What the Church Needs: Josiah

What the Church Needs: Josiah

     There are many examples in Scripture of godly men fulfilling their call and glorifying God. They serve as models; albeit, they are imperfect ones. However, they can teach us many truths both by their positive and even their negative actions. We look to these men only in an effort to project their emulative characteristics back onto us, realizing all the time that they are mere men, and sinful men at that (except, of course, Christ Jesus). We can learn; we must learn from those who have gone before. We look at these men and examples of the past in order to reform the present. Ultimately, however, we must look to Christ. We know looking back throughout the Bible that Christ was active within his people. As we look back on them, we are actually focused on Christ and his work then to better our now. So, what do we need?

Josiah (2 Kings 22-23)

     We need a Josiah-like reformation. Another reformation? Yes. We should always be reforming. What the church needs is a reforming; we need a “getting back to the basics.” There is a great need to improve and remove abuses. How should this be done? Go to the scriptures. Return to God and his word. There is a remarkable example of reform in the Old Testament. We can learn much from Josiah and his reformation.

     Apparently, it was a dark time in the days of Josiah. Idolatry was rampant, the temple was unkempt and needed repairs, the word of God was unknown and disobeyed, men sinned willfully and remained unrepentant, the priests were false, cult prostitution abounded, and the Passover was not celebrated. Darkness was over the land, but Josiah sought to obey the Lord and purify his kingdom. He eradicated the land of the godless and false worship that prevailed. He tore down idols and altars. The pagan priests were removed and the true worship of God was re-instituted in their place.

A pattern of reformation was set by Josiah thousands of years ago. We would do well to follow it today. The word of God has lay buried for too long. It needs to be read and obeyed. Where is the godly sorrow that accompanies the reading and hearing of the word of God? How and why do we remain unrepentant and untouched? Where are the pastors who will preach and teach the whole counsel of God and not pick and choose passages to tickle the ears of the self-absorbed pew fillers?

     There are many idols today. Who will step up and tear them down? Who will cry out against these imposters that seek to dethrone our great and glorious God? Will anyone break apart the altars dedicated to sacrifice the very sheep we are called to love and serve? People need to be warned. Most are ignorant of the dangers of false religion and the idols they promote. They are sheep in need of a shepherd. These sheep are blindly following wolves in shepherd’s clothing.

Just as Josiah introduced the Passover, we need a renewed excitement and commitment to the penal, substitutionary atonement of Christ. When idols and false worship rule the day, then Christ and his work is pushed aside. We need resurgence; we need a revival of sorts. We need the Lord to rekindle the fire inside and burn in our bones. May he add fuel and fan the flames in order to ignite a passion within us; may it be a white-hot passion for Christ, his work, and true worship. Hopefully, it will burn uncontrollably and consume us, our churches, and the world.

     We ought to be constantly reforming. There is always room for improvement. It begins with leaders feeding on the word of God, digesting it, and being nourished by it. Then, they must repent, look for opportunities to reform, and feed their people. They must expose sin, warn the people, admonish them, lead them to still waters, and urge them to seek the Lord repentantly and wholeheartedly. We have not arrived yet; we are all pilgrims trying to progress. In other words, reform is necessary. Without it, we grow cold and stagnate. With it, we are warmed and animated.