2 Chronicles 34
“Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.”
2 “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, he walked in the ways of David his father (generationally), and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.” (wouldn’t divert from the ‘way’)
3 “For in the eighth year of his reign (16 yrs old), while he was yet young…
he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year (20 yrs old)...
he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.”
He starts to ‘walk in the ways of his father’–David's Lineage…
then he begins talking to God at age 16, for himself…
then he dedicates himself at the age of 20 years–
to TEARING DOWN THE ‘high places’ in THE KINGDOM.
This is ‘exactly’ what God is doing now.
You cannot be ‘joined’ in him, and not have him REFORM YOU, and begin to ‘grow within you’ HIS OWN DESIRES: tearing down the demonic strongholds.
Strongholds of– wicked workings in the ‘places’ where ‘power’ is taken and misused for nefarious purposes of ‘self indulgences’ of evil works in this manner:
"High place", or "high places–" (Hebrew במה bamah and plural במות bamot or bamoth) in a biblical context always means "place(s) of worship" (evil or holy–in this case ‘evil’ ones).
“High places” can be mountains, hills, strongholds, or holy places.
Josiah set his life ‘on course’ with God–by his ‘will,’ his ‘choices;’ it is the same for us even now: Integrity of Character, grit and resolve with a MASSIVE LOVE FOR GOD, has ALWAYS ‘rocked’ the ‘gods of this age’ and their ‘reign’ in this earth.
Lord Jesus is bringing these folks ‘online’ in a massive public way now; these are they that will ‘reform’ destinies and nations by ‘the hand of God’ that rests upon their ‘consecrated hearts.’
4 “And they broke down the altars of Baalim– in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves and the carved images, and the molten images, he broke into pieces and made dust of them, and strewed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them.
He breaks down the ‘altars’ –of Baalim; that means that he is STOPPING THE ‘ability’ TO WORSHIP THIS false ‘god,’ by DESTROYING
‘the high place of worship.’
He DESTROYS ‘the images,’ these are the ‘reminders’ of their false ‘god.’
He CUTS DOWN the entire ‘land’ GROVE, which means–NO MORE HIDDEN WORKINGS– all is ‘displayed’ and wickedness can no longer partake in the ‘dark,’ for it is the LIGHT that now ‘shines’ upon this land again: DOMINION RESTORED.
And then, ta-boot --he scatters all the ‘debris’ he just accumulated of ‘destroyed demonic strongholds’ within wicked living human lives…
Upon the ‘graves’ of ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SACRIFICED TO THEM:
this– is our God, and his ‘consecrated servants.’
5 “And he burned the bones of the priests –upon their altars, and (he) cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.”
This is– ‘a man of God;’ he DESTROYS THE ENEMY’S STRONGHOLDS, ‘scattering’ the debris of it– upon the ‘dead worshipers’ of the false ‘god,’ and then BURNS THE BODIES of the PRIESTS of this ‘god’ –upon their VERY OWN ALTARS of evil, and then God, through him,
calls this: ‘CLEANSING’ –of Judah and Jerusalem.
We should remember this, in this ‘day and age,’ for it applies even now, upon the ‘altars’ of Baal –that are still up and running today;
he’s coming to TEAR THEM DOWN AGAIN.
He told me this 3 years ago or so.
He said, ‘Janet you will tear down the ‘high places’ with me.’
I knew what he meant; he wasn’t talking about places we can travel to ‘only,’ he was speaking of ‘high places of worship–’ WITHIN HUMAN HEARTS and SOULS that are currently– worshiping ‘satan’ –in their conduct and lives.
He said, “Janet, they will need to be set-free, and it will not be ‘comfortable’ for anyone…
but it is ‘what they need.’
They need to ‘see’ there are ‘altars’ and ‘idols’ erected and active in their lives/hearts.
In these areas, I cannot access, because it’s ‘given over to’ another ‘god’–even, the self-god they make of themselves –upon their *own heart thrones.”
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He MUST TEAR THEM DOWN, for they UNDER SIEGE and yet, they CANNOT ‘see’ it–for they are ‘under’ REBELLION and have ‘seared consciences’ –as is.
He wishes for ‘none’ to perish, so he’s coming with his ‘servants’ --to do the work of ‘tearing down the high places’ --in humans.
6 “And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, Simeon, and even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks (pickaxes) roundabout.”
Why would he make mention of ‘pickaxes?’
Because he is drawing a picture of understanding; he did all that DESTROYING of their ‘high places,’ and NO ONE STOPPED HIM, for they even had their ‘tools and weapons’ still with them– after Josiah came with ‘the Vengeance of the Lord’ – upon him.
