1 Chronicles 6

1 Chronicles 6:1

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 6:2

Illness and Recovery of Hezekiah

“In those days” (2 Kings 20:1), that is, in the days of his distress because of the enemy from outside, Hezekiah became ill. He even got so ill that he was to die. Hezekiah therefore had a trial from outside, that is the enemy who had surrounded Jerusalem, and a trial from within, within himself. This second test cane on top of the first and was even greater, because it concerned himself.

What happened to Hezekiah is a picture of the trials of the faithful remnant in the end time that also has an enemy from the outside and an enemy from inside. Both enemies are death threatening, but the enemy inside is the worst. The enemy from within is someone from the people themselves, the antichrist.

Isaiah came to Hezekiah with the announcement that he would die and needed to arrange the affairs of his house for that purpose. For us, we must have our affairs arranged in view of the coming of the Lord. This can happen at any moment and that is why we must always be ready for it.

The announcement that he must die caused enormous sadness in Hezekiah. For an Old Testament believer, dying was very sad, especially while still relatively young, like Hezekiah, who was about forty years old at the time. For the promise of the LORD is a long life for being faithful to Him. That was what Hezekiah reminded the LORD. If he were to be taken away then, it would seem as if God were removing him because of his bad spiritual condition.

The LORD wanted Hezekiah to discover the power of death through what happened to him here. He also wanted him to discover the power of the resurrection. We see that the Lord always gives richer lessons than we perceive at first sight. Events that we think put an end to certain things are often not intended by God to take something away from us, but to give us something in addition: a greater view of His power.

When Hezekiah had poured out his grief to the LORD, Isaiah received a new message for Hezekiah. When the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, he was not even completely out of the door. As a result, he quickly returned to Hezekiah with the answer to his prayer.

Hezekiah received a wonderful answer from the LORD. Isaiah was to give him the answer on behalf of “the LORD, the God of your father David”. In this way the gaze was again focused on David as the picture of the Messiah. We notice seven blessings in the answer from the LORD.

1. The LORD had heard his prayer. We may also know that the Lord hears all our prayers.

2. The LORD had seen his tears. The Lord also knows our anguish and repentance for our sins.

3. The LORD told him that he would recover. God would take care of him and recover his health by letting him experience the power of the resurrection, as the following sentence shows. For us, every prayer that fits into His plan is answered by Him. It is not an incentive for anyone who is ill to claim recovery from the disease. Hezekiah had not claimed any health. He had revealed his need, and this was God’s answer for him.

4. After the promise that he would recover, the LORD said that on the third day he would go to the house of the LORD. The power of the resurrection would make him go to the house of the LORD. For us it means that if we are aware that we have new life, we will take our place in the church.

5. The LORD promised him an extension of his life of fifteen years.

6. The LORD promised that he will be saved from the hand of the king of Assyria.

7. The LORD promised protection of the city. Hezekiah gained this protection because of Who the LORD is and because of the Messiah.

The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was not by a sensational miracle. A common, every day and tangible medicine was used for his healing that others had to apply for him. That medicine was a cake of figs. The result was that “he recovered”.

In a spiritual sense figs are a picture of righteousness. Nathanael sat under the fig tree (John 1:48). The Lord Jesus said of him that he was an Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47). Nathanael and the fig tree give a picture of the faithful remnant that acts justly. A cake of figs is sweet. Knowing the sweetness of righteousness by behaving righteously brings recovery.

Hezekiah also asked for a sign. There seemed to be a certain lack of faith in what the LORD had said. That lack of faith was not ‘punished’ by leaving him in his illness with the accusation that he should have believed. This is often done by contemporary so-called faith healers. Instead, Isaiah gave him a choice of two kinds of signs. In this way God met Hezekiah’s small faith.

In choosing one of the two signs we see that Hezekiah did have faith. He didn’t question whether the signs Isaiah proposed to him were able to be given. He considered in faith which sign would be most obvious. In that consideration, he chose the least obvious sign. The accelerated progression of time is not as impressive as putting time back. This was not about the time on a clock, where you can turn back the hands, but about the sun in the sky, that no man can reach, but only God.

When Hezekiah had made his choice, Isaiah cried to the LORD. Isaiah as well, did not doubt the outcome. Through his prayer God intervened with nature. All of nature was set back by the God of nature, to a position of ten steps back to help a believer believe in Him. The whole course and the whole order are in His hand. He can stop the sun and the moon (Joshua 10:12-13) and also set them back, as He did here.

1 Chronicles 6:3

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:4

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:5

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:6

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:7

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:8

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:9

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:10

The Delegation From Babylon

In 2 Kings 20:12 we hear about Babylon for the first time in the history of Israel. Babylon was still an insignificant city and far from being a world power. The king of Babylon had heard of Hezekiah’s disease and healing. That was his reason to visit Hezekiah. However, the king of Babylon was not interested in Hezekiah’s disease. His visit had a political reason. He wanted to try to make Hezekiah his ally to fight with him against Assyria.

The visit became a trap for Hezekiah. He was flattered by this visit. Blinded by the impressive visit, he forgot the LORD. He showed the delegation from Babylon everything he had in his house, all his treasures. That must have made an impression on this delegation. Not a word did he mention about the LORD, and the miracle He did for him. He was silent about Him, Who took away the threat of death from him, and Whom he had come to know as the God of resurrection.

When Hezekiah had answered Isaiah’s questions, Isaiah announced the judgment about all that Hezekiah had shown. He predicted that everything would be taken away and brought to Babylon. Not only things would be taken away, but also people. His descendants would be taken to Babylon to serve as officials of the king of Babylon. Here we hear the first announcement in Scripture about the exile of the two tribes to Babylon.

Hezekiah bowed down under this judgment, accepting that the LORD had done this. With a certain sense of gratitude, he expressed the thought that the judgment would not be meted out in his days.

