But he sent envoys to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, king of Judah? I am not coming against you this day, but against the house with which I am at war. And God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, lest he destroy you.” (2 Chronicles 35:21 ESV)
So either Josiah didn't believe king Neco about God being with him (which begs the question, did he even try to find out?) or Josiah just directly disobeyed because he wanted to keep winning and making himself a great name after all that God had already blessed him with. Both are pointing directly at pride along with a lack of seeking God. It never mentions King Josiah seeking God's counsel or even praying. He just makes up his mind to go, even disguising himself (maybe he thought if he did that he could hide his pride) to fight the king of Egypt and then he gets shot and dies. So what was all that about?
In contrast, his grandfather, King Manasseh (3 chapters earlier) had done evil during his reign. He had worshipped idols, built asherah poles to the gods of sex, he defiled Gods temple, he worshipped stars, he killed his kids as sacrifices, and pretty much every cruel and wicked act that could be done, he did. He did all that for 55 years. He started when he was 12, so that may have had something to do with it, but nonetheless, there were countless advisors and prophets that he probably chose to ignore before making himself into the monster he became. He was captured by the King of Babylon who placed bronze shackles on him and a hook in his nose and shipped him to Babylon where he desperately (and finally) realized that things were pretty terrible without God. Sin can be fun, but once crap hits the fan that's usually when you look for God. Not always, but more often than not a bad situation will help bring your heart on your knees. King Manasseh, in his distress, sought the favor of God and it says he "humbled himself GREATLY before the God of his fathers" (2 chron. 33:12). Which means all this time he did in fact know about God.
But this is the most ...cockeyed part, haha. It says:
He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. (2 Chronicles 33:13 ESV)
This guy! As in King Manasseh, if that wasn't obvious (I would be a real chump if I was referring to the Almighty God of the universe as "this guy") goes about roughly the first 60 of his life living defiantly then at the last moment cried out to God with what the bible described as "great humbleness", and God LISTENS. Amazing. God was MOVED by this man's entreaty all because he greatly humbled himself. Now that makes you really consider the true act of humbling as well as the way humility communicates to God. It's also a great way to test your own heart. If God listens then you definitely had this so called "great humbleness", if God did not listen then you probably only think you're being humble or maybe you even have a little humility, but greater humility will MOVE God when you speak to Him. Of course there are other things to consider when praying and communicating to God, but the lesson here is that great Humbleness can move God's heart.
In the end King Manasseh changed everything around after God heard his plea and restored him to Jerusalem. He no longer lived in his old ways, but lived as one who knew that The Lord was God. Then it says he rested with his fathers and was buried in his palace.
So between the two kings who was "better"?
One who lived a life of obedience with the last act of disobedience or one who lived a life of rebellion and wickedness yet humbled himself in his last days?
The point is that neither are ideal lives. The best way to live better is to begin humble, continue in humility, and remain humble til the end. This will be living in constant communication and ever increasing affection for The Lord, the Almighty God of the universe. To know that in the darkest moments God is perhaps gracing you be reminded of your need to be humbled for your sake, and that in your highest moments God is gracing you with good things to enjoy with thankfulness, not pride. After all He is God of the universe who alone can and will be praised. Whatever else you begin to praise will only collapse by nature.
J
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