2 Kings 22; Jer. 36
It was when Israel mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and misused His prophets that the wrath of the Lord arose against His people till there was no remedy. Josiah and Jehoiakim reigned over Judah just before the Babylonian captivity. The judgments of God were at the door.
We have in the history of these two kings the important contrast in the way each received the testimony given to them. In Josiah we have the subjection of heart which God always honors, and in Jehoiakim that insubjection which He always judges. The history of man proves that whether God speaks in the way of commandment, or in the way of threatening, or in mercy, His words are despised. There are many exceptions as in the case of Josiah, the inhabitants of Nineveh, etc., but generally rebellion is the course man takes. This has been the case from the beginning, and continues to be so and will continue so long as the god of this world blinds the minds of men.
Josiah—Finding God a Refuge
There is something deeply interesting in the whole of Josiah's reign, but especially so when the message was conveyed to him that the book of the law was found in the house of the Lord. "Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes." His heart was not unmoved; he trembled at God's Word. In that light, what were his circumstances? That law made manifest Israel's rebellion, brought to light their guilt, revealed the judgment of God against sin, and filled Josiah's heart with sadness. Where could he flee for help? Only to God. It is blessed when the heart is made truly conscious of its condition by seeing it in God's light; there is a refuge in God. "There is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared.... Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption." Psa. 130:4, 74But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. (Psalm 130:4)
7Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. (Psalm 130:7). Josiah sends to inquire of the Lord and receives this answer:
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read.... But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. (2 Kings 22:16-2016Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 17Because 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 kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. 18But to the king of Judah which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; 19Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 20Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. (2 Kings 22:16‑20).)
Such is the grace of our God! The bruised reed He will not break. He gives grace to the humble, and blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust! Josiah might use the language of the Psalmist,
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.
Jehoiakim—God’s Testimony Rejected
The contrast is painful in turning to the history of Josiah's son. Of him it may be said, "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness." Psa. 52:77Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. (Psalm 52:7).
The 36th chapter of Jeremiah opens with the goodness of God towards His poor rebellious people. He presses upon their attention the solemn condition in which they were. He causes a roll to be written containing all the words Jeremiah had spoken against Israel saying, "It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin" (v. 3). This roll of a book reaches the ears of Jehoiakim.
So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll; and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. (Jer. 36:21-2421So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. 22Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. 23And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. 24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. (Jeremiah 36:21‑24).)
How solemn all this is after seeing the tenderness of heart in Josiah. Jehoiakim rushes from the sound of God's Word into the darkness of infidelity. He supposes he can escape the judgment of God by disbelieving the testimony concerning it. This is where Satan is fast leading the world into open rejection of the Word of God today. Men are like Jehoiakim. He was not afraid, nor rent his garments. "Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." Jehoiakim had quietness, but it was not that peace which Josiah knew: the peace of condemnation put away and of sin forgiven. There is a message for him in verses 30 and 31:
Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost. And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.
Pride and unbelief shut out from all blessing, and leave their victims exposed to the wrath of God.
“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord." Jer. 17:55Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. (Jeremiah 17:5). The only place of blessing is that which Josiah took. There the Lord ceases to have a controversy. He knows the claims of His own truth. He will not relinquish them. "Thou hast magnified Thy word above all Thy name." Psa. 138:22I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2).
Saul sought to uphold his own integrity when the word of God was against him. His heart did not bow before the truth and the Lord cast him off. It is a vain thing to strive with God. May the Lord guard His children in this day of evil! Let us have tenderness of heart to all His truth so that we may hold our proper place of testimony for Him.
Present Testimony Vol. 2