1 Chronicles 6:11

The Death of Hezekiah

Hezekiah had been powerful. This power was “written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah”, which is unknown to us. A special feature was that Hezekiah brought water into the city from the pool he had made and through the watercourse he had also made. In case of a siege, it was of vital importance to have a secure water supply. Hezekiah had taken care of that. Spiritually, it is also important to be able to take of God’s Word, which is compared with water, in times of trial.

The extra fifteen years also came to an end when Hezekiah dies. This end, as with the other kings of Judah, was weaker than when he began. He was better able to deal with distress than with prosperity. He had been better able to cope with illness than with health. Illness and distress had driven him to the LORD. His health and prosperity had led him to forget the LORD.

1 Chronicles 6:12

The Death of Hezekiah

Hezekiah had been powerful. This power was “written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah”, which is unknown to us. A special feature was that Hezekiah brought water into the city from the pool he had made and through the watercourse he had also made. In case of a siege, it was of vital importance to have a secure water supply. Hezekiah had taken care of that. Spiritually, it is also important to be able to take of God’s Word, which is compared with water, in times of trial.

The extra fifteen years also came to an end when Hezekiah dies. This end, as with the other kings of Judah, was weaker than when he began. He was better able to deal with distress than with prosperity. He had been better able to cope with illness than with health. Illness and distress had driven him to the LORD. His health and prosperity had led him to forget the LORD.

1 Chronicles 6:14

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:15

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:16

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:17

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:18

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:19

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:20

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:21

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:22

Manasseh King of Judah

The God-fearing Hezekiah is followed after his death by his godless son Manasseh. Manasseh was only twelve years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 21:1). His reign lasted no less than fifty-five years, a period exceeding that of all the other kings. It is one of the enigmas of God’s government that He allowed such a wicked man as Manasseh to rule over His people for so long.

The name of his mother is also given. Hephzibah means ‘My lust is in her’. In that name we hear what Jerusalem means to the LORD. What kind of woman she was, is not told. Whether she was a good or a bad mother, we do not know. Judging by the development of Manasseh, she certainly could not prevent him from developing into such an ungodly king. We cannot point to a cause for all time when children go against what their God-fearing parents have told them.

Manasseh did not take his father Hezekiah as an example, but followed in the ways of the kings of Israel, of whom we have read over and over again, what is said here of Manasseh, that they did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:2). He did “according to the abominations of the nations”.

He quickly undid his father’s reforms and “he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed” (2 Kings 21:3). He was also inspired by Ahab, the most godless king of Israel. It is quite possible that his worship and serving of sun, moon and stars (“all the host of heaven”) came through Assyrian influence. So we see that Manasseh adopted the worst of everything and everyone and put it into practice. The judgment that God had given both to the nation and to Ahab didn’t matter him at all.

That the wicked Manasseh seemed to be able to do unhindered whatever it took also says something about the people. The revival under Hezekiah had apparently not rooted deeply in the population. The people were easily carried away on the bad road where Manasseh was leading them.

He openly provoked the LORD by building idol altars in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:4-5). The greatness of this evil is clearly expressed by saying that Manasseh did this in the house “of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem I will put My name””. Manasseh didn’t care about that. He ignored the rights of the LORD to His house and just made it a dwelling place for demons. Manasseh didn’t act out of ignorance concerning the will of the LORD, but he didn’t care at all about that will.

His whole performance shows his voluntary surrender to demonic powers (2 Kings 21:6). This showed in him sacrificing his children to the devil, engaging in occultism – he practiced witchcraft and used divination – and stimulating all forms of sorcery – he appointed mediums and spiritists. The conclusion is that he did not ‘only’ ignore the LORD. It was much worse. Not only did he pass by the LORD with contempt, but he intentionally acted in this way to defy the LORD: “He did much evil in the sight of the LORD provoking [Him to anger].”

2 Kings 21:7 gives another example of his gross violation of the rights of the LORD and his defiance of Him. Even more emphatically than in 2 Kings 21:4 we hear the indignation of God about Manasseh’s shameless courage to set the carved image of Asherah in the temple. We hear God’s indignation in what He said of His house and of His city. God’s feelings about where He had chosen to put His Name forever were deeply offended by Manasseh’s contemptuous actions.

In 2 Kings 21:8 the LORD continued, in connection with 2 Kings 21:7, to speak about what He would have liked to do. He had wanted to put His Name forever among a people whom He would never drive out of this land, if they at least listened to His law. And there it went wrong: “But they did not listen” (2 Kings 21:9). They followed Manasseh and wandered in a way that made them sin worse than the heathen peoples who first had lived in the land. There was now a godless mass of people, so soon after we had seen the history of a faithful remnant during Hezekiah’s reign.

Even now, professing Christianity has been more corrupted by people than any other faith, just as Israel here was committing more sin than the gentile nations around them. That is why God’s judgment over professing Christianity will be all the more severe.

1 Chronicles 6:23

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:24

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:25

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:26

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:27

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:28

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:29

The LORD Announces Judgment

Because of all the wickedness of Manasseh and his perseverance in it, the LORD had to announce judgment. He did so “through His servants the prophets.” The contents of His words are in 2 Kings 21:11-15. God did not remain silent and sent His warnings. When the judgment, to be carried away by Babylon, did come, no one could say that he did not know.

2 Kings 21:11 first gives a summary of the sins of Manasseh. In this summary he is emphatically called “king of Judah”. He should have appreciated that he was king of Judah. Judah means ‘God lover’. Manasseh had overlaid this name with the greatest shame. He committed atrocities, even putting the deeds of the pagan Amorites in the shade. By his wrong example he made Judah sin.

There is an announcement in 2 Kings 21:12-14, of what the LORD would do as punishment for these sins, while 2 Kings 21:15 gives the reason for the punishment. The judgment that the LORD would bring over Jerusalem and Judah would astonish those who hear of it. The standard set for judgment was the same as the one the LORD had set for Samaria and the house of Ahab. God is perfectly righteous in His judgment. He doesn’t measure by double standards.

