2 Kings 24:8-17 ESV

17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah. 18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the LORD it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence. And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

THE LAST KING OF JUDAH

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah and thus, he witnessed the temple destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC and the majority of the people carried into exile. The story of Zedekiah is told in 2 Kings 24–25, 2 Chron 36, and the book of Jeremiah. Zedekiah’s original name was Mattaniah. He was the son of King Josiah and the brother of King Jehoahaz and King Jehoiakim. Zedekiah wouldn’t be included in the line to the throne, if not he kings preceding did not make bad decisions, both spiritually and politically, and were removed in succession.

Second Kings gives the basic historical outline and 2 Chron 36. And, Jeremiah fills in much of the behind-the-scenes information and the spiritual component of Zedekiah’s life. During the siege of Jerusalem, Zedekiah asked Jeremiah to intercede to the Lord for Judah to be delivered. Jeremiah returned God’s answer: He has irrevocably handed Judah over to judgment, first by plague, and those who escape that will fall to the Babylonians. Thus, the only hope that any of the people have is to surrender to the Babylonians. “Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives” (Jer 21: 9).

Zedekiah did not like God’s answer. False prophets contradicted Jeremiah and preached a more favorable message (see Jer 23). However, God reiterated His message to Jeremiah (see Jer chap 24–25). King Zedekiah imprisoned Jeremiah to the courtyard of the guard in the palace but he did not compromise his message.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah assured Zedekiah that the king will die peacefully in Babylon, but that the city of Jerusalem will not escape. Later, Zedekiah had freed all the slaves that should have been freed every seven years, a command of the Law that was neglected over the years. However, Zedekiah then reversed his decision and allowed the freed slaves to be enslaved again.

Finally, during the Babylonian siege, Zedekiah fled the city by night but was captured. Zedekiah’s sons were killed before him, and then he was blinded and taken to Babylon in chains (see Jer 52; 2 Kings 25; 2 Chron 36). Then the Babylonians broke down the walls of Jerusalem, burned the temple, and took the temple articles to Babylon with them, They took the king Zedekiah there where he died years later. No doubt it was a peaceful death as the Lord had promised, but what awful memories he must have endured during the rest of his life!

Zedekiah had been given a tremendous opportunity. He missed the throne three times when two of his brothers and then his nephew were crowned. Yet, he finally received stewardship of the kingdom. Zedekiah had seen firsthand the mistakes of his brothers and nephew and had direct messages from God through prophet Jeremiah. Yet he failed to learn and did not submit to the Lord. As a result, Zedekiah lost his sons, his sight, his throne and his freedom.

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2 Kings 24:8-17 ESV

10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign 13 and carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the LORD had foretold. 14 He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, 7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war. 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

CAPTIVES AND EXILES

Under the King Jehoiachin’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar came to Judah like a wildfire. Everything was carried to Babylon. The king's mother, the king's wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land. He carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the Lord had foretold. He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths [1000].

None remained, except the poorest people of the land. Babylon had ransacked the whole city as a thief would strip the place of its valuables leaving behind the undesirables or rubbish. All of Solomon’s gold and treasures which once flowed in big quantities in his empire will be placed into the coffers in Babylon.

Today, let’s not underestimate the bondage of the enemy. As Paul said, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 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 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.” [Eph 2:1-3] The enemy, like a thief, came in order to “steal and kill and destroy.” [John 10:10] But, no matter how far man had gone far away from God, His grace and mercy does outran him.

Paul has declared, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”[Eph 2:5-9]

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2 Kings 24:1-7 ESV

In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD would not pardon. 5 Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7 And the king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.

THE FALL OF JUDAH

God is longsuffering. He is neither capricious nor impulsive. As He decreed, Judah had finally fallen to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.Nebuchadnezzar was not able unless God had allowed him. In fact, It was the LORD who sent bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets.

Babylon with his allied forces seemed unstoppable. Assyria had been taken apart. And, Egypt was no match who tried to help Judah. Why? For “surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done.”[v.3] The judgment of God was inevitable. Babylon had expanded his territories from from the Wadi of Egypt to the Euphrates River. [see 1 Kings 4:21, 24; 8:65] Simply said, Babylon had flourished because Judah had backslidden.

Certainly, God was on top of everything. As the psalmist wrote; “Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.”[Psa 76:10] Should God is sovereign in everything, everything contributes for His glory. His light will pierce through darkness. He could turn a mess into a message or a blight into His beauty. He uses the canvass of darkness and sin to manifest the glory of the cross or the gospel. There is nothing attractive about the manger and cross until Jesus was born and crucified in it, respectively.

