Guiding Scripture: 2 Kings 23:3: “And the king stood by the pillar 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 this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.”
🔴Call to Reformation
by: Detria Moore
Every day it seems the world grows darker and darker, and we move further away from holiness. If you didn’t know otherwise, it would seem the father of this world has taken over: chaos abounds; people delight in pleasing their fleshly desires, and justice seems like a lost cause. Churches everywhere are crying out for revival. The good news is that we know we’re fighting a fixed fight. We know we will win in the end.
But in the meantime, let’s take a lesson from 2 Kings.
In 2 Kings chapters 22 and 23, we see King Josiah begin to repair the temple. While doing so, an official finds a Book of the Law, and it is read to King Josiah. Upon its hearing, the king tears his clothes and weeps because he realizes that he, and his fathers before him, had not been obeying what the Lord commanded. A prophetess confirms that the Lord’s wrath is indeed kindled against them because they’d forsaken the Lord and His ways, making offerings to other gods.
The disaster was promised.
However, God tells Josiah that he will not see this wrath and that he will die in peace because his heart was humbled and repentant upon learning of their sin. At this point, Josiah could have moved on and felt comfortable that he was now in right standing with the Lord. But he didn’t. He gathers all the people and makes a covenant to walk after the Lord and keep His commandments, testimonies, and statutes with all his heart and soul. The people join in the covenant with him. Then he embarks on a city-to-city tour destroying everything in the temple and in other places that were not of God.
King Josiah:
- Throws out idols and all things associated with idol worship.
- Decimates the prostitute dwellings in the house of the Lord.
- Destroys to dust any structure or item associated with idol worship.
- Kills the priests who made the illegitimate sacrifices. He meant business!
The temple wasn’t just undergoing a physical restoration but a spiritual one as well. He then restores the observance of Passover, which hadn’t been kept since the days of the judges. And true to His promise, Josiah dies before witnessing the destruction the Lord promised would come. Verse 25 says that, “Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.”
This story might have been set in roughly 622BC, but it resembles 2021. In a time where the world seems lost, evil, and helpless, let’s be like Josiah. As the Body of Christ, we hold the answers to societal ills. But at times we seem just as confused, broken, and are often not unified.
My prayer is that we collectively will heed the call of reformation. Let us take time to examine our lives and recommit ourselves and that’s within our control to the Lord. Help us Lord to restore biblical principles. Allow us to see where we’ve strayed and where idols have taken over. Give us strength to destroy those areas of our lives that don’t align with your Word. Give us courage to take a stand like Josiah. May we never forget the covenant we’ve made with you. And may we keep them with all our heart and all our soul.
🔴 The Bible In A Year Daily Reading Plan
Connect with Detria Moore at www.detriamoore.com
Detria Moore, J.D. is a believer, wife, mother, college professor, intercessor, community servant, writer, speaker, and volunteer of all things. Above all else, she is enamored with her Savior. Her main goal is to serve the Lord, walk in a manner worthy of her calling, and bring glory to her Savior. Detria enjoys reading and teaching the Bible, praying for others, and walking the Lynchburg trails.