By this judgment there would be nothing left of Jerusalem. The city would be like a dish wiped clean and turned upside down (2 Kings 21:13). The LORD would withdraw from the remnant of His inheritance and give it into the hands of their enemies. He would no longer be involved with them and leave them to their fate. For this fate they had chosen themselves. The “remnant of My inheritance” (2 Kings 21:14) refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not perished in a previous judgment. So this was not about the faithful remnant, but who remained after the first judgment.

Many of the remnant who had lived in the days of Hezekiah were killed by Manasseh. According to tradition, Manasseh ordered Isaiah to be “cut into pieces” (Hebrews 11:37). He would have committed this terrible murder with a wooden saw. We also live in days comparable to the days of Manasseh. If we want to be faithful to the Lord and His Word, we must count on being persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12) and we will have to be willing to pay dearly for our faithfulness.

1 Chronicles 6:30

Death of Manasseh

The brief previous description of all the atrocities of Manasseh is all that the author of 2 Kings had to say. We read nothing about his conversion in this account, as is reported in 2 Chronicles 33 (2 Chronicles 33:10-20). We only read here about his government, about his responsibility, how he ruled. In the books of Chronicles we read about the grace of God.

1 Chronicles 6:31

Death of Manasseh

The brief previous description of all the atrocities of Manasseh is all that the author of 2 Kings had to say. We read nothing about his conversion in this account, as is reported in 2 Chronicles 33 (2 Chronicles 33:10-20). We only read here about his government, about his responsibility, how he ruled. In the books of Chronicles we read about the grace of God.

1 Chronicles 6:32

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:33

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:34

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:35

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:36

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:37

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:38

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:39

Amon King of Judah

After the wicked Manasseh, who had ruled for a long time, came his son Amon, another wicked king. These two kings ruled between two God-fearing kings. Grace is not an inheritance, one cannot demand it. Grace is given by God without reason in man.

In the description of Amon’s reign, the full emphasis is on the fact that Amon completely followed his father Manasseh in his wickedness: “He walked in all the way that his father had walked” (2 Kings 21:21). That is worse than “not walk in the way of the LORD” (2 Kings 21:22). He did this as a conscious choice, because we read that he “forsook” the LORD. Forsaking is leaving consciously. The LORD is called here “the God of his fathers”. He turned his back on everything God had been to his fathers, thinking especially of David and Hezekiah in the first place.

The LORD allowed his father Manasseh to reign for fifty-five years. In all his godlessness He did not intervene. That does not mean that everyone can do what he wants. Amon received a quick judgment. After only two years reign, he was murdered by his servants.

The people of the land, the hard-working people, killed Amon’s killers. They then made his son Josiah, king in his stead. They took the law into their own hands. Somehow they wanted a king from David’s house to remain in power. Possibly they acted, because a small part of the good influence of a converted Manasseh was still present in them. In any case God used it to place Josiah, whom He would use as a special instrument for a last revival among His people, as king on the throne of David. God controls everything, including the autocratic actions of population groups, to fulfill His plan.

1 Chronicles 6:41

Josiah King of Judah

Josiah was only eight years old when he started reign. His mother’s name is mentioned: Jedidah, which means ‘darling’. She was the daughter of Adaiah, which means ‘the LORD is a jewel’. The place Bozkath was one of the cities of Judah (Joshua 15:21; 39).

The general characteristics of Josiah is read in 2 Kings 22:2. There was nothing present in him of the godless characteristics of his father Amon and his grandfather Manasseh. On the contrary, he did what was right in the sight of the LORD and went “in all the way of his father David”. He went without deviating to the right or left. There is always the danger for a believer of deviating to the right, which stands for legalism, or to the left, which stands for liberalism. Only dependence on the Lord can save us from deviation to either side.

1 Chronicles 6:42

Josiah King of Judah

Josiah was only eight years old when he started reign. His mother’s name is mentioned: Jedidah, which means ‘darling’. She was the daughter of Adaiah, which means ‘the LORD is a jewel’. The place Bozkath was one of the cities of Judah (Joshua 15:21; 39).

The general characteristics of Josiah is read in 2 Kings 22:2. There was nothing present in him of the godless characteristics of his father Amon and his grandfather Manasseh. On the contrary, he did what was right in the sight of the LORD and went “in all the way of his father David”. He went without deviating to the right or left. There is always the danger for a believer of deviating to the right, which stands for legalism, or to the left, which stands for liberalism. Only dependence on the Lord can save us from deviation to either side.

1 Chronicles 6:43

Money for the Restoration of the Temple

As we see with all the other good kings, Josiah’s first acts of his reign involved care for the temple. He ordered the temple to be restored. His first concern was God’s house, which had fallen into decay during the reign of Manasseh and Amon. He ordered Shaphan the writer, to tell the high priest Hilkiah that he should use the money that was in the house of the LORD for repairs.

Josiah had a loyal and dedicated helper in Shaphan, who had some sons and a grandson who were faithful men just like him (Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10; Jeremiah 40:5). This offspring had had a positive influence. They were God-fearing sons. So it was possible to be a God-fearing family in a godless time. For the sake of completeness it should also be mentioned that he had a son who became an idolater (Ezekiel 8:9-11).

The money had to be given to those who carried out the work. They could then buy the necessary materials. They were able to do that without ‘presenting every receipt’. It is always good to give in confidence, trusting that the person to whom it is given is acting well. This does not mean that accountability can be refused. Control is often good. Control does not take place out of mistrust, but because there is always the possibility of error. Trust should not be demanded, but should be given.

1 Chronicles 6:44

Money for the Restoration of the Temple

As we see with all the other good kings, Josiah’s first acts of his reign involved care for the temple. He ordered the temple to be restored. His first concern was God’s house, which had fallen into decay during the reign of Manasseh and Amon. He ordered Shaphan the writer, to tell the high priest Hilkiah that he should use the money that was in the house of the LORD for repairs.

Josiah had a loyal and dedicated helper in Shaphan, who had some sons and a grandson who were faithful men just like him (Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10; Jeremiah 40:5). This offspring had had a positive influence. They were God-fearing sons. So it was possible to be a God-fearing family in a godless time. For the sake of completeness it should also be mentioned that he had a son who became an idolater (Ezekiel 8:9-11).

