REPOSTED From Anvil of Grace

Sometimes life gets incredibly busy.  It becomes hard to write, do things with friends, or know how to say things in the way that people need to hear them.  I’ve been going through one of those crazy busy times; but, right in the middle, there was a moment of clarity about what I wanted to share.   

My quiet time this morning was about King Josiah.  I read wonderful things about this King.  He had been Mr. Clean for the temple and destroyed the mess that had been made with false idols and symbols throughout the nation.  While going through one of the temple rooms, someone found the book of God’s Law.  The Law does what Scripture usually does…it reveals human messes in the light of Truth.  (I imagine those British cleaning ladies with white gloves, black lights, and funny expressions of disgust!)  

After seeing how far the nation had fallen, King Josiah was incredibly upset and had the law read to the entire country.    Throughout the land, positive changes followed!   

These are all wonderful testaments to a King with a heart for God.  What struck me this morning was what Paul Harvey used to call, “the rest of the story.”    

2 Chronicles 35: 18-24 (ESV)  “No Passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as was kept by Josiah, and the priests and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this Passover was kept.  After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him.  But he sent envoys to him, saying, ‘What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.’  Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo.  And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, ‘Take me away, for I am badly wounded.’  So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers.”  

Did that hit you like it did me!  This was a wonderful, successful, godly person.  He tried to do the Lord’s will!  He wanted to be a great king!  BUT – he didn’t listen.  

The foreign king surely didn’t have the kind of relationship with God that Josiah did!  Surely, he had less knowledge of the scripture. He didn’t walk the walk and, usually, didn’t talk the talk.  This was no doctrinal giant.  So, why should Josiah listen to him?  Why should he have paid attention to someone who was so much less “spiritual” (or spiritually mature…however you want to look at it)?  

God had spoken.  In my view, Josiah became cocky…prideful about his fighting abilities, because the Lord had kept him safe previously, and prideful about his holiness.  That is a very dangerous place to be.  He assumed…and I was told long ago how “assume” breaks down! 

Scripture is full of instances where God speaks through enemies, young people, donkeys, and “lesser” things.  Never underestimate who and what can teach you.  As a teacher, I can tell you…it could be a senioritis-afflicted teen or a cute 5 year-old…and there comes a piece of truth right out of their mouths.   

The lessons that jumped out to me immediately? 

Don’t underestimate:  Never fail to listen for God speaking, no matter what the vessel! 

Don’t overestimate:  Never think that you are the only one around who can hear the Lord speak!  

King Josiah left a fabulous legacy, but he left it earlier than necessary because he didn’t listen. He took on a fight that was not intended for him, and it took him down.   As life gets crazy and stress over the holidays begins, I don’t want to forget to listen. I don’t know what or who God will use to speak to my life, but I don’t want to think that I have the answers…and then miss a message!