When the ocean fog starts to lift, you can see the hazards (especially for boats). They are up close and personal.

In this passage, King Josiah made sure to get a clear view of the consequences that awaited their nation due to forsaking God’s book of the Law.

Censoring books did not need to happen in this case because God’s book was simply neglected.

In spite of the dire warning, Josiah humbled himself before God. How great to have leaders with wisdom, embracing the written word of God.

Our actions reflect obedient faith (or lack of). We may not have a high profile service to God, never fear…He sees even our humble prayers (like King Josiah).

He read it to the people, made a covenant to keep it and made the people serve the LORD. How radical is that?

Truth involves obedient action. Not my truth or your truth. I’m talking about God’s truth. #theBible #mostauthenticatedbodyancientliterature

When it’s up close and personal, avoid the hazard of neglecting God’s word by getting a clear assessment of the danger ahead. We still have free will to humble ourselves before Him and a choice to serve the LORD. -Teresa #delayed-disaster #meanspeace

2 Chronicles 34: 22-33 (ESV)

Huldah Prophesies Disaster

²² So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent^[d] went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. ²³ And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, ²⁴ Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. ²⁵ Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.²⁶ But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, ²⁷ because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. ²⁸ Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’” And they brought back word to the king.

²⁹ Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. ³⁰ And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. 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 all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. ³² Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. ³³ And Josiah took away all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the people of Israel and made all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. All his days they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.

Footnotes

1. 2 Chronicles 33:19 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts of Hozai
2. 2 Chronicles 34:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
3. 2 Chronicles 34:14 Hebrew by the hand of
4. 2 Chronicles 34:22 Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks had sent