Oh Well vs. I Must Act

   Hezekiah and Josiah were both considered the best kings of Judah during the Divided Kingdom period of Israel’s history (2 Kings 18.5, 23.25). They both were favorably compared to David, the godly founder of their dynasty. They both enacted radical reforms: restoring ancient worship practices that had long been neglected, smashing the idols and altars of false gods, and restoring and cleansing the temple complex. Despite the similarities they shared in devotion to the Lord, 2 Kings reveals drastic differences in their attitudes about the future of their country.

In 2 Kings 20, we read that Hezekiah became mortally ill and was told by the Lord to set his house in order to prepare for his impending death. After Hezekiah wept and prayed, however, the Lord granted him an extra fifteen years of life. Envoys from the nation of Babylon came to see the king with letters and a present because word of Hezekiah’s sickness had spread far beyond Judah’s borders. In a moment of prideful weakness, Hezekiah showed the envoys all of his wealth and treasure. When Isaiah the prophet confronted Hezekiah, he told the king that one day the Babylonians would come and empty Judah of its resources and people. We’re told Hezekiah’s surprising response in 2 Kings 20.19 when he said “‘The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?’” In other words, “Oh well! It’s not my problem.”

Contrast this to Josiah’s reaction to a message of coming catastrophe. Upon hearing the words of the lost book of the law, Josiah ripped his clothing, wept, and inquired of the Lord. God told him through a prophetess that Judah’s days were numbered. However, because Josiah’s heart was tender, he would experience peace in his lifetime and not see the approaching disaster. Instead of resting contentedly in his guaranteed safety, Josiah threw his nation into a time of frenzied spiritual restoration. He gathered the leaders of Judah and its people, renewed a covenant with the Lord at the temple, and began to do all he could to turn the hearts of his people back to their God. Not only did he cleanse Judah of idolatry, he also went north beyond the borders of his kingdom to cleanse the cities of Samaria as well! Instead of an “Oh well” response, he reacted to the future with an attitude of “I must act!”

Which king of Judah do you most resemble in your personal life? Are you mainly concerned with immediate peace, or do you take a keen interest in what will happen in future generations after you are gone? What kinds of spiritual foundations are you laying in your family and your local church? Are you content to simply sit back in the knowledge that you are walking with the Lord, or are you proactively helping others around you remove their idols? Are you Hezekiah or Josiah?                              Nathan