Josiah’s Reward
2 Chronicles 35:20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him. 21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not. 22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded. 24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD, 27 And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.
The Prophecies
It was prophesied, not only that King Josiah would be born, but that he was to be named, “Josiah!” 1 Kings 13:2 … thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; …
So was King Jesus! Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Also Huldah, the prophetess prophesied that all the curses that are written in the book that was found in the temple would come upon both this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. But to Josiah it was told, Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same. (2 Chron. 34:22-24,28). And his life fulfilled that prophesy!
And so the life of King Jesus was lived to fulfill the scriptural prophecies! Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
The Preparation
There are no unimportant words in the scriptures! We must notice the words that introduce our passage, for they lead us to know why that which comes next can now take place. Those words are: After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, … The account of Josiah’s death is set up for us by reminding us that he had finished the work God gave him to do. He had purged the land of idolatry and cleansed the temple for spiritual worship of the Lord God. And lastly, he had brought in a Passover like as had never been held before! 2 Chron. 35:18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
So was also the Lord Jesus Christ! He, unlike Josiah, had full control of his death! And he would not cease to live until he had finished the work given him to do by his Father! John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This com-mandment have I received of my Father. And he only lay down his life at the time of the fulfillment of the Passover in a true spiritual way! John 19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
1 Cor. 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Josiah’s Final Battle
Reason and logic now fail in this final portion of the young, blessed king! The world (pictured by Egypt and its king) can never, by its wisdom (1 Cor. 1:21), come to understand the cross! King Necho of Egypt states that he, himself, is following God, and that Josiah is meddling with God in his coming out to involve himself in a battle that was not his! The greatest mystery in the world is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ! 1 Cor. 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
So how can we think that Josiah, in his amazing picture of Christ throughout his entire life, should now deviate from that predestinated path? The scripture actually states it in words used of one who is absolutely devoted to the will of God alone, and will not be distracted! It states, Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him!
And so it was written of the Lord Jesus Christ! Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, The Lord Jesus was so determined to get to the cross that he called the betrayer, Judas, friend, for Judas was helping him get to the cross! (Matt. 26:50). But he called Peter, Satan, because he was trying to hinder this determination! (Mark 8:33).
And truly, this was not the Lord’s battle! That is, he was not a sinner! Heb. 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. It is only the wages of sin that pays off in death! Therefore, of himself, being perfect man, he did not deserve to die!
He, most certainly, was not a lawful captive! Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. Satan assumed to take one too many captive! And that spelled his destruction!
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
And this “early death” of Josiah’s actually fulfilled the prophesy, earlier mentioned, that he would not see the curses of God fall upon Judah! And that was a blessing to him of such a pure heart! Do you recall the devastated heart of Nehemiah when he received word that Jerusalem was destroyed? Neh. 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
Therefore we read: Isaiah 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
And so the Lord Jesus Christ was prevented from the effect of the curse of God upon him by his personal faith at his death! For he, by faith, commended his spirit into the trusted hands of his Father, (Luke 23:46), fully trusting that thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psa. 16:10). And this personal, active faith was the point where he became the author of faith! (Heb. 12:2).
And similar to Samson, (Judges 16:30), Josiah had a greater victory in his death than he did in his life! For Josiah’s death would bring in the picture the Holy Spirit would use to depict the events that would take place at Pentecost and the sending of the Holy Spirit!
For it was prophesied by Zechariah that the mourning over Josiah’s death was that which the Spirit used to depict the results of His coming in Acts chapter two! Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. See 2 Chronicles 35:22.
For the Lord God had raised up such an endearment towards this blessed king, that losing him at such an early age (26 years), was like a man losing his only son! And THAT was the true experience of repentance which occurred at Pentecost, and in all those saved thereafter! Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Pastor Gene Breed
September 1, 2011