The money had to be given to those who carried out the work. They could then buy the necessary materials. They were able to do that without ‘presenting every receipt’. It is always good to give in confidence, trusting that the person to whom it is given is acting well. This does not mean that accountability can be refused. Control is often good. Control does not take place out of mistrust, but because there is always the possibility of error. Trust should not be demanded, but should be given.

1 Chronicles 6:45

Money for the Restoration of the Temple

As we see with all the other good kings, Josiah’s first acts of his reign involved care for the temple. He ordered the temple to be restored. His first concern was God’s house, which had fallen into decay during the reign of Manasseh and Amon. He ordered Shaphan the writer, to tell the high priest Hilkiah that he should use the money that was in the house of the LORD for repairs.

Josiah had a loyal and dedicated helper in Shaphan, who had some sons and a grandson who were faithful men just like him (Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10; Jeremiah 40:5). This offspring had had a positive influence. They were God-fearing sons. So it was possible to be a God-fearing family in a godless time. For the sake of completeness it should also be mentioned that he had a son who became an idolater (Ezekiel 8:9-11).

The money had to be given to those who carried out the work. They could then buy the necessary materials. They were able to do that without ‘presenting every receipt’. It is always good to give in confidence, trusting that the person to whom it is given is acting well. This does not mean that accountability can be refused. Control is often good. Control does not take place out of mistrust, but because there is always the possibility of error. Trust should not be demanded, but should be given.

1 Chronicles 6:46

Money for the Restoration of the Temple

As we see with all the other good kings, Josiah’s first acts of his reign involved care for the temple. He ordered the temple to be restored. His first concern was God’s house, which had fallen into decay during the reign of Manasseh and Amon. He ordered Shaphan the writer, to tell the high priest Hilkiah that he should use the money that was in the house of the LORD for repairs.

Josiah had a loyal and dedicated helper in Shaphan, who had some sons and a grandson who were faithful men just like him (Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10; Jeremiah 40:5). This offspring had had a positive influence. They were God-fearing sons. So it was possible to be a God-fearing family in a godless time. For the sake of completeness it should also be mentioned that he had a son who became an idolater (Ezekiel 8:9-11).

The money had to be given to those who carried out the work. They could then buy the necessary materials. They were able to do that without ‘presenting every receipt’. It is always good to give in confidence, trusting that the person to whom it is given is acting well. This does not mean that accountability can be refused. Control is often good. Control does not take place out of mistrust, but because there is always the possibility of error. Trust should not be demanded, but should be given.

1 Chronicles 6:47

Money for the Restoration of the Temple

As we see with all the other good kings, Josiah’s first acts of his reign involved care for the temple. He ordered the temple to be restored. His first concern was God’s house, which had fallen into decay during the reign of Manasseh and Amon. He ordered Shaphan the writer, to tell the high priest Hilkiah that he should use the money that was in the house of the LORD for repairs.

Josiah had a loyal and dedicated helper in Shaphan, who had some sons and a grandson who were faithful men just like him (Jeremiah 26:24; Jeremiah 29:3; Jeremiah 36:10; Jeremiah 40:5). This offspring had had a positive influence. They were God-fearing sons. So it was possible to be a God-fearing family in a godless time. For the sake of completeness it should also be mentioned that he had a son who became an idolater (Ezekiel 8:9-11).

The money had to be given to those who carried out the work. They could then buy the necessary materials. They were able to do that without ‘presenting every receipt’. It is always good to give in confidence, trusting that the person to whom it is given is acting well. This does not mean that accountability can be refused. Control is often good. Control does not take place out of mistrust, but because there is always the possibility of error. Trust should not be demanded, but should be given.

1 Chronicles 6:48

The Book of the Law Found

After the historian has told about the order to restore the house of God, he wrote about finding “the book of the law in the house of the LORD”. That was what his report emphasized. What followed was the effect on Josiah’s heart and conscience by what was written in the book of the law. The revival of Josiah was ignited by finding the Word of God.

It should be noted that the discovery of the book of the law was connected with the care for the temple. In a spiritual sense, we can apply the principle that we will discover God’s Word, that is, its meaning, if our hearts go out to what is now God’s house, His church. When our heart is in line with God’s heart, the right mind is present to be taught by God from His Word.

We do not know what this book of the law that they find was. It may have been the five books of Moses or only the book Deuteronomy. That is not important. What matters was the effect of that find. It was a great grace from God that He gave His Word back to His people, as it were. It was mentioned that Hilkiah said he had “found” the book of the law, which did not mean he searched for it. God took care he found it.

When it was found, the Word began its unstoppable run (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Hilkiah, the high priest, had found it, he gave it to Shaphan, who went to read in it and then went with the book of the law to the king. Once there, he first reported on his original mission with regard to money. After this there is no further mention about the work on the temple. All attention was focused on the Word and the effect of the Word.

After the report about the money, Shaphan told the king about the book of the law he had received from Hilkiah. He didn’t hand it over to the king as an antiquity, to marvel at it, but he read it to the king because of current events, to be addressed by it. The Bible is best honored when we read it faithfully, study it, and incorporate into our hearts what we read and practice what the Lord says to us.

We see that with Josiah. The effect God’s Word had on him was impressive. He was seized by it or even better, he was overwhelmed by it. He was not only smitten by the Word, but he was overcome by it. Josiah did not wonder if it was the Bible, if it was true. He did not argue, but the Word worked in him. He accepted it, “not [as] the word of men, but [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Perhaps the opposite is more the case with us. We do not have to search for a Bible. Often we have several Bibles, in different translations and different languages, at our fingertips, but often we don’t treasure when we read in it. When Josiah discovered the Bible, he made a great discovery, he “finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162). It tore his heart. As a sign of his inner dejection he tore his clothes (cf. Joel 2:13).

It is to be hoped that we will experience this every time we read in God’s Word. That is possible! We can pray that the Lord will show Himself and His will to us in His Word. If He sees that sincere desire with us and also that we will be humbled when He reveals our flaws to us, He will show Himself and His will.