7 “And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and (he) had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned –to Jerusalem.”
Talk about dedication; he didn’t stop ‘serving the Lord’ and honoring him by ‘tearing down’ the enemy’s dominion areas AMONG ‘HIS KINGDOM’ –until the ENTIRE KINGDOM WAS CLEANSED.
We should ‘also’ take note of that aspect; God will not stop ‘cleansing,’ if there are WICKED AREAS still– WITHIN ‘his’ Kingdom: the hearts of men and women– ‘in his household/kingdom.’
8 “Now in the eighteenth year of his reign (26 yrs), when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord –his God.”
At 26 years of age, Josiah–following in his father’s footsteps, continues to purge the land from the image of his God’s enemies and their remembrance; he continues to call upon others (recruiting more laborers for the fight) to ‘repair’ the House of the Lord.
Like Nehemiah– he has a sword in one hand and building tools –in the other; the land that is ‘torn down’ must again be ‘rebuilt’ in the image of God and unto worship places for him now, that were once ‘dominion strongholds’ of the enemy, but are now ‘high places of worship’ once again for God: SHALOM– Godly ORDER RESTORED, where once chaos reigned.
9 “And when they came to Hilkiah –the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem.”
Interesting that God is making note of the ‘Levites’ here again, and when in context of ‘keeping the doors;’ Christ is ‘the door-way,’ and his ‘servants–’ THE PRIESTS– ‘keep the door–’ GUARD THE DOOR– the Lord.
They ‘keep’ his way, his person, his access– holy, respected and guarded, as they DRAW NIGH to our Lord–same as now: GATEKEEPERS of the Lord.
10 “And they put it in the hand of the workmen (the money) that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord, to REPAIR and AMEND –The House:”
11 “Even to the artificers and builders they gave it (money), to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings to floor the houses –which the kings of Judah had destroyed.”
High regard for REBUILDING; we do not TEAR DOWN for the sake of tearing down, we do it to REBUILD ‘our earth,’ both the world and our dirt-selves.
WE MUST REBUILD the torn down foundations!
12 “And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah…
The Levites: the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, the sons of the Kohathites…
‘to set it forward;’ and others of the Levites, all that had ‘skill of instruments of musick.”
It’s quite interesting to me, how many prophets are musical–singers, songwriters and players of instruments (which a person’s voice is–and instrument of worship, too); I am noticing that he is expressing that the Levities–
the priests–are also MUSICAL, as noted here.
God’s ‘heart’ –beats with the rhythm of Love–he told me–and those working from his heart–are lovers of his ‘beating music,’ like the crash of the ocean to them…
as they work ‘within’ his heart.
13 “Also they were over –the bearers of burdens, and were overseers –of all that wrought the work in any manner of service:
and, of the Levites there –were scribes, and officers, and porters.”
The Levitical Priesthood contained scribes–detailed written recorders, officers–upholders of the law/rule, and porters–gatekeepers.
So, ‘priests of the Lord’ bring DETAILED RECORDS–written record,
OFFICERS–to uphold his RULE/REIGN/LAW, and PORTERS–to ‘keep the gates’ NO ENTRY: warriors of holiness.
It is no wonder Father has been telling me that he is now ‘bringing back the priesthood–’ though ‘IN CHRIST’ now…
which means–he’s calling his holy, devoted, pure, separated unto him ‘in his way’ –children, called to this office–
OUT INTO THE WORLD AGAIN, displayed by the ‘hand of the Lord,’ himself…
to ‘lead the Lost and the Blind–’ out of THE DARKNESS and into THE LIGHT of Purity of Heart –in Christ Jesus.
Though, as with all things ‘in’ Christ, it is ‘different’ now than it was before;
now it is not merited upon the outward workings of Levitical Code, but UPON THE HEART of GOD HIMSELF…
WRITTEN UPON THEIR HEARTS– in TRUTH and PURITY of ‘the Word.’
Father, and ALL OF GOD– is PURE in HEART –so shall his people be.
14 “And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah –the priest –found a book of the law of the Lord –given by Moses.”
Incredible.
15 “And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan –the scribe…
‘I have found THE BOOK of The Law–in the house of the Lord.’
And Hilkiah delivered the book –to Shaphan.”
Incredible that he found such a book of The Law of the Lord, but also that he found it– STILL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD–
very symbolic…
in that the ‘law’ was NOT done away with (destroyed), but reverenced –
for the gleaning of God and his attributes and lessons that it has, when studying it and adhering to –God’s PRINCIPLES.
