THE FALL OF JUDAH
Bible study by Pat Gaines

LESSON 4

Scripture text for this lesson will be taken from: 2 Kings: 22-23 and 2 Chronicles: 34-35.

In lesson 3, Hezekiah’s son, Manasseh reigned over Judah for 55 years. He was a bad king because he worshiped the idols of the nations around Judah. When Manasseh died, his 8 year old son, Josiah became king. His mother was Jedidah.

[2 Kings 22: 2] “He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.”

Here is another instance of a man being referred to as the son of David, when actually he was David’s grandson 14 generations forward. Josiah’s mother was Jedidah which means beloved of Jehovah.

[2 Kings 22: 1-7] (1)Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. (2) He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. (3) In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.(4) Under his direction the altars of the Baals were torn down; he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them, and smashed the Asherah poles and the idols. These he broke to pieces and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. (5) He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and so he purged Judah and Jerusalem. (6) In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them, (7) he tore down the altars and the Asherah poles and crushed the idols to powder and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout Israel. Then he went back to Jerusalem.

When King Josiah was 16 years old, he began to worship the Lord God. When he was 18 he went on a crusade throughout Judah and north into what was the Northern Kingdom, but in Josiah’s time belonged to Assyria, destroying, idols. He even burned the bones of the priests who worshiped these idols on the idol altars and scattered their ashes over the idol ruins. He purged the land of the idols and their worship leaders.

It had been 57 years since the death of Hezekiah. In the 55-year reign of Manasseh, the temple had been adapted for the worship of idols. The idol worshiping priests even had special rooms in the temple. Josiah had all this taken out of the temple, cleaned and repairs made so that it would be used only for the worship of Jehovah. While the repairs were being made, the High Priest, Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law which had been lost for a long time. Many Bibical scholars believe that the book found was the scroll of Deuteronomy while others believe that it was the first five books of the Bible called “The Law.” Whichever it was, it contained God’s Word giving the Ten Commandments, the religious feasts they were to keep each year, the Sabbath years, the Year of Jubilee, the laws concerning God’s judgment upon the people if they did not keep His laws.

[2 Kings 22:10-13] (10) Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. (11) When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. (12) He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: (13) “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

After hearing the book read, King Josiah knew that they were in big trouble with God. He was concerned for the nation and for his people. Josiah was a good leader and he wanted to put his people back to worshiping God. Leaders in our world today need to be concerned for the people and seek God’s help in knowing what His will is for our countries today. This applies to the pastors of our churches and the men where are supposed to be the leaders in our homes.

[2 Kings 22:14] Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Akbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.

Josiah sent his religious leaders and trusted officials to visit the prophetess, Huldah, who lived in Jerusalem to ask her to see what the Lord said that they must do to avoid God’s judgment. There are several women prophetesses and judges in the Bible.

[2 Kings 22:15-20] (15) She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, (16) ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. (17) Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’ (18) Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: (19) Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste — and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. (20) Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’” So they took her answer back to the king.

The Lord relayed through the prophetess God’s message that His judgment is coming upon Judah because of the idol worship. But because Josiah had humbled himself and had honestly sought God’s will, and would lead his people back to God, this judgment would not come in his lifetime.

[Exodus 20:3] (3) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

The message for us? Put away your idols, turn your hearts to the Lord and follow His way! God has not changed. He still will not tolerate idol worship!

Previous ↔ Next

Lesson 1 • Lesson 2 • Lesson 3 • Lesson 4 • Lesson 5 • Lesson 6 • Lesson 7