Divided Kingdom II; Judah Alone Lesson 18 Josiah / Jehoahaz (Shallum) (2 Kings 23; 2 Chron. 34-36:4)

Josiah; repairs, reform, renewal (2 Kings 22:3-7; 2 Chron. 34:8-13) Josiah commands for the temple to be repaired The Book of the Law of the LORD given to Moses is found in the temple; Josiah humbles himself (2 Kings 23:1-3; 2 Chron. 34:29-32) Josiah and the leaders of the people went to the house of the LORD and he reads all the words of the Book of the Covenant; Josiah renews his covenant with the LORD.

Josiah; repairs, reform, renewal (2 Kings 23:3) The covenant renewed: “Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.”

Josiah; fight against idolatry (2 Kings 23:4-20, 24-25; 2 Chron. 34:33) He removed all articles made for Baal & other gods and burned them outside of Jerusalem He removed the idolatrous priests who had burned incense on the high places He cut down the carved and molded images; he made dust of them and scattered the dust on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them He tore down the booths of those practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals He defiled the altar of Topheth where Ahaz and Manasseh had offered their children to Molech so no one could use it in that manner He removed the horses and burned the chariots dedicated to the sun

Josiah; fight against idolatry (2 Kings 23:4-20, 24-25; 2 Chron. 34:33) He destroyed the idolatrous altars made by Ahaz & Manasseh & the high places that Solomon had built for his wives (for Ashtoreth, Chemosh, & Milcom) He broke and crushed to powder the altar at Bethel that Jeroboam had built that had lead Israel to sin He notices tombs around the altar and had the bones in the tombs burned “according to the word of the LORD” He did not disturb the bones of the prophet who had proclaimed that this would happen (300 yrs earlier – 1 Kings 13) He destroys the shrines of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria and executes the priests of these high places

Josiah; fight against idolatry (2 Kings 23:4-20, 24-25; 2 Chron. 34:33) He puts away those who were consulting mediums and spiritists, and the household gods and idols “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.” (2 Kings 23:25)

Josiah; keeps the Passover (2 Kings 23:21-23; 2 Chron. 35:1-19) “Now Josiah kept a Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem…” He set the priests in their duties and encouraged them for the service of the house of the LORD “Prepare yourselves according to your divisions…stand in the holy place… consecrate yourselves…and do according to the word of the LORD”

Josiah; keeps the Passover (2 Kings 23:21-23; 2 Chron. 35:1-19) Josiah and the leaders gave liberally so that the Passover might be observed “There had been no Passover kept in Israel like that since the days of Samuel the prophet; and none of the kings of Israel had kept such a Passover as Josiah kept…” (2 Chron. 35:18)

Judah; impending judgment (2 Kings 23:26-27) “Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath…I will also remove Judah from My sight, as I have removed Israel and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there”

Assyria; historical note Assyria had incurred and defeated multiple revolts to maintain their supremacy over the world of that day, but the end was in sight. Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria, died in approximately 633 B.C., while Josiah was still a child in Judah. Revolts continued from all sides…Egypt to the West, the Medes to the East. Arab tribes from the desert came to plunder the lands of eastern Palestine & Syria.

Assyria; historical note In 625 B.C., a Chaldean prince called Nabopolassar managed to gain independence for Babylon. In 612 B.C., the Babylonians joined with the Medes and besieged the city of Nineveh. After 3 months, the city fell, never to be built again.

Egypt moves to assist Assyria against the Babylonians at Carchemish 610 B.C. 612 B.C. Megiddo 609 B.C. Egypt moves to assist Assyria against the Babylonians at Carchemish

Aerial view of Tel Megiddo site of the battle of Megiddo in 609 BC.

Model (at Megiddo) showing how the city would have looked, along with finds at different strata

Josiah; his death (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:20-27) Pharaoh Necho sent messengers to Josiah stating, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you." Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo.”

Valley of Megiddo - Jezreel

(a view of the Valley of Jezreel, also known as the Valley of Megiddo, or Armageddon)

Josiah; his death (2 Kings 23:29-30; 2 Chron. 35:20-27) King Josiah is mortally wounded and died in Jerusalem. He was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah…”Weep not for the dead, nor bemoan him;” (Jer. 22:10a)

Jehoahaz (Shallum) (2 Kings 23:30-34; 2 Chron. 36:1-4) The people anointed Jehoahaz, son of Josiah, king in his fathers place. He was 23 years old. He reigns for 3 months. He did evil in the sight of the LORD. Pharaoh Necho bound him in chains and imprisoned him at Riblah in Hamath, and imposed a harsh tribute on the land (100 talents of silver, talent of gold). He then banished Jehoahaz to Egypt. That is where he dies.

Jehoahaz (Shallum) (Jer. 22:10-12) Jeremiah gives this message from the LORD… “Weep not for the dead, nor bemoan him; Weep bitterly for him who goes away, For he shall return no more, Nor see his native country. For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, who went from this place: "He shall not return here anymore, but he shall die in the place where they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.”

Lessons Do the right things with all your heart and soul 2 Kings 23:3; Mt. 22:37; Col. 3:23-24 Make a stand for the truth 2 Kings 23:3; 1 Cor. 15:58; Prov. 10:25 The names Hosea, Joshua, and Jesus are all derived from the same Hebrew root word. The word “hoshea” means salvation but Joshua & Jesus include an additional idea: “Yahweh is Salvation”. As God’s messenger, Hosea offers the possibility of salvation if only the nation will turn from idolatry back to God.