King Josiah set an example of wholehearted devotion; yet, even in the midst of such devotion, he missed what God was doing when it came to the King of Egypt.
Let’s face it: Sometimes what God is doing doesn’t make sense to us.
We see tragedy, loss, pain, struggles, war, disaster.
And we say things like, “Where is God?”
Josiah didn’t recognize the hand of God working through a pagan king to defeat another pagan king. He didn’t inquire of God what, if any, role he should play in this battle.
Instead, he rushed in, thinking he already knew the answers to these questions, and it cost him his life. The battle mentioned briefly in this chapter is the battle at Megiddo, which delayed King Necho of Egypt in his plan to join the Assyrian king against the Babylonians. Josiah’s defeat and death, not only led to Judah becoming subject to Egypt, but this delay may have contributed to the defeat of Assyria, and the continued strengthening of the Babylonian empire. The same empire that would eventually conquer Judah and exile most of the population.
We don’t know how history might have played out if Josiah had sought God’s leading in regard to this battle. We don’t know how long Judah might have continued to worship God faithfully had Josiah lived beyond age thirty-nine. God’s plans are not thwarted, so we can be sure that even our disobedience cannot prevent God from accomplishing His purposes. Yet we may miss the opportunity to see those purposes. We may miss the blessing of being used by God to reach that person, to change that life, to rescue the perishing.
Worshiping God is critical to our faith. But King Josiah teaches us that worshiping God is not the same as seeking to follow Him in everything.
What is God asking me to do today? Am I willing to listen to Him even when it doesn’t make sense to me?
Let’s face it: Sometimes what God is doing doesn’t make sense to us.
We see tragedy, loss, pain, struggles, war, disaster.
And we say things like, “Where is God?”
Josiah didn’t recognize the hand of God working through a pagan king to defeat another pagan king. He didn’t inquire of God what, if any, role he should play in this battle.
Instead, he rushed in, thinking he already knew the answers to these questions, and it cost him his life. The battle mentioned briefly in this chapter is the battle at Megiddo, which delayed King Necho of Egypt in his plan to join the Assyrian king against the Babylonians. Josiah’s defeat and death, not only led to Judah becoming subject to Egypt, but this delay may have contributed to the defeat of Assyria, and the continued strengthening of the Babylonian empire. The same empire that would eventually conquer Judah and exile most of the population.
We don’t know how history might have played out if Josiah had sought God’s leading in regard to this battle. We don’t know how long Judah might have continued to worship God faithfully had Josiah lived beyond age thirty-nine. God’s plans are not thwarted, so we can be sure that even our disobedience cannot prevent God from accomplishing His purposes. Yet we may miss the opportunity to see those purposes. We may miss the blessing of being used by God to reach that person, to change that life, to rescue the perishing.
Worshiping God is critical to our faith. But King Josiah teaches us that worshiping God is not the same as seeking to follow Him in everything.
What is God asking me to do today? Am I willing to listen to Him even when it doesn’t make sense to me?
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