2 CHRONICLES LESSON 34
II Chronicles 34:1 "Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to
reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years."
Josiah was a good king. He was very young when he began, but his
reign would be similar to Hezekiah. He wanted to please the LORD in
everything he did. We remember from 2 Kings, that his mother was
Jedidah.
II Chronicles 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."
We discussed in an earlier lesson, how the good kings were
compared to king David, because his heart was stayed upon God. The
Lord Jesus {in the flesh} would be descended from David. God had
promised that David's seed would sit on the throne forever. This, of
course, is fulfilled in Jesus. In some ways, Josiah was even more
pleasing to the LORD than Hezekiah.
II Chronicles 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 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."
The eighth year of his reign would have made him 16 years old.
He sought God early on in his life, then. He began the cleansing of
the land, when he was twenty years old. Jeremiah was the prophet at
this time.
II Chronicles 34:4 "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."
This is telling of the type of false worship that Josiah
destroyed in the land. He had made a decision to live for the LORD,
himself, and then to lead the nation back to the LORD. He not only
sent people out to destroy the images and idols, but he went, as well,
and made sure they were destroyed. He had them to destroy them in his
presence, so he would know it was actually done. The strowing the
ashes on the graves was for the children that had been sacrificed to
these false gods.
II Chronicles 34:5 "And he burnt the bones of the priests upon
their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem."
These were not priests of Jehovah. They were priests of Baal
worship and of Ashteroth. These false priests had led the people into
this false worship. They must be destroyed to stop them from leading
the people astray.
II Chronicles 34:6 "And [so did he] in the cities of Manasseh,
and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round
about."
He did not stop with Jerusalem, but cleansed all of the
surrounding cities that he could enter. These out-lying cities did
not belong to Judah. They were cities of Israel. Israel had already
fallen to Assyria at this time, so these cities were available to
Josiah.
II Chronicles 34:7 "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."
He tore down the things that had caused their captivity. These
were an affront to the LORD, and Josiah destroyed them. Judah's
worship of these evil false gods had first come to Israel, and then
creeped into Judah. Perhaps, one of the reasons he went into Israel to
do this, was so that Judah could not get a start from them, again.
II Chronicles 34:8 "Now in the eighteenth year of his reign,
when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of
Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of
Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God."
Josiah was, now, 26 years old. He had cleansed the land of the
false gods. He, now, wants to repair the temple, so they could worship
their LORD there, again. Shaphan is the scribe. They were sent to
oversee the repairing of the temple.
II Chronicles 34:9 "And when they came to Hilkiah the high
priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of
God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of
Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all
Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem."
There had been a collection from among the people for the money
to repair the temple. The high priest had turned this over to those
that Josiah had sent to take care of the funds for the rebuilding.
The money was for the materials needed, and the skilled laborers to do
the job.
II Chronicles 34:10 "And they put [it] in the hand of the workmen
that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to
the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend
the house:"
Each workman was paid according to what he had needed for the
job. The workmen, possibly also, rounded up the material to be bought.
This particular money was to be used just for the temple.
II Chronicles 34:11 "Even to the artificers and builders gave
they [it], to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor
the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed."
Now, we see some of the details of what the workers were to do,
and where the hewn stone, timber, and the other needed materials had
been acquired.
II Chronicles 34:12 "And the men did the work faithfully: and the
overseers of them [were] Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons
of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites,
to set [it] forward; and [other of] the Levites, all that could skill
of instruments of music."
This is just explaining that much of the work was done by members
of the Levitical tribe. If they did work fine enough to carve
instruments of music, they could certainly do the beautiful handwork
for the temple.
II Chronicles 34:13 "Also [they were] over the bearers of
burdens, and [were] overseers of all that wrought the work in any
manner of service: and of the Levites [there were] scribes, and
officers, and porters."
It appears, from this, that the Levites were actually overseeing
the job to see that it was done correctly. The porters were the
keepers of the door.
II Chronicles 34:14 "And when they brought out the money that
was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a
book of the law of the LORD [given] by Moses."
It is interesting, to me, that the high priest had not known it
was there all along. This book of the law was in the temple, so the
high priest could see that the people knew the wishes of the LORD
contained in His law. This would have contained the book of Leviticus,
where the law was spelled out.
II Chronicles 34:15 "And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the
scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And
Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan."
This book had been kept with the ark of the covenant. Shaphan
would be reporting back to king Josiah. The high priest sent it back
with Shaphan. This is not just any book. It was the book Moses had
written.
II Chronicles 34:16 "And Shaphan carried the book to the king,
and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed
to thy servants, they do [it]."
It seemed, the temple had been in disarray. The first 5 books of
the Bible are spoken of as the law. This would have been in Moses' own
handwriting. The servants had carried out the errand Josiah had sent
them on, but now, they had brought the law with them as well.
II Chronicles 34:17 "And they have gathered together the money
that was found in the house of the LORD, and have delivered it into
the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen."
This is speaking of them giving an accounting unto the king of
where the money was being spent.
II Chronicles 34:18 "Then Shaphan the scribe told the king,
saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it
before the king."
We may safely assume this is speaking of him reading the laws in
Leviticus to the king.
II Chronicles 34:19 "And it came to pass, when the king had heard
the words of the law, that he rent his clothes."
The reading of the law showed Josiah just how far away from the
LORD that Judah had strayed. He rent his clothes in mourning for his
own sins, and the sins of the people.
