JOSIAH’S REIGN

2 Chronicles 34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. 4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
According to the Lord Jesus Christ, all scripture is to “speak” of him! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And he has the ability to bring forth throughout their writings everything concerning himself! Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
The Apostle Paul states this in his Roman letter. Romans 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. And again, to Timothy he reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ is the kings’ King! 1 Timothy 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. Therefore let us look at the above listed passage and seek the King of kings in the reign of Josiah.
Josiah’s father was a king! 2 Chr. 33:25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead. In order for the Eternal Son of God to reflect himself in the personal picture of Josiah, he gave him a father king! For the Father of our Lord is enthroned in his own glory! Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. And as quoted in the 1 Timothy verses above, his glory and majesty is so great in itself, that no created being could possibly approach unto in their own merit!
For there is such a vast difference between the Creator and his created beings, even the mighty seraphim use one third of their winged power to veil their faces from the magnificence of that glorious Presence! Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
There is no way that we mortals could possibly approach the glory of God except through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ, His Son! John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. The provision of his perfect redemption, by his own blood, gives the only access to the Father! Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
The message in their names. We read in that Romans 11:36 verse (listed above), that all things are of, through, and to him! Even the name of these two kings reveal a truth concerning the Father and Son in the Trinity!
Amon signifies one skilled, or trained, Strong says, as an architect. And we read in Psalm 24 that the Lord God is both the architect, founder and builder of the world! The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. The name Amon is also seen in the Hebrew words found in Proverbs 8:30, one brought up! And as Josiah means “Founded of Jehovah,” the Proverb passage means more to us.
Proverbs 8:29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30 Then I (Son) was by him (Father), as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
The Apostle John instructs us that the Son of God not only was with God from the beginning, but that he was God! John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Josiah’s father was killed by a servant! 2 Chr. 33:24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own house. The Lord Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God, he is also the Son of David. He calls himself the son of man oft times in the Scriptures. It is recorded in them that God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. (Gal. 4:4). The Lord pointed this out to his disciples in teaching them to pray to, Our Father, which art in heaven!
And just as Josiah’s father was killed by a servant, so the father of the humanity of Jesus was as well. Adam’s physical death was brought on by his spiritual death. For the Creator spoke to him in no uncertain terms concerning disobedience. for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Gen. 2:17). Therefore Adam walked out of that garden as a dead man, or God is a liar! – And we know that God is no part of a lie! Adam’s spiritual death brought on physical death, and if he was not dealt with in grace, spiritual death leads to eternal death!
And it was one created to be a servant of men’s souls who murdered him! For the angels are set forth to minister to those obtaining salvation. Heb. 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Yet instead, that mighty angel fell from his first estate, became the Devil and brought death into the human race. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Since then humanity has been born with physical life, but are dead spiritually! Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Josiah began to seek after God while he was yet young! 2 Chr. 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: And even in this he is predestined to picture our young Lord Jesus.
One of the most puzzling matters concerning the Man Head, is how his humanity relates to his God Hood! And here is a verse that sets that forth. Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
And it was essential that he veil his glory; veil his eternal wisdom, in order to mete out to himself the progressive knowledge occurring in relation to natural growth! For as he grew in statue, he increased in wisdom. This was essential for his Priesthood to the elect of God. Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
He could not be a true high priest without the ability to experientially relate to those for whom he interceded! Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Josiah walked in the ways of David, his Father! 2 Chr. 34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.
This brings up one of the mouth-stopping issues that the Lord presented to the super religious in his day. Matt. 22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Amon was the father of Josiah. But our verse shows that King David was his father. Which was it? Both, actually! For Amon was his daddy in the natural realm, but in the spiritual realm, he was like unto his father, King David, who sought God with all his heart! The Apostle Paul refers to Timothy as being his own beloved son. (1 Cor. 4:17). But we know that his dad was a Greek. (Acts 16:3).
Therefore our Lord exposes the Pharisees lack of understanding of the spiritual realm, as they knew only the letter of the law. And beside that, they were never going to admit that the Person of Jesus Christ was David’s Lord!
The Apostle John has a very definite word concerning this. 1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 John 7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
These antichrist’s may not ever even give lip service to the acknowledging of Jesus of Nazareth as very God, here and now, but one day their mouth will most certainly confess it! Phil. 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. But this issue certainly marked the time when they dared not ask him any more questions!
Pastor Gene Breed, August 6, 2011.

