22 Josiah (God supports and heals) was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. 2 HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD AND WALKED IN ALL THE WAYS OF HIS FATHER DAVID, (He chose the way of David, his Righteous forefather and not the idolatrous Jeroboam) not turning aside to the right or to the left. 2 Kings 22
Josiah’s character was established before he ever did anything to bring his people and their capital city back under the rule of God.
In the eighteenth year of his reign he sent his secretary, Shaphan, to Hilkiah the high priest to get ready the money collection to start the work of repairing the Temple.
5 ‘Make them entrust it to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. And make these men pay the workers who repair the temple of the Lord – 6 the carpenters, the builders and the masons. Also make them purchase timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because THEY ARE ACTING FAITHFULLY.’
God can always bless those who act Righteously but He will never bless dishonesty.
8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’ He gave it to Shaphan, who read it. 2 Kings 22
Taking a step in the physical with honest intent may open the way for God to meet you in the spiritual! God sees service at any level and responds to all done with honest intent, though there may be a delay before it becomes manifest.
11 When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 13 ‘Go and enquire of the Lord FOR ME AND AND FOR THE PEOPLE AND FOR ALL JUDAH (Josiah was concerned for the people) about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.’
The King sent his advisors to seek counsel from Huldah the prophetess, who lived in Jerusalem, surrounded by much evil.
18 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the Lord, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 19 because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people – that they would become accursed and laid waste – and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I ALSO HAVE HEARD YOU, declares the Lord.
God had already decreed judgement for Jerusalem and it’s people but because of the good heart of one king He was willing to delay that and even bless the people. What began as one King’s desire to carry out physical repairs to the Temple saved a whole generation from destruction and exile. All of us have this potential to allow God to withhold His judgement and bring blessings instead.
14 Who knows? He may turn and relent
and leave behind a blessing, Joel 2:24
Serve where and when you have opportunity for you’ll never know how much blessing God will bring from it and to how many.
God bless and keep you today.