2 Kings 22

Bible Passage: 2 Kings 22

The Book of Law was collecting dust for at least 73 years before king Josiah of Judah reopened it. I would imagine the book being covered by a real thick layer of dust! Why 73 years? The king before Josiah, who was a king Manasseh worshipped idols and even placed idols in the Temple of God. This king ruled for 55 years before king Josiah began his reign. It was only the 18^th year of king Josiah’s reign that the Book of the Law was found; perhaps the Book was covered in so much dust that nobody could recognize it.

Unlike a lot of kings in Judah, king Josiah did what was right in the eyes of God and walked the way his father David walked. He was trustworthy in God’s Words and did not deviate to the left and to the right. King Josiah wanted to worship God and did his part in repairing the Temple of God.

What really struck me was king Josiah’s thirst to know the Words of God and his humility. As a king, he was high and mighty and it is indeed difficult to find a king that is humble. King Josiah in a way was similar to his father David in that they were humble and wanted to know the Will of God. When king Josiah realized the great sins that Judah and Israel committed, he was terrified and greatly humbled himself before God.

As man, all of us are proud to a certain extent. Just today, I have realized that in me there is still pride when I replied my colleague in a fashion that showed my resentment of another person in office. What I said in the email is true. However, I should not have said it because it was unnecessary. It was pride working in me to voice it out. What more king Josiah? I would think as a king, he could have behaved like the rest of his fathers who have greatly sinned against God. Being kings with authority, I feel they will fear less about being arrogant. King Josiah was humble to the Book of the Law. He humbled himself to the Supreme Authority and that is God.

How many of us will humble ourselves to God’s law? Unfortunately there are many people today who will not humble themselves to God’s law as they want to be god. They do not want to lose their freedom and do not want to be subject to a ‘boss’. Many people in Singapore have this mentality that bossing people is success and successful people are bosses; the more people under the better the success. This can be seen evidently in the armed forces and work place. Often there are abuses of power. Even in Israel, there was once a taxi driver said that she wanted to drive a taxi because she wants to be her own boss. She does not want to be bossed around.

Also, this mentality can be seen in the hotels and services provided in the country. Most of them provide poor service because they want to be the boss and do not want to be the servant. Coincidentally, thousands of years ago it was the same and the country has rebelled against many occupiers and suffered under the hands of foreign occupiers.  

King Josiah was really different. He was out of the norm and in the process God acknowledge his good heart and humility to Him. As Christians today, we have to follow king Josiah and admit our shortcomings to God whenever we fall short of His standards. We have to put on this spiritual sackcloth of repentant prayers throughout our lives.

As a concluding verse,

“For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the LORD. ” But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.” 
Isaiah 66:2

May we humble before the Word of God. Amen.