1 Chronicles 6:49

The Book of the Law Found

After the historian has told about the order to restore the house of God, he wrote about finding “the book of the law in the house of the LORD”. That was what his report emphasized. What followed was the effect on Josiah’s heart and conscience by what was written in the book of the law. The revival of Josiah was ignited by finding the Word of God.

It should be noted that the discovery of the book of the law was connected with the care for the temple. In a spiritual sense, we can apply the principle that we will discover God’s Word, that is, its meaning, if our hearts go out to what is now God’s house, His church. When our heart is in line with God’s heart, the right mind is present to be taught by God from His Word.

We do not know what this book of the law that they find was. It may have been the five books of Moses or only the book Deuteronomy. That is not important. What matters was the effect of that find. It was a great grace from God that He gave His Word back to His people, as it were. It was mentioned that Hilkiah said he had “found” the book of the law, which did not mean he searched for it. God took care he found it.

When it was found, the Word began its unstoppable run (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Hilkiah, the high priest, had found it, he gave it to Shaphan, who went to read in it and then went with the book of the law to the king. Once there, he first reported on his original mission with regard to money. After this there is no further mention about the work on the temple. All attention was focused on the Word and the effect of the Word.

After the report about the money, Shaphan told the king about the book of the law he had received from Hilkiah. He didn’t hand it over to the king as an antiquity, to marvel at it, but he read it to the king because of current events, to be addressed by it. The Bible is best honored when we read it faithfully, study it, and incorporate into our hearts what we read and practice what the Lord says to us.

We see that with Josiah. The effect God’s Word had on him was impressive. He was seized by it or even better, he was overwhelmed by it. He was not only smitten by the Word, but he was overcome by it. Josiah did not wonder if it was the Bible, if it was true. He did not argue, but the Word worked in him. He accepted it, “not [as] the word of men, but [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Perhaps the opposite is more the case with us. We do not have to search for a Bible. Often we have several Bibles, in different translations and different languages, at our fingertips, but often we don’t treasure when we read in it. When Josiah discovered the Bible, he made a great discovery, he “finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162). It tore his heart. As a sign of his inner dejection he tore his clothes (cf. Joel 2:13).

It is to be hoped that we will experience this every time we read in God’s Word. That is possible! We can pray that the Lord will show Himself and His will to us in His Word. If He sees that sincere desire with us and also that we will be humbled when He reveals our flaws to us, He will show Himself and His will.

1 Chronicles 6:50

The Book of the Law Found

After the historian has told about the order to restore the house of God, he wrote about finding “the book of the law in the house of the LORD”. That was what his report emphasized. What followed was the effect on Josiah’s heart and conscience by what was written in the book of the law. The revival of Josiah was ignited by finding the Word of God.

It should be noted that the discovery of the book of the law was connected with the care for the temple. In a spiritual sense, we can apply the principle that we will discover God’s Word, that is, its meaning, if our hearts go out to what is now God’s house, His church. When our heart is in line with God’s heart, the right mind is present to be taught by God from His Word.

We do not know what this book of the law that they find was. It may have been the five books of Moses or only the book Deuteronomy. That is not important. What matters was the effect of that find. It was a great grace from God that He gave His Word back to His people, as it were. It was mentioned that Hilkiah said he had “found” the book of the law, which did not mean he searched for it. God took care he found it.

When it was found, the Word began its unstoppable run (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Hilkiah, the high priest, had found it, he gave it to Shaphan, who went to read in it and then went with the book of the law to the king. Once there, he first reported on his original mission with regard to money. After this there is no further mention about the work on the temple. All attention was focused on the Word and the effect of the Word.

After the report about the money, Shaphan told the king about the book of the law he had received from Hilkiah. He didn’t hand it over to the king as an antiquity, to marvel at it, but he read it to the king because of current events, to be addressed by it. The Bible is best honored when we read it faithfully, study it, and incorporate into our hearts what we read and practice what the Lord says to us.

We see that with Josiah. The effect God’s Word had on him was impressive. He was seized by it or even better, he was overwhelmed by it. He was not only smitten by the Word, but he was overcome by it. Josiah did not wonder if it was the Bible, if it was true. He did not argue, but the Word worked in him. He accepted it, “not [as] the word of men, but [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Perhaps the opposite is more the case with us. We do not have to search for a Bible. Often we have several Bibles, in different translations and different languages, at our fingertips, but often we don’t treasure when we read in it. When Josiah discovered the Bible, he made a great discovery, he “finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162). It tore his heart. As a sign of his inner dejection he tore his clothes (cf. Joel 2:13).

It is to be hoped that we will experience this every time we read in God’s Word. That is possible! We can pray that the Lord will show Himself and His will to us in His Word. If He sees that sincere desire with us and also that we will be humbled when He reveals our flaws to us, He will show Himself and His will.

1 Chronicles 6:51

The Book of the Law Found

After the historian has told about the order to restore the house of God, he wrote about finding “the book of the law in the house of the LORD”. That was what his report emphasized. What followed was the effect on Josiah’s heart and conscience by what was written in the book of the law. The revival of Josiah was ignited by finding the Word of God.

It should be noted that the discovery of the book of the law was connected with the care for the temple. In a spiritual sense, we can apply the principle that we will discover God’s Word, that is, its meaning, if our hearts go out to what is now God’s house, His church. When our heart is in line with God’s heart, the right mind is present to be taught by God from His Word.

We do not know what this book of the law that they find was. It may have been the five books of Moses or only the book Deuteronomy. That is not important. What matters was the effect of that find. It was a great grace from God that He gave His Word back to His people, as it were. It was mentioned that Hilkiah said he had “found” the book of the law, which did not mean he searched for it. God took care he found it.

When it was found, the Word began its unstoppable run (cf. 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Hilkiah, the high priest, had found it, he gave it to Shaphan, who went to read in it and then went with the book of the law to the king. Once there, he first reported on his original mission with regard to money. After this there is no further mention about the work on the temple. All attention was focused on the Word and the effect of the Word.

