He is a Rewarder of Those Who Seek Him
Hebrews 11:6
In 2 Chronicles 34 it says: “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. He did right in the sight of YAHveh (the LORD), …and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. …He began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to go throughout the whole nation tearing down and utterly demolishing by grinding to powder every idol that kept his people from solely and wholeheartedly seeking and worshipping the Holy One of Israel. Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, after he had purged the entire land of all idols he sent three city officials to repair the house of YAHveh his God” (see 2 Chronicles 34:1-5,7-8).
This is what the almighty Holy God has called each of us to do. King Josiah is one of the few kings who did what was right in the Holy One’s eyes. It wasn’t from learning, for the book recorded by Moses, of YAHveh’s holy teachings had been lost after years of evil kings and idolatrous people. It was in Josiah’s heart to do right. The Almighty is drawing a remnant because of what is in their hearts.
Josiah was being lead by the Spirit of Truth to seek the God of his fathers. He was being wooed and he realized that the pagan and worldly idols were obstacles on his course. His heart was passionate; he wanted the God of his forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob more than anything. The word says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13) and “…He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
It is a heart issue. "So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer” (Deuteronomy 10:16). Love YAHveh with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength—then you will be able to keep His commandments. This is exactly the order Josiah exemplifies: loving God and having a tender sensitive circumcised heart to seek Him diligently.
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace…for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:6,13,14).
“Before [Josiah] there was no king like him who turned to YAHveh with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might…” (2 Kings 23:25). This equates to “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) you who do the will of My Father and obey and serve Him. Self is the biggest idol it says, “I crave, I need, I want, I must have, I ask for my good pleasure. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).
A spiritually circumcised heart, free of idols and earthly preoccupations, longs to do His Father’s will. “I delight to do Your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8). As born again new creations we will say, "I have been crucified with Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
It is time for little idols, medium idols, and giant idols (self) to be smashed in our lives. YAHveh is going to ultimately purge this land of our hearts. Josiah is foreshadowing what YAHshua (Jesus) our Redeemer is going to do to this world. Everything is going to come down, be smashed, demolished, and destroyed. He will have a purged earth of all sin and all who cause sin. Upon this cleansed foundation, He will establish His home of righteousness that only the righteous will enter. Like Josiah, His called out chosen children are compelled to search their hearts and their lives. They will out of humble repentance remove what the Holy Spirit points out as idols and they will forthrightly demolish them.
Josiah did not send other people to do this demolition work. He, himself, did it with a consuming zeal. He recognized every abominable idol as a grief to the Holy One who was wooing, calling, and directing him, and he knew each idol must come down. He did what was right. The Almighty sees a heart like that. "For the eyes of YAHveh move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His” (2 Chronicles 16:9) like Josiah’s. We have no excuse because wisdom that comes from above is always granted from our Father, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). His wisdom compels His redeemed elect to rid their lives from idols and self-centered worldly preoccupations.
Temptations, the things we entertain in our minds, and desires and inclinations of our hearts will grow and grow as weeds until they take over, until they blind and enslave us. We become unable to see YAHshua (Jesus) behind the idols. We can remember Him, talk about Him, refer to Him, give Him lip service, but there is an idol (or 2 or 3 or more), a stronghold, between our Savior and us. It is best to demolish it while it is still small before it grows so big that it becomes encompassing. Praise be to our Helper, the powerful Holy Spirit that is mighty to the tearing down of every stronghold and vain imagination and idols that rise up against us knowing our beloved Father and Savior intimately (see 2 Corinthians 10:5). This personal relationship between YAHveh (God) and us will bring ultimate reward and fulfillment, one that our souls were designed to seek and receive. He alone is our exceedingly great reward (see Genesis 15:1)!
Prayer: YAHshua (Jesus) teach me to walk in Your ways. Your word says, “How can two walk together unless they are in agreement with one another?” (see Amos 3:3). I want to be with You. “A day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside” (Psalm 84:10), so if I long for anything more important than that, I know that something is wrong in my relationship with You, and I need correction. Mighty are You, at the close of this age, to give discernment and wisdom to all who desire to walk in the light of Your full counsel of truth. I pray You will correct the crooked and idolatrous places in me, so that the simplicity and profundity of worshipping and adoring You will be the greatest fulfillment and desire of my heart. Thank You for the power of Your blood that cleanses me of my confessed sins and clothes me in priestly righteous garments. In YAHshua’s (Jesus’s) name and unfailing love. HalleluYAH!