with meditations
by my mother, Poetess Gertrude Sanborn
April 30
II Kings
20:17–II Kings 23:34
ONE
GOOD KING AMONG SO MANY
II Kings
23:25
"And like unto
him (Josiah) was there no king before him, that
turned to the LORD with all his heart. . . with all his
soul. . ."
We are coming to a part in
Scripture where we learn about one of the most, if not
the most, wicked king that ever ruled In Judah. His name
was MANASSEH, and he began his reign at age
twelve. He dealt with familiar spirits and wizards,
along with other evil worship practices. His father was
one of the best kings ever. His name was HEZEKIAH!
How this dichotomy of change from good to bad came to
pass, I am not sure. Always I have had the feeling the
"goodness" and "badness" of a son had to
do with the "mother." If one had a godly mother,
more than likely the child would become a godly person.
This is not always so–but, more than often, it is. His
mother’s name was HEPHZIBAH! He reigned
fifty-five years.
AMON was the son of MANASSEH.
His mother’s name was MESHULLEMETH. He was a
wicked king! He did evil in the sight of the LORD–like
his father. That meant he served his father’s idols. In
the events of his life, AMON was not the
son-of-his-father chosen "to pass through the fire."
One of his brothers gave his life for such religious
corruption, as hundreds and hundreds of children have
had to do. What horrendous slaughter comes when innocent
children are killed! Later KING AMON was killed in his
own house by his own servants. Both he and his father
were buried in the Garden of UZZA.
Now comes a good king! His name was
JOSIAH. His mother’s name was JEDIDAH. He was only
eight-years-old when he was crowned. The Bible says
"he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD."
Our verse today tells us that JOSIAH did that which no
king--like him--ever, ever, ever did, when he turned to
the LORD! What did JOSIAH do that a gave him such an
outstanding record with the LORD God?
First of all, he instigated major
repairs to the Temple. Silver, timbers, and stones were
brought to use in the restoration. Everyone trusted one
another because all who worked were trustworthy workmen.
This can’t be said today in all church repair or
building projects. This renovation happened in the
eighteenth year of JOSIAH’S thirty-one year reign.
In the process of clearing-out the
rubbish that had collected in the house of the LORD,
remnants of Baal worship were discovered within its
walls. Then the WORD OF GOD WAS FOUND!! It is amazing
that God’s Words were always in the Temple, but unread
and unheeded. There was a "grove" in the midst of
the rubble, as well a sodomite house next door. Evil
women hung around its doors wearing special seductive
"grove hangings,"
JOSIAH was thrilled with the WORD OF
GOD! It gave him great joy to obey it! He destroyed the
altar at Bethel and the high places that JEROBOAM had
made which caused Israel to sin. He stamped them to
powder and killed the corrupted priests. With such
revival, from hearing the Word Of God, the PASSOVER was
kept. Who knows when it was last observed? He did
everything according to THE BOOK, killing the
wizards and destroying the images and idols. Hilkiah,
the high priest, fulfilled his GOD-GIVEN DUTY. So many
priests had been unfaithful to God’s commands. I am sure
this good priest had a great influence on the King.
Trouble did not escape JOSIAH’s
reign. Just because he followed the BOOK OF THE LAW, did
not mean that the sins of the former kings, and their
followers, would go unpunished. King PHARAOHNECHOH
of Egypt and the KING of ASSYRIA came to the Euphrates
River. It was not good. They were "after" Judah.
King Josiah went against them. HE WAS KILLED! It was at
MEGIDDO! His servants transported his body in a chariot
to Jerusalem. They buried him in his own sepulcher. His
son, JEHOAHAZ became king. Time would tell if he would
be good or evil. (ysw)
"GOD
KNOWS OUR WAY"
(Job 22:10;
Psalm 103:14)
HE KNOWETH THE
WAY I TAKE.
HE KNOWETH MY
FRAME.
He remembereth
that we are dust.
We forget it and
think we are strong.
(This was
written on April 15th many years before
this very the
date in 2008 that GGS’s grandson,
David
would be taken
Home to Heaven.)
(GGS)
And
Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he
said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly
return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo,
Sarah thy wife shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10)
