II Kings 22:19

"Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants therof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord."

Here is Josiah, who has given himself unto the Lord completely. One verse describes him, 'no king before him or after, that turned to the Lord with all his heart'. There had been much sin, much iniquity filled the land, there was much to answer for before a holy God. Josiah had heard the words from the law about the wrath of God upon the people when they forsook Him and worshipped false gods. Josiah knew that destruction was determined against the people and the land. He cared not for himself, but thrust himself unto the Lord for mercy. Look at the description the Lord offers of Josaih and may we pattern ourselves after him: heart was tender - a heart hearted man is unfeeling toward the things of importance; His only interest is of self, and the Lord God is not like that. 'His compassions they fail not', and our heart should be tender unto the things of the Lord. If you are unmoved by the present condition of this world, pray for the Lord to soften your heart. Thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord - I believe many a man may be humble, but the difference here is where it takes place; Let us bow low before the Lord. The knees that will not bend, the man that will not position himself rightly shall we the other end of mercy. Pride does swell the heart and the head of those that refuse to acknoweldge that the Lord is worthy to be praised. And His anger is to be turned away from us by humility and not arrogance or self-righteousness. What I spake against this place, and against the inahbitants - what has the Lord said concerning those that have sinned and rebelled against the word of the Lord?; He has declared that those that are on the field in battle will die with the sword; those in the city shall die of famine and pestilence; the death will be horrible, painful and extreme in affliction as loved turns on one another for their own self preservation. How horrible is the death of such that rebel against the Lord. And what has He said concerning those lost today? they shall be bound hand and foot and carried into the tortures of hell. With no hope, no light, no exits, no mercy, and no water. The Lord has pronounced judgment on all such as refuse the invitation of salvation. Oh, what a horrible plight for all the lost!ARe you still unmoved? that they should become a desolation and a curse - no blessing is to be found among them; They are sentenced even in this life for the life to come. Desolate and cursed among all the sons of men. Those that are family, friend, neighbor and stranger. They are as marked by the Lord for cursing as was Cain when he received the mark for killing Abel. They shall be left with nothing, possess nothing and attain to nothing. They are nothing in the sight of God. And oh, how dreadful for He that is Creator is also able to Uncreate. But Josiah, heard and contemplated all this folly upon the children of Judah because of their wickedness and his reaction touched the heart of God. Hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me - this cannot be worked up, faked, it is legit, for the Lord knows the heart. And what shall be said of you, who have not cried a tear, have not mourned, have not prayed and could care less? Your fate will not be much different than that of those that we have jsut read of. And what of you, who are only moved in certain occassions, as when it touches close to home? You are never moved unless a preacher tells a sorrowing story and touches your heart for a moment but you are quickly moved on to the next thing. Why is it that the people of God are not laboring daily and hourly over the lost condition of this world? How can one go to the cross of Christ and not be touched with the infirmities of mankind as He was? We have not been taught of the death of the self well enough to know. We can quote Galatians 2:20, but very little of the essence of it do we know. Let us have the mind of Christ; the sufferings of Christ; the prayers of intercessions of Christ. Let us be Christ like for this lost world and we shall respond as Josiah. Tears, brokenness, contrition and belief that God is able to show Himself merciful. I also have heard thee - the Lord does not hear all prayers, but He hears this kind of prayers; Have we touched the throne of God? Have we received the promise, that the Lord has heard us? We have not prevailed enough, long enough, deep enough and we have been content to let our prayers remain unanswered. Will this verse not stir us up to seek and find the Lord as Josiah did? Then we can see what Josiah did during his days of bringing Judah back to God. And not Judah only, but he went up and destoryed the idols of Jeroboam and cleansed the land. Let us be like Josiah to cleanse the land, cleanse the heart, cleanse our homes and cleanse the house of the Lord so that He may be exalted and honored among us. All Honor and Glory and Praise to the Lord God Almighty for His Unspeakable Gift!!