II Chronicles 34:20 "And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam
the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the
scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying," II Chronicles
34:21 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in
Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found:
for great [is] the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us,
because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after
all that is written in this book."
Hilkiah was the high priest at this time. Josiah was suddenly
aware of why Israel was in captivity. He, also, was aware that Judah
had not followed in the ways of the LORD. Josiah wanted to hear what
the fate of Judah and himself was to be. The wrath of the LORD was
apparent from reading the law.
II Chronicles 34:22 "And Hilkiah, and [they] that the king [had
appointed], went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son
of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt
in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that [effect]."
Jeremiah was the prophet in the time that this happened. Whether
he was unavailable at this time or not, we are not told. Huldah was a
prophetess. Her husband was not a prophet. He was a keeper of the
wardrobe. We may safely assume she was teaching in the college of the
prophets, because she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college. The only
known college was the school of the prophets. This shows that God uses
women in the ministry the same as He does men. God does not look on
the outward appearance, but on the heart. This Huldah was a prophetess
after the heart of God. Notice, also, the heads of the religious and
the civil government came to her to find out what God's Word to them
would be.
II Chronicles 34:23 "And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, Tell ye the man that sent you to me,"
"Thus saith the LORD", lets us know that she spoke as an oracle
of God. The message was not her's. The message was God's.
II Chronicles 34:24 "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring
evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, [even] all the
curses that are written in the book which they have read before the
king of Judah:" II Chronicles 34:25 "Because they have forsaken me,
and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to
anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be
poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched."
She verified their worst fears. God's Word was true. His Word
said they would be destroyed for the evil they had done, and they
would. It was their choice to be blessed of God by keeping His
commandments. They had chosen to disregard His Word and His
commandments and they had worshipped false gods. They deserved the
punishment God was sending to them.
II Chronicles 34:26 "And as for the king of Judah, who sent you
to inquire of the LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel [concerning] the words which thou hast heard;"
God would not punish an individual who was doing right in His
sight along with the sinners. Notice, there was a separate message for
Josiah. God saves individual in the masses.
II Chronicles 34:27 "Because thine heart was tender, and thou
didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against
this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself
before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even
heard [thee] also, saith the LORD." II Chronicles 34:28 "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. So they
brought the king word again."
God knew the heart of Josiah. God liked the heart of Josiah. He
had humbled himself before the LORD. He had inquired of the wishes of
the LORD in His law. He not only would be spared the terrible
punishment of the masses, but God would not let it happen during his
reign. God would take him, before all of these terrible times began.
II Chronicles 34:29 "Then the king sent and gathered together all
the elders of Judah and Jerusalem." II Chronicles 34:30 "And the king
went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all
the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words
of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD."
One of the main reasons that I have written these Bible studies,
is to encourage people today to get back into the study of God's Word.
We must all strive to do the will of God. We cannot do the will of
God, unless we know what that will is. Josiah saw that they heard the
law of God. Josiah wanted them to know what they had done wrong. What
they did with the knowledge of the law he had read them, was up to
them. He would feel as if he had done all he could.
II Chronicles 34:31 "And the king stood in his place, and made a
covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his
commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his
heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant
which are written in this book."
These people were his witnesses that he determined in his heart
to keep God's commandments. He would not do this from obligation
either, but because it was the desire of his heart to please God.
II Chronicles 34:32 "And he caused all that were present in
Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand [to it]. And the inhabitants of
Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their
fathers."
This just means he commanded his people to keep God's law, as
well. He had them to stand and agree to keep the commandments of God.
II Chronicles 34:33 "And Josiah took away all the abominations
out of all the countries that [pertained] to the children of Israel,
and made all that were present in Israel to serve, [even] to serve the
LORD their God. [And] all his days they departed not from following
the LORD, the God of their fathers."
Josiah did just as he had covenanted with God to do. He continued
to cleanse the land of all things that displeased God. Notice, he even
insisted on the remnant of Israel doing the same things as he had
covenanted with God to cause Judah and Jerusalem to do. Josiah was,
indeed, a man after God's own heart.
2 Chronicles 34 Questions
1. How old was Josiah, when he began to reign?
2. Whose reign would his be like?
3. Who was he compared to in verse 2?
4. When did Josiah begin to seek after the God of David?
5. When did he begin to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places?
6. In verse 4, we read that they brake down the altars of __________
in his presence.
7. What were the ashes strewn on the graves for?
8. He burned the bones of what priests?
9. What was unusual about the cleansing of the places, mentioned in
verse 6?
10. When did he return to Jerusalem?
11. In what year of his reign did Josiah decide to repair the temple?
12. Who was high priest at this time?
13. What was the money used for?
14. Who were the overseers of the work?
15. What had Hilkiah found in the temple?
16. Where did he send the law?
17. Who read the law to the king?
18. What did the king do, when he heard the law read?
19. What did the king command Hilkiah to do?
20. Who was the prophet in the land at this time?
21. Who did Hilkiah go to for Josiah's answer from the LORD?
22. What was her husband's ministry?
23. Where did she live?
24. How did she begin her message to them?
25. What was God's message to these evil people?
26. What separate message did God send to Josiah?
27. Who did Josiah call together to read the law to?
28. Josiah made a __________ with God before all of these people.
29. What did he cause the others present to do?
30. Quote 2 Chronicles chapter 34 verse 33.
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