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2 Kings 23:31-37 ESV

31 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 33 And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 34 And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. 35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

THE EVIL INFLUENCE

Undoubtedly, King Josiah was the most godly king of Israel. However, he was not successful to influence his sons to follow his footsteps. His son Jehoahaz who reigned after him, did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did all that his “fathers’ had done, except his father Josiah. Pharaoh Necho had imprisoned him, was brought to Egypt, where he died later. Eliakim[name was changed to Jehoiakim] was appointed to replace him. Like his brother Jehoahaz, he did evil too. He gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco. In short, he was a puppet king tasked to collect taxes for Egypt.

What does it show us?

The evil profilerating for generations was so deep that its influence lingers. All the idols and priests were gone but the values in the hearts of men did not necessarily change. Apparently, the hearts of Josiah’s son were not changed. Real change that lasts is from the inside out. It’s only God who can open the eyes of blinded men and change their hearts. [2 Cor 4:4]

This pose a real concern for us today. Success in parenting is not in following a simple formula. Each child is unique and must be shepherded in the heart. It’s impossible to change the kids heart without God. Thus, we must introduce them to Christ at their early age. Learning from his own mistakes and struggles, Solomon writes, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”[Prov 22:6] Although this isn’t a guarrantee, children most likely will imbibe the values they are nurtured with. As arrows fly from the hands of the hunter[parents], they will fly to the aimed target most likely.[Psa 127:4] For kids to change, they must accept their brokenness in sin, seek for God’s forgiveness, trust in His saving grace and live a surrendered life to Christ’s Lordship.

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2 Kings 23:28-30 ESV

Similarly today, many Christians end their lives not in simple sleep but horribly. There are still many countries wherein Christians are persecuted. But, their souls are spared from God’s judgment in hell. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” [Rom 8:1] Thus Jesus has admonished us, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”[Matt 10:28,29]

28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 29 In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him, and Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. 30 And his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.

DYING IN PEACE

King Josiah was killed by Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo. 2 Chron 35:20-25 gave us this account, “20 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. 21 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.” 22 Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo. 23 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. 25 Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.”

But, did not God promise he would die in peace? The prophetess Huldah said earlier, “ Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and 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.’[2 Kings 22:20]

Clearly, it was not refering to the manner of his death. It was the timing. He would die and be buried peacefully before the terrible events would happened. As Huldah prophesied, “Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. 17 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.”[2 Kings 22:15-17]

2 Kings 23:24-27 ESV

24 Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25 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 like him arise after him.

26 Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27 And the LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”

FORGIVENESS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

King Josiah had separated from the sins of the land in order to be set apart unto God. Until and unless the whole land was cleared from the “mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations”, the obedience to the book of the law couldn’t be done. In short, there was separation from sin and towards the Lord. He 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 like him arise after him. Josiah had became the best king ever Judah had.

Yet, the Lord will pour His wrath upon them. The LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.” Why? The provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him was the reason. Even the prophet Jeremiah writes, “ And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem. “Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, or who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare? You have rejected me, declares the Lord; you keep going backward, so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you - I am weary of relenting.”[Jer 15:4-6]

The Lord forgives but won’t remove the consequences. He forgives a repentant drank person but the effect of alcohol in his body remains. He forgives a repentant drug addict but the harm done in his brain may remain. Both could be sober for the rest of their lives but have to bear the consequence of their sinful lifestyle in the past.

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2 Kings 23:21-23 ESV

21 And the king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” 22 For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. 23 But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the LORD in Jerusalem.

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21 At iniutos ng hari sa buong bayan, “Ipagdiwang ninyo ang paskuwa sa PANGINOON ninyong Diyos, gaya ng nasusulat sa aklat na ito ng tipan.” 22 Walang gayong paskuwa ang ipinagdiwang mula sa mga araw ng mga hukom na naghukom sa Israel, o sa panahon ng lahat ng mga araw ng mga hari ng Israel o ng mga hari man ng Juda; 23 ngunit nang ikalabingwalong taon ni Haring Josias, ipinangilin sa Jerusalem ang paskuwang ito sa PANGINOON.

THE PASSOVER RESTORED

By celebrating the Passover, Josiah’s spiritual reforms was far reaching than Hezekiah and others before him. No Passover celebration was made since the days of the judges. He should be commended for eradicating everything associated with pagan worship. But, this celebration of the Passover was the highlight of his reforms. Similarly, we should not be noted by what we remove in our lives but by what we do in obedience to his words.

