2Ch 34:21-28 | KingComments | STEP | When Josiah hears the Word of God, he is immediately impressed ( ). Josiah shows the true spirit of the Reformation. He who has been touched by the Word will ask what he should do ( ). If the Word of God comes to us and we see that there are things in our lives that are not right, let us not respond as Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim, does. He cuts the Word into pieces, he tears the Word and not his clothes ( ). Josiah reacts differently. He tears his clothes. The Word works in him ( ). The Word given eight hundred years ago by Moses ( ) has lost nothing of its power. It has its full effect on Josiah. That is because Josiah bows down before it. He does not say: ‘This is out of date, it has nothing to say to us anymore.’ No, it convinces him and he knows it still has its full meaning. Josiah takes immediate action. If God’s Word comes to us and we are aware of it, it will move us to action. Josiah wants to know what the LORD wants and gives some servants the command to go and consult Him ( ). We read his motivation ( ). Josiah sees that God must judge because of the unfaithfulness of the people. That unfaithfulness is the result of not paying careful attention to God’s Word. Because judgment is spoken of, it maybe they have read from the book of Deuteronomy (cf. ). The judgments are no reason for Josiah to be down. There is a way of restoration. He knows this can be pointed out to him by the prophetess Huldah ( ). The spiritual strength lies with a woman, as in the time of the Judges with Deborah ( ). If that is the situation, it means that God’s people have deviated far from Him. Huldah lives in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, probably in an inconspicuous house, perhaps in what we call a “terraced house”. She is married to “the keeper of the wardrobe”. Garments speak of our customs, what people see of us. Doesn’t this speak of how the Word of God is to become visible in our lives, that Christ is manifested in our lives? It is God’s purpose that we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect of our lives ( ).

‏ 2 Chronicles 34:21-28

The Effect

When Josiah hears the Word of God, he is immediately impressed (2Chr 34:19). Josiah shows the true spirit of the Reformation. He who has been touched by the Word will ask what he should do (Acts 2:37). If the Word of God comes to us and we see that there are things in our lives that are not right, let us not respond as Josiah’s son, Jehoiakim, does. He cuts the Word into pieces, he tears the Word and not his clothes (Jer 36:23-24). Josiah reacts differently. He tears his clothes. The Word works in him (1Thes 2:13).

The Word given eight hundred years ago by Moses (2Chr 34:14) has lost nothing of its power. It has its full effect on Josiah. That is because Josiah bows down before it. He does not say: ‘This is out of date, it has nothing to say to us anymore.’ No, it convinces him and he knows it still has its full meaning.

Josiah takes immediate action. If God’s Word comes to us and we are aware of it, it will move us to action. Josiah wants to know what the LORD wants and gives some servants the command to go and consult Him (2Chr 34:20-21). We read his motivation (2Chr 34:21b). Josiah sees that God must judge because of the unfaithfulness of the people. That unfaithfulness is the result of not paying careful attention to God’s Word. Because judgment is spoken of, it maybe they have read from the book of Deuteronomy (cf. Deu 31:16-19 ; Deu 32:16-43).

The judgments are no reason for Josiah to be down. There is a way of restoration. He knows this can be pointed out to him by the prophetess Huldah (2Chr 34:22). The spiritual strength lies with a woman, as in the time of the Judges with Deborah (Jdg 4:4-5). If that is the situation, it means that God’s people have deviated far from Him.

Huldah lives in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, probably in an inconspicuous house, perhaps in what we call a “terraced house”. She is married to “the keeper of the wardrobe”. Garments speak of our customs, what people see of us. Doesn’t this speak of how the Word of God is to become visible in our lives, that Christ is manifested in our lives? It is God’s purpose that we adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect of our lives (Tit 2:10b).

Message From Huldah

Huldah begins her message by pointing directly to the origin of her message (2Chr 34:23). What she says are not her words, but the words of “the LORD, the God of Israel”. That can only be said by someone who really speaks the words of the LORD. Unfortunately, it often happens today that those words are uttered by people who are only seeking their own benefit (Eze 13:7).

Huldah addresses the words of the LORD to “the man who sent you to Me”. Josiah is spoken of as a ‘man’, not as a king. In the presence of the LORD there is no place for the importance of man.

In 2Chr 34:24 Huldah pronounces the words “thus says the LORD” for the second time. Now they are the introduction to what the LORD is going to do and why He is going to do it (2Chr 34:25). Although Josiah restored the temple, the people did not turn to the LORD from their hearts and with repentance for their idolatry. The people have forsaken the LORD, and therefore the judgment is unavoidable.

Then she has a personal word for Josiah (2Chr 34:26). She notes that Josiah sent his servants “to inquire of the LORD”. Such actions are greatly appreciated by the LORD, and He notes them with joy. The personal word for Josiah is introduced with the words Hulda has already spoken twice before. The LORD not only appreciates the fact that Josiah wants to inquire of Him, but He also sees the mind of his heart (2Chr 34:27; cf. 1Kgs 21:20-29). The mind of Josiah became manifest when he heard the words of the LORD. It has brought him to humble himself before God. Of this he has shown the outward sign in the tearing of his clothes and weeping before God. A heart that is tender before Him also shows that softness and humiliation. We can tear our clothes and cry without real repentance. With Josiah everything is real.

For this reason, Josiah gets a personal promise from the LORD (2Chr 34:28). The promise is that he will see nothing of all the mischief that the LORD is going to bring upon Jerusalem (cf. Isa 57:1-2; 2Chr 32:26). Before the judgments come, Josiah will be gathered to his fathers by the LORD, and will be buried in peace. We can apply this to the rapture of the church from the earth before God will let His judgments come upon the earth (Rev 3:10; 1Thes 1:9-10).

When Huldah has finished speaking, the servants report to Josiah. This brings him to act again. From this we see that Josiah accepts the words of Hulda as the words of the LORD. She has said “thus says the LORD” three times and Josiah acknowledges that.