Bible Chapter: II Kings 23 & 24

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Reading these chapters gives me a feeling of whiplash.  There are such extremes.  Chapter 23 is exciting to read as Josiah cleaned house.  He went throughout the land destroying all vestige of the evil worship the nation had been doing. He burned and destroyed the evil altars and those who promoted it.  He called on the nation to serve God.  He made a covenant with God that he would worship only the true Creator God.  He brought the nation to a place of obedience.
    Then, when Josiah died, a series of kings took over who did much evil.  The Bible says of each of these, they did evil in the sight of the Lord. They brought down God’s judgement on the nation.  People were taken captive.  Very expensive tribute was demanded of the nation.  If anything possibly could go wrong, it did.  All of these horrible things were the culmination of generations of people who rejected God and did things their own way.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Josiah was a reformer.  He cleaned house by burning, by destroying the evil places.  He gives us a good lesson for true revival.  He was repentant of the sins the nation committed.  Repentance is turning from sin and not doing it any more.  He exposed and destroyed the false teachers.  The worldly practices were abandoned.  God’s standards were followed. They changed what needed to be changed and lived according to God’s ways.  Josiah’s heart was towards God.  He used his position as king to call the nation to living for God.
    This is the example to follow.  Read the Word of God and apply it.  Call people to follow HIM as well.

3.  How can I help someone?
Learn from this amazing verse.
II Kings 23:25 NKJV
25 Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.
    After you learn from this amazing verse, then apply it.  Turn to the Lord with all your heart, soul and might.