What can we learn from Josiah's actions about confronting sin in our lives? Setting the Scene Josiah, at just twenty-six, is sweeping through Judah after rediscovering the Book of the Law. Altars, idols, and pagan priests crumble before his zeal. The narrative zooms in: “Then Josiah sacrificed all the priests of the high places on the altars and burned human bones on them. Afterward he returned to Jerusalem.” (2 Kings 23:20) What We Learn from Josiah’s Example • Decisive removal, not gradual easing – Colossians 3:5 calls us to “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.” Josiah doesn’t negotiate with idolatry; he annihilates it. – Acts 19:19 mirrors this spirit when new believers burn their sorcery scrolls. Immediate, irreversible steps break sin’s grip. • No compromise with the source of sin – 2 Kings 23:20 targets the priests themselves—the very pipeline feeding corruption. – Jesus applies the same logic: “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out” (Matthew 5:29). Sin is dismembered at its root, not dressed up in safer clothes. • Public testimony strengthens private resolve – Josiah’s reforms are visible. Cleansed altars preach louder than words that Yahweh alone is God. – Romans 13:12 urges believers to “cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Public steps—confession, restitution, accountability—shine bright and choke secrecy. • Personal obedience flows from Scripture discovered – Josiah’s purge begins only after he hears the Law (2 Kings 22:11). Revelation triggers reformation. – James 1:22 warns, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” Exposure to God’s Word compels action, not mere sentiment. • Cleansing must be followed by renewed worship – After destroying the high-place priests, Josiah “returned to Jerusalem,” the place God chose for His name. Empty space is quickly filled—either by renewed devotion or by returning idols (Matthew 12:43-45). – Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” We replace counterfeit altars with wholehearted worship. Putting It into Practice 1. Identify high places: ask the Lord to spotlight habits, media, attitudes, or relationships competing for His throne (Psalm 139:23-24). 2. Take decisive steps: uninstall, block, toss, confess—whatever dismantles the idol. Delay hardens disobedience. 3. Attack the pipeline: if certain settings or friends continually feed temptation, withdraw. “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). 4. Replace, don’t just remove: schedule prayer, fellowship, and Scripture into the cleared space so devotion anchors the change. 5. Keep it public and accountable: share victories and struggles with trusted believers (Hebrews 10:24-25). Visibility breeds perseverance. The Bottom Line Josiah teaches that confronting sin is not cosmetic maintenance but radical demolition, fueled by Scripture, sealed in public action, and completed by renewed worship. The same Spirit who empowered Josiah now equips us to topple every rival altar and live wholly for the Lord. |
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