OLIVE TREES

Zechariah 4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
We shall not be dealing with these two olive trees in particular in this article, but just with olive trees in general! Let us see what we can learn.
First of all, let us remember that all scripture is given to reveal Christ! He is the key that unlocks the entirety of the revelation of God! John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him,…
Secondly, let us understand that trees are often spoken of to reveal men! Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Daniel 4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; 21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 22 It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.
The owner of the olive tree obtained his fruit by beating it! Deuteronomy 24:20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
As a boy, I remember the grown ups using a long cane pole to thrash among the limbs of the pecan trees to cause the pecans to fall on the ground. Then it was my job to help gather them up.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the man the Father was pleased to bruise! And from his bruising, he brought glory to the Father and redemption to all the the elect! Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
As he went to the cross to be wounded for our transgressions, he prayed, Father, the hour is come; glorify they Son, that thy Son may glorify thee: He was praying that the rich fruit of the glory of the Father would be received as a result of the wounding and bruising he was about to obtain! But there is not one single son among any whom the Lord justifies whom the Father chastens not! Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
And his purging of the vine is for the fruit of the Lord’s glory! John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. And that fruit is the fruit of the Spirit which every one created in Christ Jesus brings forth! Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
The fruit that remained after this one beating is a picture of a holy remnant! Isaiah 17:3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. 6 Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. 7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. 8 And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. See also Isaiah 24:11-15.)
We especially see this holy remnant as being the entire ransomed church, consisting of both regenerate Jews and Gentiles! Jeremiah 11:16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. Romans 11:17: And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. “All Israel!” Not ‘all Jews!’ But “all Israel!” Christ does not save nations! He saves sinners! Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Olive wood was used for the doorway entrance into the holy place of the temple! 1Kings 6:31 And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.
The Lord Jesus Christ is our entrance into the holy presence of God, the Father! John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
O Precious Savior! His open wounds provide us entrance into the presence of redemption, righteousness, and fellowship with God Himself! Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And upon this doorway of olive wood were carved three images representing those in whom Christ delights! 1Kings 6:32 The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.
Of Christ and his pre-foundation fellowship in the Trinity we read, Proverbs 8:30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
As much as the Father was delighting in the Son, so was the Son delighting in those chosen in him from the foundation of the world! (Ephesians 1:4). And He continued to do so throughout his earthly ministry! John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
The king of Tyre was called an anointed cherub who was supposed to guard and protect those citizens under him became a fallen man! Ezekiel 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. And the Lord Jesus came into the world to save sinners! – John 19:10. And we are instructed that we only love him because he first loved us! – 1 John 4:19.
The palm tree was also to be carved on the entrance into the holy place. It is said to represent the righteous! Psalm 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Psalm 52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. If there is one thing that every sinner learns, it is that Christ alone is his righteousness! 1 Cor. 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
And lastly, there were the open flowers! Isaiah clearly tells us that man’s flesh and his goodness are like the grass and the flowers of the field! And as we know, these flowers wither and fade! (Isaiah 40:6-8). But the flowers carved on the olive wood doorway were always open! They were in a perpetual budding state! For the Lord Christ has given unto them eternal life which shall never perish! (John 10:28). Righteous is a treasure laid up! Rust cannot corrupt, nor thieves break through to steal this gift, imputed effectually by Christ! – All glory to the Lamb!!
And just as this doorway had these reminders of Christ’s work for sinners, so our Lord, as our High Priest bears our names upon his heart! Exodus 28:29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
And remember that these carvings on this doorway were overlaid with gold! 1Kings 6:32 The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees. And gold is a picture of the deity of God! For God’s glory shall cover our sinful beings in a greater way than David’s table cloth covered Mephibosheth’s cripple legs as he dined with the king and enjoyed the meal with him! (2 Sam.9:13).
Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
Pastor Gene Breed
December 29, 2010