Read 2 Chronicles 34.
Josiah was only 8 years old when he began his reign over
Judah. At age 16, he began to exercise
his faith in the LORD. By age 20, he was
leading his nation in a spiritual cleansing process. When he became 26, he turned his attention to
the repair of the Temple.
This is a great reminder that spiritual maturity has nothing
to do with how old a person is. Paul
told Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because he was young (1 Timothy
4:12).
As the work proceeded, a copy of the Book of the Law was
found! Obviously, the people had not
seen, nor heard, the word of God in a long time. When Shaphan read the scriptures to King
Josiah, he became overwhelmed with conviction.
His concern regarding the lack of attention and obedience to God's word
was not only for himself but for the people of his kingdom and that of the
northern kingdom of Israel.
In order to understand the implications, they sought out the
Prophetess Huldah. She confirmed the
king's concerns for the people, yet the judgment would not take place in
Josiah's lifetime. Further, she
explained why: "Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself
before God when you heard his words..." (v.27a).
When one's heart is open to hear what God has to say, it is
life-changing! "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 intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
The openness, or tenderness, of the heart toward the LORD is
what makes the difference in the results.
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