Friday, December 03, 2010

The Difference in Response

2 Kings 22:18 KJV
But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

One has to wonder where Josiah got the leadership to serve the Lord at eight years old. His father was a wicked man so he did not learn it from him. But his Grandfather, though wicked most of his life, repented and served the Lord in his final years.(2 Chronicles 33:11-13) Those are the years that he may have had a chance to influence Josiah because he died when Josiah was six.

Josiah's story reads similar to Hezekiah's except he did not invite Babylon to see the kingdom. The difference is in their response to God's judgment.

When Josiah read the word of God he sent to hear what God's judgment was. Josiah heard the same thing as Hezekiah; there would be peace in his lifetime but those who followed would suffer judgment. Upon hearing that Hezekiah responded, "It is good there will be peace in my lifetime." Josiah, who heard the same judgment, set about to bring revival to his country. His desire was that others too would express a tender heart and humility toward God and would then share the same promise of blessing he knew.

I am grateful for God's mercy upon me and my family. I praise Him for His goodness to us. I now long to lead others to experience the same mercy by having the same relationship with the Lord we have.

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