Not Enough – 2 Kings 23:21-37

“A hundred years ago it’s thought that around a fifth of the population of the Middle East was Christian, although it’s hard to be certain. These days the figure is probably closer to 5%.” That’s the 2012 report from BBC News and with the advent of ISIS life for many middle eastern believers became even more perilous and many of those who were able have fled. Iraq and Somalia, among others, have suffered the loss of Christian people on a grand scale. Sometimes believers just aren’t enough to stop the degradation of a nation into destruction, as Judah, in the time of Josiah, gives witness.

And the king commanded all the people, “Keep the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the LORD in Jerusalem.

Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.

Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. And the LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”

Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him, and Pharaoh Neco killed him at Megiddo, as soon as he saw him. And his servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s place.

Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. And Pharaoh Neco put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. And Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land to give the money according to the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. (2 Kings 23:21-37, ESV)

Can things get so bad in a community that not even a righteous person can “save” it? We’re told that before Josiah there was no king like him who served Yahweh with all his heart in accord with Moses’ law. He is more righteous than David or Hezekiah. And yet it is not enough to assuage Yahweh’s wrath against His people for the idolatries perpetrated by Manasseh and all the other idolatrous kings of Judah. It is reminiscent of Abraham’s plea to Yahweh not to destroy Sodom if there were 10 righteous people in it. There is not enough righteousness in Judah to spare her, as the subsequent rulers after Josiah demonstrate.

God knew that idolatry was deeply embedded in His people. Even a great king like Josiah could not root it out. But exile could and that is where things are headed. Josiah is killed in a battle with Egypt in which he is seeking to protect newly acquired Meggido (it belonged to Israel before) and help Babylon in its fight against Assyria and Egypt. The super powers are wrestling. Assyria would have wanted to conquer Egypt but had to become Egypt’s ally in order to suppress upstart Babylon. Babylon will win the day and Egypt will settle for being unconquered in its own territory. Judah will suffer defeat and exile at the hands of Babylon. Judah should have trusted in Yahweh, not the super powers, but her faith in God was tainted with idolatry.

We may be in a situation in which our righteousness is not enough to forestall the influence of unrighteousness. When we live our lives before God it acts as a limitation on evil. People are restrained by the righteous from being as unrighteous as they could be. Government is also meant by God to act in this restraining capacity. But at times a community or a nation becomes too wicked to escape the judgment of God. Did God’s people fail to reach those around them? Perhaps. Josiah did everything he could possibly do, but he was too alone in his efforts. Dark days may await believers.