After the report about the money, Shaphan told the king about the book of the law he had received from Hilkiah. He didn’t hand it over to the king as an antiquity, to marvel at it, but he read it to the king because of current events, to be addressed by it. The Bible is best honored when we read it faithfully, study it, and incorporate into our hearts what we read and practice what the Lord says to us.

We see that with Josiah. The effect God’s Word had on him was impressive. He was seized by it or even better, he was overwhelmed by it. He was not only smitten by the Word, but he was overcome by it. Josiah did not wonder if it was the Bible, if it was true. He did not argue, but the Word worked in him. He accepted it, “not [as] the word of men, but [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Perhaps the opposite is more the case with us. We do not have to search for a Bible. Often we have several Bibles, in different translations and different languages, at our fingertips, but often we don’t treasure when we read in it. When Josiah discovered the Bible, he made a great discovery, he “finds great spoil” (Psalms 119:162). It tore his heart. As a sign of his inner dejection he tore his clothes (cf. Joel 2:13).

It is to be hoped that we will experience this every time we read in God’s Word. That is possible! We can pray that the Lord will show Himself and His will to us in His Word. If He sees that sincere desire with us and also that we will be humbled when He reveals our flaws to us, He will show Himself and His will.

1 Chronicles 6:52

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:53

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:54

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:55

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:56

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:57

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:58

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:59

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:60

The Word of the LORD

Josiah did what every soul does who in truth is convinced of his sins and therefore fears for judgment. Someone who really discovers that he is a sinner will turn to God to ask Him what to do. Every person who is touched by the Word of God and sees what he is in the eye of God, has that question. The Word brings us into the arms of God.

Whoever lives through the Word also knows the value and especially the practice of prayer. Josiah wanted to know from the LORD if there was still hope. He sought that hope with Him Who also has to bring judgment. There was no moderation at all with Josiah. He brought his need to the LORD by acknowledging that he and the people had earned judgment. He left it with the LORD how He would answer.

Josiah sent reliable men to Hulda. It is not clear why he sent them to a woman, the prophetess Huldah, and not to Jeremiah or Zephaniah, who acted as prophets in his days. Possibly they were still too young and unknown. He knew the prophetess Huldah. The fact that he went to a prophetess at least marks the time of decay, as in the time of Deborah’s performance, when decay was also great (Judges 4:1-9).

The name of her husband was explicitly mentioned by also giving the name of his father and grandfather. Hulda’s profession, that he was keeper of the wardrobe, i.e. of the priestly clothes is also mentioned. He took care of the priests’ garments. In the spiritual sense this means that he supervised the behavior of the believers, whether they are in accordance with their confession.

Huldah knew God’s thoughts regarding God’s people’s life practices. A prophet or prophetess speaks utterances of God with a view to current situations. Such a person can apply the Word to it. Josiah also experienced this through the message she had for him.

Huldah needed to speak about Josiah on behalf of the LORD as “the man” and not as “the king”. For the LORD, all the dignity Josiah had as king was not as important as it was about His judgment. Huldah is told by the LORD what He wanted to say to Josiah and what she had to pass on. It started with a repetition of what Josiah had heard read aloud and what had brought him to dejection. For the third time we hear the announcement of God’s punishment of His people. What Hulda said is nothing but repeating what God’s Word said.

Then a word for Josiah personally followed. That personal word was addressed to him as “the king of Judah”. It was a word of encouragement. The reason for this was his humiliation which the LORD had noted. The LORD saw this humbling in his heart and He had also observed the outer characteristics of the tearing of his clothes and tears.

We read of Josiah’s father Amon, that he did not humble himself before the LORD (2 Chronicles 33:21-23). His father Manasseh had humbled himself, but was forced to do so because of his own sins. Josiah did not humble himself because of his own sins, but because of a common guilt. He humbled himself over the sins of the people and of his fathers. He made himself one with them.

The encouragement was that the LORD would gather him to his fathers and to his grave in peace. He would see nothing of the calamity that the LORD was going to bring on Jerusalem.

The men he sent to Huldah reported to him on what the LORD had told Huldah. We see the effect in the next chapter.

1 Chronicles 6:62

The Covenant

Neither the message of judgment concerning Jerusalem nor the reassuring message concerning himself led to passivity with Josiah. As far as the message of judgment was concerned, he could have thought that it did not make sense to bring change anyway. As for the reassuring message, he could have been satisfied and thought that he would see it out. But no, both messages brought him to action.

He made the elders of Judah and Jerusalem come to him. He wanted to wake them up from their false rest and put them into action. The upcoming judgment made him extra zealous. He worked hard to implement the necessary reforms. He was not saying that it made no sense because everything would be destroyed anyway. The certainty that we will not come into judgment will not make us passive, but all the more zealous to reach people with the gospel. It will also increase our commitment to the Lord and His church.

When the elders were with him, they all went to the house of the LORD, the temple, the place where the book of the law was found. Not only did the elders go with him, but the “all the people, both small and great”. It had become a national matter. Before this whole company Josiah read “all the words of the book of the covenant”. He wanted the people to hear the words that so convicted him.

Nothing is more important to us than passing on God’s Word (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12-13). It is important that we do so as people who have themselves been challenged by it and also live by it. Otherwise the Word will not spread – although God is sovereign to let it do its work in heart and conscience of one or another.

When Josiah had read the book of the covenant, he made a covenant between the people and the LORD. Although the revival was not lasting, as the book of Jeremiah shows, Josiah did make this covenant. Perhaps many joined this covenant because at that time they were very impressed by the Word, without their conscience having been touched. But although the majority may not really have been touched inward, as is often the case, there were a few in the masses who were convicted.

That is why we speak to all people, although perhaps only a few really listen. The Lord Jesus spoke of this situation in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23). Every soul that we can still gain for God from the apostate world, makes every effort a valuable thing and worthwhile.

