2 Kings, 23
36. Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zebidha, daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
36. Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zebidha, daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.
Chapter 23 of 2 kings reports King Josiah's actions to purify Judah from the worship of idols and restore worship of the God of Israel. To find five verses related to the topics covered in this chapter, scoured the whole Bible and selected:
Deuteronomy 6:5: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy strength." This verse emphasizes the most important commandment of the law of Moses, which is to love God with all the heart, soul and strength. Josiah demonstrated this love by seeking to please God and restore the right worship in Judah.
2 Chronicles 34:33: "Then Josiah pushed all the abominables of the children of Israel and made them serve the Lord, his God; during all the days of his life, they did not deviate from following the Lord, God of his parents." This verse highlights Josiah's faithfulness to follow the Lord and the success of his religious reforms to lead the people of Judah back to true worship.
Jeremiah 3:10: "However, Judah, his traitorous sister, did not fear; he went and prostituted himself as well." This verse is a rebuke from God to Judah for his infidelity and idolatry, which indicates how deep the spiritual corruption of the people of Judah was before the reforms of Josiah.
Hosea 10:2: "Now they will continue to sin and make it a cast metal object, idols according to their own intelligence, all of them work of crafts. This verse describes the human tendency to worship idols and the need to be constantly remembered God's commandment to adore him only.
Nehemiah 8:1: "Then all the people gathered as one man in the square, before the gateway, and asked Ezra, the scribe, who brought the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded Israel . " This verse illustrates the importance of God's Word in the lives of the people of Israel and the need to hear and obey it. Josiah did the same in reading the law to the people of Judah and renew his covenant with God.
“Onde há mais sacrifício, há mais generosidade.” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
