Pastor Marshall Ochs | December 15, 2024
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from 2 Kings 23-24. These chapters focus on how King Josiah's reform brought radical changes, purging idolatry, sinful practices, and corrupt worship, reflecting the transformative power of God’s Word. Despite Josiah’s efforts, Manasseh’s wickedness led to God’s judgment through foreign nations, culminating in Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem. The contrast of Josiah’s reforms and the judgment of Judah encourage us to reflect on the parallels with Jesus’ advent. The Advent of Jesus offers joy and life to those who obey and change, but sorrow and death to those who reject it, urging each person to choose how they will respond to His arrival.
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2 Kings 23
Everything changes for a nation when a new king steps onto the throne. With each reign comes a ripple—either toward compromise and sin or toward reform and righteousness. The reign of King Josiah in 2 Kings 23 stands as a defining moment of revival and restoration, one that swept through Judah with deep reform.
Josiah’s reforms were not surface-level adjustments; they were sweeping and radical. They touched every corner of life. Even the sins of Solomon’s legacy and Jeroboam’s idolatrous worship in Bethel were obliterated. Nothing was left untouched. Josiah’s actions remind us that it is thorough and relentless when God calls us to reform. It was not merely a return to ritual but a renewal of covenant. The people recommitted to the Lord, but sadly, their devotion was often rooted more in their admiration of Josiah than in their own personal understanding of guilt and responsibility before God.
As we reflect on Josiah’s reforms, we are reminded of the coming of Jesus. Advent—His arrival—is not a passive event. It is a call for radical change in our lives, just as Josiah’s reforms called for the same in Judah.
Reading God’s Word Like Josiah: Josiah was deeply humbled by God’s Word. He tore his robes in grief, realizing the vast gap between his life and the life God desired for His people. Have we allowed God’s Word to penetrate that deeply? Have we let it humble us and bring about real change?
Removing Pagan Symbols from Our Lives: Just as Josiah purified the temple, Christ calls us to purify our hearts. What “pagan symbols” have we allowed to linger—old habits, comforts, or sins that defile God’s temple, our bodies?
Melting the Golden Calves of Tradition and Comfort: Josiah destroyed the high places—symbols of convenient, half-hearted worship. Are we willing to let go of the things that make faith convenient but rob it of power?
One commentary I read this week posed a question that stopped me in my tracks:
“Are your efforts at holiness based on a desire to ‘go along’ with a well-liked leader, or are you deeply humbled by God’s Word, realizing the gap between your life and God’s expectations?”
Josiah’s reforms were born out of a heart devoted to the Lord. His obedience wasn’t a strategy to change outcomes but simply the proper response to God. This truth pierces through our modern lens: Would we obey God even if it changed nothing? If obedience didn’t bring about the outcome we longed for, would we obey?
In 2 Kings 23:21-27, we see the areas Josiah’s reform touched: worship, household idols, and even how people viewed death and eternal hope. Yet, God’s plan to destroy Jerusalem remained unchanged. The sins of Manasseh had already sealed the nation’s fate. Why, then, does Josiah’s story matter? Because Josiah shows us that obedience isn’t about results—it’s about devotion. True holiness isn’t transactional. We don’t follow God to manipulate outcomes; we follow Him because He is worthy. Our obedience to God does not guarantee our safety here on earth. This earth is not our home.
Josiah’s death marks the beginning of a rapid decline. His sons, Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim, lead Judah back into sin. How could such wickedness grow from a righteous father? Perhaps the influence of their mothers or the fragmented dynamics of a household with multiple wives played a role. Whatever the cause, it reminds us that the baton of faith is not passed down through proximity or good intentions—it requires personal repentance and surrender.
As we sit with Josiah’s story, consider these questions:
Are there areas in your life that need to be cleansed?
Have you allowed God’s Word to humble you and expose your deep need for His cleansing?
Is your obedience rooted in devotion or desired outcomes?
What clutter do you need to remove from your life to make room for God to do a new work in you?
The advent of Josiah brought sweeping reform, but the advent of Jesus brought an even deeper call. His arrival isn’t about small adjustments but total transformation. May we, like Josiah, respond with humble obedience, no matter the cost, and may our devotion reflect the depth of His love for us.
2 Kings 24
The story in 2 Kings 24 takes us from Josiah's sweeping reforms to the devastating consequences of his sons' rebellion. Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah—all descendants of the righteous Josiah—chose to abandon God's ways and led Judah away from God. Their reigns were marked by wickedness, idolatry, and betrayal of God's covenant, and the Lord brought judgment against them through Egypt, Moab, Ammon, and ultimately Babylon.
The first siege of Jerusalem by Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar is recorded with chilling detail. A descendant of David, intended to rule under God, is reduced to a mere puppet of a foreign empire. The treasures of God's temple are carried away as a stark visual symbol of the nation's spiritual emptiness. Thousands of God's chosen people are taken into captivity as slaves. Among the deported are Daniel, his three friends, and Ezekiel—men who would later become voices of hope and truth in exile.
It wasn't just political tragedy—it was spiritual devastation. The temple, once the center of God's presence and the nation's worship, was now plundered and desecrated. The people who were meant to carry God's light to the nations were now scattered, enslaved, and humiliated.
It is striking that this chapter of horror directly follows Josiah's revival and reform. Why does the author set these two narratives side by side? The same reason Jesus sets blessings and woes side by side in Luke 6.
Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God!
Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort!
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh!
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep!
Scripture consistently ties themes of joy and sorrow, obedience and rebellion, blessing and judgment. The advent of a king—whether Josiah, Nebuchadnezzar, or Christ Himself—brings both hope and reckoning. The king's arrival brings life and joy to those who humble themselves. For those who rebel, it brings sorrow and death.
Advent is no different. It's a season of celebration but also a time of reflection and repentance. Josiah's reforms remind us of the joy and peace in surrendering our lives to God, letting His Spirit change us, and putting the things of the flesh to death. But the reign of his sons and the judgment that followed remind us of the cost of disobedience and the sorrow of resisting God's call.
Advent isn't just a historical event or a seasonal tradition; it is deeply personal. Everyone will experience the advent of Christ, but how you experience it depends on your response.
Will you embrace the joy and life of humble obedience? Or will you resist, clinging to the things of the flesh and experiencing sorrow?
Reflect on the areas of your life where you are resisting God's call. Surrender those areas to Him, knowing that true peace and joy are found in obedience.