Henderson Hills Baptist Church

We are called to the exclusive worship of God and God alone. The first commandment found in Exodus is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Our inclination is however, to worship creation, idols, rather than the Creator, God. Idolatry is the most discussed problem in the Bible. It runs from Genesis to Revelation. We must learn to recognize, diagnose, and tear down any idol factories we have created. Our mission is to demolish any “high places” we have created in our hearts that would pull us away from devotion for God.

One of the great examples of the destruction of idols is a king named Josiah. Josiah was unique in the history of kings.

2 Kings 23:25(ESV)
Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
What an incredible description of a man. He turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might. He followed the greatest commandment Jesus told even in the New Testament. Why did Josiah tear down the idols? Grab a cup of coffee and sit back, read this narrative and let’s explore it more deeply.

2 Kings 22:1-13(ESV)
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.  And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.  In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying,  “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people. And let it be given into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house (that is, to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons), and let them use it for buying timber and quarried stone to repair the house.  But no accounting shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.”  And Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.  And Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.”  Then Shaphan the secretary told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.  When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.  And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, “Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

Josiah became king at a very young age of 8. When he was 26 he made a crucial decision to repair the temple. During the reconstruction phase, as workers were cleaning out the debris of misuse, they came upon a scroll. The high priest, Hilkiah, knew that this was a special copy of Scripture. He took it to the king’s secretary, Shaphan to read. Shaphan then took it before King Josiah and began to read it. When King Josiah heard the words written from long ago, it cut him to the quick. He grieved over the words from God because he knew his people had disobeyed and done exactly what God warned against. The people were living in idolatry. They had turned their backs upon God and His Word. It probably was not intentional at first. Life just crowded out the priority of God. Their needs were met so they didn’t seek him. Parents stopped instructing their children in the ways of the Lord, so as that child grew into adulthood, he never learned the foundational truths to live by. Generation after generation came and went. Now the setting is such that Josiah at 26 heard the words of the Lord for this first time ever. Picture this in your mind.

How much do you value the Word of God? You probably have a copy of Scripture, probably more than one. Do you regularly spend time reading it? Do you realize that to read and obey it will keep your life free from idol worship?

Hebrews 4:12(ESV)
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God’s Word is living and active. Read it, study it, memorize it, apply it to your life, take it to heart, obey it, learn who God is in it, meditate on its principles, and never ever neglect it. It is God breathed. It is His very Words, His love letter, written directly to you.
Tomorrow we will look specifically at how Josiah used God’s teaching to tear down the idols in Judah. We, too, can use God’s Word to direct our very lives today.

Humbly,

Dennis