1 Chronicles 6:63

The Covenant

Neither the message of judgment concerning Jerusalem nor the reassuring message concerning himself led to passivity with Josiah. As far as the message of judgment was concerned, he could have thought that it did not make sense to bring change anyway. As for the reassuring message, he could have been satisfied and thought that he would see it out. But no, both messages brought him to action.

He made the elders of Judah and Jerusalem come to him. He wanted to wake them up from their false rest and put them into action. The upcoming judgment made him extra zealous. He worked hard to implement the necessary reforms. He was not saying that it made no sense because everything would be destroyed anyway. The certainty that we will not come into judgment will not make us passive, but all the more zealous to reach people with the gospel. It will also increase our commitment to the Lord and His church.

When the elders were with him, they all went to the house of the LORD, the temple, the place where the book of the law was found. Not only did the elders go with him, but the “all the people, both small and great”. It had become a national matter. Before this whole company Josiah read “all the words of the book of the covenant”. He wanted the people to hear the words that so convicted him.

Nothing is more important to us than passing on God’s Word (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12-13). It is important that we do so as people who have themselves been challenged by it and also live by it. Otherwise the Word will not spread – although God is sovereign to let it do its work in heart and conscience of one or another.

When Josiah had read the book of the covenant, he made a covenant between the people and the LORD. Although the revival was not lasting, as the book of Jeremiah shows, Josiah did make this covenant. Perhaps many joined this covenant because at that time they were very impressed by the Word, without their conscience having been touched. But although the majority may not really have been touched inward, as is often the case, there were a few in the masses who were convicted.

That is why we speak to all people, although perhaps only a few really listen. The Lord Jesus spoke of this situation in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23). Every soul that we can still gain for God from the apostate world, makes every effort a valuable thing and worthwhile.

1 Chronicles 6:64

The Covenant

Neither the message of judgment concerning Jerusalem nor the reassuring message concerning himself led to passivity with Josiah. As far as the message of judgment was concerned, he could have thought that it did not make sense to bring change anyway. As for the reassuring message, he could have been satisfied and thought that he would see it out. But no, both messages brought him to action.

He made the elders of Judah and Jerusalem come to him. He wanted to wake them up from their false rest and put them into action. The upcoming judgment made him extra zealous. He worked hard to implement the necessary reforms. He was not saying that it made no sense because everything would be destroyed anyway. The certainty that we will not come into judgment will not make us passive, but all the more zealous to reach people with the gospel. It will also increase our commitment to the Lord and His church.

When the elders were with him, they all went to the house of the LORD, the temple, the place where the book of the law was found. Not only did the elders go with him, but the “all the people, both small and great”. It had become a national matter. Before this whole company Josiah read “all the words of the book of the covenant”. He wanted the people to hear the words that so convicted him.

Nothing is more important to us than passing on God’s Word (cf. 1 Timothy 4:12-13). It is important that we do so as people who have themselves been challenged by it and also live by it. Otherwise the Word will not spread – although God is sovereign to let it do its work in heart and conscience of one or another.

When Josiah had read the book of the covenant, he made a covenant between the people and the LORD. Although the revival was not lasting, as the book of Jeremiah shows, Josiah did make this covenant. Perhaps many joined this covenant because at that time they were very impressed by the Word, without their conscience having been touched. But although the majority may not really have been touched inward, as is often the case, there were a few in the masses who were convicted.

That is why we speak to all people, although perhaps only a few really listen. The Lord Jesus spoke of this situation in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23). Every soul that we can still gain for God from the apostate world, makes every effort a valuable thing and worthwhile.

1 Chronicles 6:65

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:66

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:67

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:68

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:69

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:70

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:71

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:72

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:73

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:74

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:75

The Cleansing

In 2 Kings 23:4-20 the cleansing is described in detail. Josiah started and continued to get rid of everything that was not good. And what a lot that was! There was an abundance of wickedness in Judah and Jerusalem, that is, in the area where one should be most familiar with God. Josiah had reigned for 18 years now and had set a good example to the people. Yet the depth and extent of the dunghill of the idolatry was enormous.

Josiah was not discouraged by the enormous amount of uncleanness to be cleared up. Every idol was to the LORD’s gross dishonor and had to be eradicated. The work was going slowly. A lot of cleansing was required to be done thoroughly. Thorough cleansing is often difficult. A revival is not possible without cleansing. Cleansing is not just about the visible things. Visible things arise from the inner being. Above all, it is about an inner cleansing, a cleansing of the heart.

We need a renewal of our thinking. Cleansing our thinking means above all that we examine how we think. Our children go to school and their thinking is shaped by the thinking of the world. The world determines how they see everything. Parents are also influenced, especially by mass media. It is through this channel that the opinion of the world is forced upon them. We can only keep ourselves clean of it if we do not take it in. If we sometimes take things to us from the world, let us then make up our mind not to take up things that defile us. Daniel is an example of this (Daniel 1:8-16). This is only possible if we have a heart in which the Word of God dwells richly (cf. Colossians 3:16a).

The first task Josiah gave was to discard everything that had been brought into the temple relating to Baal (2 Kings 23:4). First of all, we must consider what things of the world are permitted in the temple of today, that is, the church and our body, our thinking. Josiah gave this order to “Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers”. Cleansing is primarily a priestly activity. If uncleanness has entered our lives, it is above all at the expense of our service to God. He will no longer receive from our hearts and lives what He is entitled to and desires.

Josiah orders the objects sacrificed to the idols to be burnt. This event was in Jerusalem, the city of God. The remains of these objects were brought to Bethel, a place in the Northern Kingdom. This meant that he brought the ashes to an unclean place.

The three idols mentioned here, Baal, Asherah and all the host of heaven, were seen as a picture of prosperity. That makes today’s application easy. After all, we live in a time of idolization of prosperity. We can sometimes check ourselves to see if we really only give God the honor in all things, or if we are committed to get as much of the cake of prosperity as possible.

He also deposed the idolaters “whom the kings of Judah had appointed” (2 Kings 23:5). The kings of Judah undoubtedly mean Manasseh and Amon. The idol priests sacrificed on the high places in Judah and around Jerusalem. They would have thought in their folly to sacrifice incense to the LORD. There were also exclusively idol priests, who brought incense to the Baal and other idols. Josiah also removed them.

