August 1st~The Key to Our Revival

2 Kings 23:1-20


2 Chronicles 34:29-33

2 Kings 23:21-28


2 Chronicles 35:1-19

Nahum 1:1-3:19

We read the second half of Josiah’s reforms in Judah. Remember he had ordered the restoration of the Temple and in the process rediscovered the books of Moses which contained the laws of God. After hearing them read, Josiah was moved to begin a nation-wide revival.

We also covered the prophecies of Nahum today, whose messages were aimed at the kingdom of Assyria and its capital at Nineveh. Remember that the prophet Jonah was sent to Nineveh, years earlier, to call the people to repentance, to which they responded and God spared the city. However, by Nahum’s time, we can clearly see that the Assyrians had reverted to their old ways. God’s patience had run out and He was now ready to judge and destroy them. “The Lord is slow to get angry, but He never lets the guilty go unpunished” (1:3).

To eliminate the kingdom of Assyria, God used the people of Babylon. With their allies, the Medes, Persians, and Scythians, the Babylonians destroyed Nineveh (612 BC) and, then, a few years later, defeated the Assyrians once and for all at the epic Battle of Carchemish. “Nineveh lies in utter ruin,” wrote Nahum, yet no one will regret your destruction... All who hear it will clap their hands for joy” (3:2, 19). Nations rise and fall, according to God’s plan and purposes. Babylon will now dominate the ancient world.

Speaking of falling nations, Judah was still in a moral decline and had angered God with its idolatry. He had sworn to destroy His own people for their sins. However, the actions of the righteous King Josiah had postponed their judgment. “Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses; and, there has never been a king like him since” (2 Kings 23:25 ).

Daily Reflection

What specifically had Josiah done to ignite a revival in Judah? He cut down, smashed, and burned the idols of the land. He removed and executed all false prophets and priests and desecrated their temples and altars. He cleansed the Temple and reinstated the Levitical leaders, then called the people to account for obeying the Mosaic laws and keeping the sacred festivals and sacrifices. So Josiah had eliminated “all the detestable idols and required everyone to worship the Lord, and throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the God of their ancestors” (2 Chronicles 34:33).

Do you remember what prompted this revival?

It was the rediscovery and reading of God’s Word. When people take seriously the words of God and make it a priority to obey them, the Lord will do a work in their hearts and minds.

Is God’s Word a priority in your life? What about in the life of your family, your church, or your nation?

What is it about the words of God that can restore a life, a marriage, a family, or a nation?

What else can you learn from Josiah, in regards to his character, his courage, or his leadership?

BiAY.org | Day 213 — 152 Days to Go