," did die in peace, so far as the end or captivity of Judah was concerned; and he was the last of the kings who received honourable burial in Jerusalem. Three of his successors and descendants died in captivity, and if Jehoiakim, the other of the four last kings, eventually "slept with his fathers' ( 2 Kings 24:6 ), in the sense of his dust resting with theirs, it was not so at first ( Jeremiah 22:19 ; Jeremiah 36:30 ; Ezekiel 19:8 , Ezekiel 19:9 ). The remarkable opportunity already spoken of, which was granted to Josiah in the interest of religion for his nation, which came on him so unexpectedly, which made such deep impression on him, and which he endeavoured with all his might to turn to the greatest and best advantage, may be dwelt upon, in all its lasting significance, for every time of day. The fact of the sudden discovery of "the book of the Law of the Lord by Moses" ( Deuteronomy 31:26 ; also 10-13) loses its wonder perhaps for ourselves, as we look back on that history, as compared with the other extraordinary fact and appalling thought, that it had been lost, so lost that its very existence, the tradition of it, seemed as a thing unknown to Josiah. Counting the years of the reign of Manasseh, of Amon, and those which had already elapsed of Josiah, we may say that the sacred manuscript had been lost for some eighty years. In point of fact, some pious priest among the degenerate rank-and-file of the priests had probably carefully hidden it at the beginning of the iniquities of Manasseh. The wonder nevertheless is still left, that no quest of it, no literal active search for it, seems to have been made, and no perpetuation of the tradition of it even, by priest or prophet, seems to have been at hand, for Josiah to have had the opportunity of availing himself of it. It is not impossible to surmise partial explanations to meet the difficulty, but the surprising fact is full of significance. Practically the incident amounted to this—that to Josiah was vouchsafed some "republication of revealed religion." And his treatment of the novel, the startling message of revelation is a very parable in itself. We may for the text of this parable, to call it such, be reminded of the reputed words of " father Abraham," in our blessed Lord's parable of the rich man and Lazarus, when he says of the five brethren of the rich man in torments, "They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. " They had not heard them, i.e. had not practically heeded them. But Josiah hears and heeds. And are we not confronted very happily and very suggestively, though in very brief, with these examples of the just demands of revealed religion, justly met? viz. when we read how—

I. JOSIAH " HEARS " IT .

II. BELIEVES IT .

III. REVERENTLY FEARS IT , AS HE PERMITS IT TO SINK INTO HIS VERY SOUL , AND DOES NOT RESIST IT , NOR TRY TO DROWN IT , NOR PUT IT OFF TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AT A MORE CONVENIENT SEASON .

IV. WITH ALL URGENCY MAKES FULL INQUIRY , AND THAT IN THE RIGHT QUARTERS RESPECTING ITS FULL AND MOMENTOUS IMPORT .

V. DILIGENTLY GUIDES HIMSELF PRACTICALLY BY IT .

VI. CALLS WITH THE VOICE OF A TRUE PREACHER ALL AROUND HIM TO HEAR AND HEED THE SAM , E, AND WITHOUT A QUIBBLE OR DELAY TO ENTER INTO COVENANT WITH THAT GOD , WHO SO REVEALS HIMSELF , HIS TRUTH , HIS WILL , HIS COMMANDS , AND THE FEARFUL OR OTHERWISE THE AWE - INSPIRING SANCTIONS BY WHICH THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED . The rich man, the five brethren of the rich man, Judah and Israel, and countless millions upon millions of others, would have been saved and blessed had they been followers of Josiah. How many of modern days, how many of ourselves have neglected, are neglecting, and are making a mock of sin, because of neglecting the simple, faithful example of Josiah, as to the way to receive God's revelation of his truth and will for our lives!