The next action concerned the Asherah (2 Kings 23:6), which Manasseh had placed in the house of the LORD (2 Kings 21:7). Here Josiah did a very thorough job. First he burnt it and then ground [it] to dust. The place of action was the brook Kidron. Then he threw the dust on the graves, an unclean place. By throwing the dust over the graves he also expressed his contempt for this god. Perhaps when we think of “the graves of the common people” we have to think of a kind of mass grave, where people are buried together because they could not afford their own grave.

The horrific defilement knew no bounds. In 2 Kings 23:7 there was talk of dwellings made in the house of the LORD for prostituting men. The most disgusting sexual acts were performed in God’s house. The women also played their role in this horrific scene. They wove hangings for Asherah, the goddess of lust. Instead of denouncing these atrocities, they have, as it were, covered up these horrific practices with their hangings.

Then Josiah commands all the priests in his entire area, from Geba in the north of Benjamin to Beersheba in the south of Judah, to come to him (2 Kings 23:8). These priests are taken away from their defiled environment. He defiled the high places where those priests had brought incense. The high places of the gates were broken down. A precise specification of the location of these high places is given: “At the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on one’s left at the city gate.”

The priests called to Jerusalem by Josiah could offer there on the altar of the LORD (2 Kings 23:9). However, they were allowed to eat unleavened bread with their brothers. They were in a situation similar to that of priests who, due to a physical defect, cannot participate in the service, but are allowed to eat from the holy place (Leviticus 21:17; 22-23). Sometimes it is the case that someone who comes to conversion cannot do a certain service because of the life he has led. For example, a person who has two women, as occurs in certain countries, cannot be an elder after his conversion (1 Timothy 3:2).

He was always working. His work in 2 Kings 23:10 was the extermination of yet another unparalleled horror: the sacrifice of parents’ own children to Molech, the god of fire (cf. Jeremiah 32:35). This happened in Topheth, in the valley of the son of Hinnom, which because of these practices was called “the valley of Slaughter” by the LORD (Jeremiah 19:6). How terrible this place was, is clear from the fact that the name Hinnom is derived from the name ‘Gehenna’, which is ‘hell’.

Josiah defiled this place so that no one could offer his son or daughter through the fire anymore as a sacrifice for Molech. In this verse there is a strong call to parents to think about the purpose of raising their children and protecting them from evil.

The horses mentioned in 2 Kings 23:11 were dedicated to the sun by “the kings of Judah” – Manasseh and Amon. According to their idolatrous thoughts, these horses with their chariots were to draw the sun along the sky. The horses were standing “at the entrance of the house of the LORD”. Thus they defied and insulted the LORD in a gross way. We do not know who “Nathan-melech, the official” was. But the LORD knew him well. Was he a driver of the chariots of the sun?

To see the number of altars that Josiah cleansed, Jerusalem must have been full of idol altars. On every corner and every spot there was an altar. In 2 Kings 23:12 some altars are mentioned specifically. Josiah broke down “the altars which [were] on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz”. These altars were also made by “the kings of Judah”. The insults to the LORD by Manasseh had no end. He had done his utmost to transform the house of the LORD in all respects into an idol temple. Josiah took away all the idols, turned them into dust and threw the dust into the brook Kidron.

It is shocking amid this purification work, in which we encounter names like Ahaz and Manasseh, to suddenly come across the name of Solomon as someone who was also connected to the cult of idols (2 Kings 23:13). We know from 1 Kings 11 that Solomon had been led away from the LORD by his many wives and the gods that these women had brought along. We even read that he built high places for those gods (1 Kings 11:7-8). All these idols are meaningfully referred to here as “abomination” by which the contrast between the idols of Solomon and God’s judgment of them is strongly emphasized.

In 2 Kings 23:14 we read that Josiah cut down the sacred pillars that functioned as objects of worship. King Hezekiah had done this before (2 Kings 18:4). The fact that two generations later this was done again by Josiah shows how persistent this idolatry was. Josiah filled the vacant space with human bones. He probably did so in order to defile this area and thereby make people afraid to fall back into this idolatry again.

1 Chronicles 6:76

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).

1 Chronicles 6:77

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).

1 Chronicles 6:78

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).

1 Chronicles 6:79

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).

1 Chronicles 6:80

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).

1 Chronicles 6:81

The Altar at Bethel

In these verses we are reminded of a history from 1 Kings 12-13. The name of Jeroboam is also mentioned here, as so often before, the addition of the negative characteristic “who made Israel sin”. In his audacity, Jeroboam had invented his own religion (two golden calves) and had erected his own altar (1 Kings 12:25-33). God had told him by a prophet from Judah He would judge this.

2 Kings 23:15-16 refer to this. In the announcement of that judgment the man of God from Judah mentioned the name of Josiah as the performer of that judgment (1 Kings 13:1-2). The moment of fulfilment had come. God does not let any of His words fall to the earth. Every word comes true, both in terms of blessing and judgment.

In 2 Kings 23:17-18, something else took place, related to the history which is recorded in 1 Kings 13. This time it concerned the bones of the old prophet. Josiah noticed a monument and asked what it meant. It is not clear why Josiah did not know this, but the people of the city knew of it. They told him about what the man of God had said and how Josiah had done what the man of God had announced.

It is nice that people remembered this event in Bethel, but it is not good that nothing was learnt from it. It is not so beautiful that Josiah apparently knew nothing about it, but it is beautiful that after the reminder he acted as was prophesied by the man of God. The bones of the old prophet also remained untouched.

In the same way as before in Bethel, Josiah “removed all the houses of the high places which [were] in the cities of Samaria” (2 Kings 23:19). These houses were made by the kings of Israel to provoke the LORD. Josiah slaughtered the priests who had served on these high places (2 Kings 23:20), something he had not done to the priests in Judah who had also sacrificed at high places (2 Kings 23:8).