How significant is the Passover celebration? The celebration of Passover is in remembrance of the time in Israel’s history when the Lord moved through Egypt destroying the firstborn of all people and animals (see Exodus 11 and 12.) This was the final of the ten plagues God visited upon Egypt designed to force Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave the country and their captivity. The Israelites were commanded by God to take the blood of a male lamb—one without blemish—and smear it on the doorposts of their houses. When the Lord saw the blood, He would “pass over” that house. Ever since that night, Jews have celebrated the Passover in remembrance of God’s grace to them.[from gotquestions.org]

This is a foreshadowing of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus, whose blood would cover the sins of those who believe in Him, causing God’s judgment to pass over them. The Passover is a wonderful picture of Christ’s atonement for His people and His deliverance of us from the bondage of sin Thus, Paul writes, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” [1 Cor 5:7]

While it is not required for Christians to celebrate the Passover, it is beneficial to study and reflect it for it leads to a greater understanding and appreciation for Christ’s death and resurrection. That is something we should celebrate every day of our lives.

Under the New Covenant, we are enjoined to celebrate instead the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. Paul had emphasized this observance by saying, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.”[1 Cor 11:23-26]

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2 Kings 23:15-20 ESV

15 Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place 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. 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. 17 Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “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.” 18 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. 19 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 to them according to all that he had done at Bethel. 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.

WHAT IS THAT MONUMENT THAT I SEE?

In his cleansing campaign in Samaria, King Josiah was determined to destroy every pagan edifice, including tombs. He 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

But he saw a tomb and asked, “What is that monument that I see?” What prompted him to ask is not clear. Clearly, he was careful to destroy shrines which were verified. Interestingly, the men of the city told him, “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.” He had died many years earlier, yet the specific king he mentioned, Josiah, came to fulfill his words. His words were recorded in 1 Kings 13:1-2, “And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.” Was this a coincidence?

King Josiah was quick to honor him, saying, “Let him be; let no man move his bones.” He was an obscure prophet but having a popular message. Apparently, people did not remember his name but his words had lingered in their minds. He died but his words lives. Similarly, it doesn’t matter whether people will remember our names as long as they won’t forget the message we bring – the gospel.

Are we passionate to elevate the name of Christ alone? As Paul had declared for himself, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” [1 Cor 2:2] Sadly, today’s norm is when a popular preacher said it that makes it worth considering, is it not? May we be like John the baptizer, the greatest prophet [Luke 7:26-28] who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”[John 3:30]

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2 Kings 23:4-20 ESV

4 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 host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5 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 the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens. 6 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. 7 And he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8 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. 9 However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 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. 11 And he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to 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. 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. 13 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 Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 14 And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with the bones of men.

15 Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place 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. 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. 17 Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “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.” 18 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. 19 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 to them according to all that he had done at Bethel. 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.

THE CLEANSING

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2 Kings 23:1-3 ESV

Then the king sent, and all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem were gathered to him. 2 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. 3 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.

Pagkatapos ang hari ay nagsugo, at tinipon niya ang lahat ng matatanda ng Juda at Jerusalem. 2 At pumunta ang hari sa bahay ng PANGINOON, kasama ang lahat na lalaki ng Juda at ang lahat ng mamamayan ng Jerusalem, mga pari, mga propeta, at ang buong bayan, hamak at dakila. Kanyang binasa sa kanilang mga pandinig ang lahat ng salita ng aklat ng tipan na natagpuan sa bahay ng PANGINOON. 3 Ang hari ay tumayo sa tabi ng haligi, at nakipagtipan sa harap ng PANGINOON, upang lumakad ng ayon sa PANGINOON at upang ingatan ang kanyang mga utos at ang kanyang mga patotoo, at ang kanyang mga tuntunin, ng kanyang buong puso at buong kaluluwa, upang tuparin ang mga salita ng tipang ito na nasusulat sa aklat na ito; at ang buong bayan ay nakiisa sa tipan.

A COVENANT BEFORE THE LORD

Everything stopped at the kingdom for all the people had gathered at the temple. With him were the elders, all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. He personally read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.

Why did he read the book himself? There is no apparent reason. Reading it by himself had made the impression that he identified with the book’s authority. Earlier he heard the promise of both eventual judgment and the immediate delay of judgment. Yet, he did not respond with indifference or simple contentment that he would not see the judgment in his day. He wanted to get the kingdom right with God. As C.S. Lewis said, “You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

Thus, immediately after reading, he made a covenant with God. Upon the hearing of everyone, he declared, that he s going “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.” Definitely, this public declaration was without ambiguity and equivocation. Because of this, the people joined him in the covenant. Is not God’s covenant of love towards us that has driven us to covenant with Him? We love Him because He first loved us.[1 John 4:19] Certainly, all these promptings are workings of the Spirit in their lives.

Today, as we read His words, The Holy Spirit should prompt us to covenant with God not be hearers but be doers of His words. As James said, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”[Jas 1:22-25]

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