Sun.’s Devo - Josiah’s Reforms

Read: 2 Kings 22:3-23:30; Acts 21:37-22:16; Psalm 1:1-6; Proverbs 18:11-12 In Josiah’s 18th year he sent Shaphan, the court secretary to the Temple of the Lord. He was to ask Hilkiah the high priest for an account of the money they had collected from the people at the Temple. They were to hire workmen to repair all the things that needed repairing in the Temple. While the workmen were working in the Temple, they came upon a copy of the law and sent it to Josiah to read. Josiah realized how far from God’s law they had fallen. They worshipped Baal in the Temple of the Lord and the law gave the penalty for disobeying God’s commands. Josiah sent the copy to the priests and told them to pray for them as a nation. The priests went to inquire of a prophetess named Huldah what God would say to them. The Lord replied that he was going to bring disaster on Jerusalem. All the words written in the scroll - the curses to a nation that didn’t follow God’s commands - would come true. Because Josiah repented, they wouldn’t happen until he died. Josiah then lead the most widespread campaign ever to cleanse the land of idol worship. They cleaned up the Temple then went and tore down every evidence of idol worship throughout the land. When they came to the altar at Bethel, he burned down its altar and burned the bones of the false prophets who were buried by the altar. When he came to the prophet who had prophesied that Josiah would burn down that altar, he did not let them burn his bones. Josiah re-instituted the celebration of Passover. God was still angry over the past sins of Manasseh and those who worshipped false gods. Judah would be punished just like Israel was. Josiah was killed when he went out to fight Egypt and the Assyrians at Megiddo. He was succeeded by his son, Jehoahaz. In Acts, Paul had been arrested for the riot caused by the men who came from Asia. He spoke to the commander in Greek which surprised him. The commander had mistaken Paul for a rebel assassin from Egypt. Paul told him he was a Jew from Tarsus and asked to speak to the people. The commander agreed to let him speak. Paul stood on the steps and quieted the crowd. He spoke to them in Aramaic which was their language. Paul stood and gave his testimony of how God arrested him on the road to Damascus to persecute Christians. They listened in wrapt silence. Paul had the god-given ability to speak to people in their own languages both naturally and spiritually. Lord, help us to boldly proclaim our testimony of what you have done for us. May we be able to speak the language of the people around us in order to proclaim the gospel to them in a way they can receive it. May you exalt leaders to reform our nation like Josiah did his