A Stand on Faith

 

    We all have to make stands in our lives.  It can be for your political beliefs, injustice, money, work, faith, or anything that drives you.  The thing we have to think about is that we have to choose our battles.  Faith is something we should always stand up for, but religion may not be.  Religion has too much of the human influence.  Faith is based off your personal relationship with God and believing in all He said and did.

    After King Josiah heard God's Word read to him for the first time in his life, it had a huge impact on him.  He had faith from hearing about God all his life and believing, but hearing God's words hits a deep emotional part of his soul.  He knew things had to change, so he gathered his nation for everyone to hear God's Word for the first time in their lives.

    Josiah took a very public stand in his faith and chose to lead through example.  He renewed the Covenant with God in front of the entire nation.  Then he strategically enforced change throughout his kingdom.  Since the people had heard God's word for themselves, they understood and did not fight too much.  Josiah was so impassioned that he burned the tombs of all the leaders that had led the people  away from God to cleanse the very land of their evil.

    Josiah was completely devoted to his relationship with God.  That led to the conviction to to kill all the pagan priest.  Once he was done cleaning house he returned to Jerusalem.  He made sure he finished before the first passover celebration in decades.  No other king had turned to God like Josiah other than David.  

    Some time later, Pharaoh Neco of Egypt killed Josiah in a battle in Mediggo.  His son Jehoahaz became king, but he only reigned three months.  He was 23.  In that three months he reverted back to evil ways.  He was replaced by Eliakim whom Pharaoh Neco appointed.  Neco changed his name to Jehoiakim.  He was only 25.  He reigned 11 years doing evil under the influence of Neco who controlled him.

2 Kings 23