“Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.”
2 Chronicles 35:20-21
Josiah was one of the Godly kings of Israel. He became king at the age of 8 and God recorded of him, “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left”. When Josiah was 16 he began to seek the Lord. When he was 20 he began a purge of all the false gods in Israel. He wanted to cleanse the land of idols. 2 Chronicles 35:3-7
describe his wholehearted effort to totally annihilate idolatry in the land. When he was 26 he began to purify the land and God’s temple. It was during this time that Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law in the temple that had been given to Israel through Moses. Imagine that! Josiah purposed in his heart to serve the Lord without ever reading or hearing the word of God except through the verbal instruction of Godly parents and advisors. When the actual word of God was read to the king his heart was convicted and he was beside himself with grief. He realized the greatness of the sin that Israel had committed against God. He was broken over the wrath of God his nation deserved. He called the leaders and people of Israel together and had the word of God read to them. (Note he did not summarize God’s word, he let the sharp two-edged sword of God speak to the people’s hearts.) Josiah then led the people in something that had not been done for a long time in Israel – the feast of the Passover was observed once again in the land. All this was accomplished by Josiah’s 26th birthday. The joy of the Lord was restored in Israel.
What happened? 13 years passed. Josiah is now almost 40 years of age. It is recorded that “After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order”. Scripture leaves a gap. It seems the king and Israel took a step forward but then they grew no further. We read that after that, “Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates”. God allows a test – the mighty Egyptian army is on the move and Josiah knows they are a threat to Israel. We read, “Josiah marched out to meet him in battle”. When he does the Egyptian king tells him, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with
me, or he will destroy you.” God speaks to Josiah through the Egyptian king but Josiah does not believe him and goes out to fight
the battle in which he is killed – a batlle God did not call him to fight.
What can we learn? Scripture teaches us to endure. We are to keep growing in our faith of God. He does not, cannot get any greater but our knowledge of and faith and trust in Him can. Josiah did the right thing. He removed the evil but he did not fill that void with a deeper understanding of God. That is why Peter tells us, “giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge”. With all diligence, endure to know God more fully. “That I may know Him” and become like Him is our goal. That requires spiritual growth.