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.