16 “And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king ‘word back’ again, saying…
‘All that was committed to thy servants, do it.’ ”
17 “And they gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.”
18 Then Shaphan –the scribe, said to the king, ‘Hilkiah– the priest, has given me a book.’
And Shaphan read it before the king.”
19 “And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent (tore) his clothes.”
20 “And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam– the son of Shaphan, and Abdon –the son of Micah, and Shaphan– the scribe (himself), and Asaiah –a servant of the king’s, saying,
21 ‘Go, enquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because ‘our fathers’ have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.’”
It is the same now–where are all the ‘holy people’ ‘doing after all that is written in– the book?’
22 “Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah –the prophetess
(female prophet mentioned)...
the wife of Shallum– son of Tikvath…
the son of Hasrah –keeper of the wardrobe;
(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spoke to her to that effect.”
The Lord’s ‘way’ never changes; if he delighted then for women to ‘be close to him’ (as that is part of the office of a prophet–intimacy with the face and heart of God himself)...
And that ‘man’ means– ‘women and men’ both, and there is ‘now neither Jew nor Greek–male nor female– IN CHRIST.’
We ought to recall that it is not ‘us’ that ORDAINS (meaning man) –IT IS OUR GOD that does.
23 “And she answered them…
‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel’...
‘Tell the man that sent you to me...
24 The Lord says’…
‘Behold (watch), I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in –the book– which they have read before the king of Judah:
25 Because 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 poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.’
A bit like today: modern day Babylon.
26 ‘And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, you shall say to him…
‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which you have heard;
27 Because your heart was tender, and you did humble yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbled yourself before me, and rent your clothes, and wept before me; I have even heard you also, says the Lord.
28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave –in peace, neither shall your eyes see the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same.’
So they brought the king ‘word’ again.”
29 “Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.”
30 “And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and (unto) all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites –and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant –that was found–
in the house of the Lord.”
This earthly king, Josiah–REVERENCED the Lord; he went to all people, both great and small, and HE READ (served) TO THEM ‘all the words of’ THE BOOK ‘of the Covenant’
(New Covenant/New Testament, now)...
That was ‘found–’ in THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
‘...but few there be, that find it.’
HE FOUND THE LORD– the Narrow ‘Way.’
And ‘the House of The Lord– is a HOUSE OF PRAYER;’ this is signifying the ‘CLOSENESS’ of ‘THE INTIMACY’ of the Lord–through HEART PURITY of RELATIONSHIP.
31 “And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes –with ALL HIS HEART, and with ALL HIS SOUL…
to perform the words of the covenant –which are written in this book.”
Josiah (the king), stands firmly, publicly, and MADE A COVENANT (bond agreement) to WALK AFTER THE LORD, which is to say–obey his WAY: KEEP HIS COMMANDS, TESTIMONIES and STATUTES– with ALL HIS HEART and SOUL…
TO ‘PERFORM the WORD’ of God–written in ‘The Book.’
This is what a ‘child of the Most High God,’ is supposed to ‘look like’– him, the Most High God–in character and deed: WHOLE HEARTED.
Jeremiah 29:13
“And you shall seek me, and find me, (is) when you shall search for me with all your heart.”
32 “And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin –to stand to it.
And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.”
Notice that with a godly king (godly reverence), ‘the PEOPLE REJOICE;’ this is why when we are
‘a people of reproach’ (living wickedly against God), THE PEOPLE MOURN, but…
when we are MINDED and HEARTED toward God and his ‘way–’ WE FLOURISH in PROVISION and BLESSING.
Proverbs 25:2
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.”
33 “And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to –the children of Israel, and (he) made all that were present in Israel to serve– to serve the Lord their God.
And in all his days –they departed not from following the Lord –
the God of their fathers.”
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This is what we NEED; THIS, is what we WANT: HOLINESS to REIGN in our lives and in our nations–VIA THE HOLY SPIRIT ‘being’ SET IN AUTHORITY.
Well, the only way that happens, is if PEOPLE PUT HIM IN AUTHORITY– in their PERSONAL LIVES– FIRST!
If we do not come back to the Lord –in Truth AND IN SPIRIT, we will not ‘INHERIT’ any blessings or provisions of the Lord–
for we are –REPROBATE-APOSTATE: HYPOCRITES EMBRACING EVIL, not fighting it.
Secretly Loving it– not LEAVING it.
He will REFORM US into an ‘image of holiness’ again, one way or another.
This king–Josiah, of the House of David–following in his fathers footsteps–RELATIONALLY IN REVERENCE and OBEDIENCE –to the Lord…
He CHANGED AN ENTIRE NATION, by his undying REVERENCE for God “AND” his LAW (rules/tenants of conduct)!
