The Death of King Josiah. 2 Kings 22:19-20.

Posted bySteven WalesPosted inDeath Where is Thy Sting?Tags:, , , ,

Today I read about Josiah, the boy king. He was a hero, destroying idol worship and reviving the observance of Passover.

When Josiah was 18, workers found the book of the law. It was read to the king, and he tore his clothes, realizing the nation had disobeyed God. But God was merciful:

“Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord… and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard you, therefore, I will indeed gather you to your fathers and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place.” 2 Kings 22:19-20.

Wait. What? Josiah’s going to die? That’s not fair! Usually the man repents and God has mercy. When Israel worshipped idols, Moses prayed and God was merciful. Josiah did the same and his reward is death?

Josiah accepted this news with courage, worshipped God, and continued to destroy idolatry wherever he found it. And when he was 39, he was killed in battle. Unfair?

No, it’s not unfair when you recognize that HEAVEN IS INFINITELY BETTER THAN EARTH. If we could see it, we would be in a rush to get there (death is not that bad!).

Consider God’s perspective. You will die in peace, never seeing the disaster to come. Sometimes I think about my grandparents—what would they think about America today? They would be shocked and horrified. Things you and I have gotten used to, they would rightly consider terrible evils. Our world becomes more evil daily, and death is one way God spares His children. Imagine if Washington, Madison, and Hamilton had lived to see the nation torn apart by Civil War? They would have been devastated! Death was God’s way of sparing them. It is the same for some of us: because God loves you, He may bring you to heaven to spare you the pain of seeing His wrath fall on your family or your nation.

Finally, remember that death is not really DEATH. You will never stop being alive. In fact, in Heaven you will be MORE ALIVE than you are on earth.

“He is not the God of the dead, but of the LIVING.” Matthew 22:32.

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Published by Steven Wales

Dad's Daily Devotional began as text messages to my family. I wanted my teenagers to know their father was reading the Bible. But they were at school by then. Initially, I sent them a favorite verse or an insight based on what I read each day. That grew into drafting a devotional readng which I would send them via text. I work as an attorney and an adjunct professor, and recently wrote a book called HOW TO MAKE A'S.

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