If we ‘truly’ WANT/desire to have a ‘leader/president’ that REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, we need to make sure ‘we’ are operating as ‘the people of God’ that hold REVERENCE FOR THEIR KING.
It is ‘actually’ the ONLY WAY WE GET ‘holy and true– courageous’ LEADERSHIP–
if ‘we,’ OURSELVES will CONDUCT OURSELVES with the utmost CHARACTER and REVERENCE.
We DO NOT get what we ‘WANT’…
We GET WHAT WE ‘ARE.’
This is his law of: ‘REAP and SOW.’
What we BECOME and what we DO = what we GET –
and then we FIGHT (contend for the faith) for WHAT WE HAVE– to ‘keep it.’
If we will pull ourselves together –with God, like all his bedtime parables of scripture tell us– WE WILL REFORM THIS PLACE.
We are right now in– ‘the BATTLE OF OUR FAITH-HEARTS.’
If we (as a whole nation of people) truly decide that LIVING COMPROMISED WITH THE DEVIL is UNACCEPTABLE from henceforth…
Within our VERY OWN PERSONAL LIVES…
IT HAS TO REFORM OUR NATION.
Because a ‘NATION,’ is but a ‘GATHERING of PEOPLES’ into one LAW of LIVING, in a certain geographical area.
If we become ‘a people’ poised to carry the IMPORTANCE of the HOLINESS of God, in PURITY OF HEART– the NATION WILL REFORM INTO GODLINESS.
I pray we hear the words of dear Josiah today, and we understand that it was HIS DESPERATE and UNDYING ‘need’ TO SERVE THE LORD–LOYALLY, that LED THE LAND to be ‘REFORMED’ –by the ‘hand of God’...
Through INCORPORATING THE FULLNESS of the OFFICES of God, because ‘each,’ PRIEST, KING, and PROPHETESS…
ALL CAME TOGETHER…
WITH THE LORD as the AUTHORITY LEADER and with REVERENCE…
SET THE LORD AT LIBERTY TO REIGN SUPREME AGAIN, via –his OBEDIENCE and REVERENCE as Leader of the Nation.
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“Josiah– WALKED IN *UNITY OF THE FAITH (including multiple offices of the Lord, his children), may we DO THIS THE SAME, Lord.
May we remember THE UNITY OF THE FAITH, and the REVERENCE unto HOLINESS and THE TEARING DOWN OF THE EVIL HIGH PLACES, that SET THEMSELVES AGAINST THE ‘knowledge of God.’
We WILL NOT ARRIVE WHERE WE WISH TO RESIDE…
IF WE CONTINUE TO: debate, argue, fight among, separate from other believers --out of COMPETITION, SUSPICION and FEAR.
You did not GIVE US A SPIRIT OF FEAR.
That– will not bring ‘the presence of the Lord.’
Jesus, may we come under your rule again…
May we revere God ‘and’ your way once again…
in our personal lives…
May we remember PURITY and THE PRIESTHOOD…
May we recall that all positions in YOUR KINGDOM are WITHOUT SEX, which is to say– NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE –and there is no DISUNITY.
That is how we are to be ‘here’ – on earth, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
I pray you will ONCE AGAIN, by the Leading of your Holy Spirit, STIR OUR HEARTS TO UNITE, sir…
instead of us remaining with our ‘being,’ in demonic competitions and suspicions, man-against-man.
(for that is neither in unity nor discernment)
May we remember that ‘a kingdom DIVIDED–FALLS,’ and brings not *UNITY.
‘bringing all INTO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH’
Which is to say: THE UNITY OF ‘THE FAMILY OF GOD.’”
We need the *united FAMILY OF GOD, to RISE UP in our own lives and DECIDE– ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, TODAY is ‘the day’ I STOP MAKING EXCUSES– and ‘submit to God’ and his righteousness/holiness.
If we will ‘become’ a people, a NATION OF PEOPLE, RESOLUTE WITHIN OUR BEING, that LIVE according to…
‘AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE: WE SERVE THE LORD’
THIS NATION– will be changed, and so will it’s LEADERSHIP and the TRAJECTORY of ‘our’ future.
“May you CONTINUE TO REFINE US LORD…
May you use us –as you see fit…
May you RAISE UP LEADERS UNTO YOURSELF– who will BE LIKE JOSIAH, and NOT COWER TO: hard work and the reverence of the Lord…
Unto…
–SAVING A NATION OF PEOPLE.”
WE COULD USE THAT LEADERSHIP, within ourselves with your help– AND within our Nations.
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