Interview with Old Testament Figures – King Josiah: Apart from the Messiah, there are only three people in history whose births were foretold by God Himself. These are John the Baptist, King Cyrus and our guest for today, King Josiah. Imagine having the King of the Universe announce your birth many years before your arrival on earth! That is the epitome of uniqueness.
Shepherd Heart: Thank you for honouring our invitation King Josiah.
King Josiah: I am delighted to be here.
Shepherd Heart: Kindly share your background with our readers.
King Josiah: I was the 16th king of Judah from 640 to 609 B.C. My father, Amon, succeeded my grandfather, Manasseh. Both were very antagonistic towards the God of Israel, as stated in the Holy Bible. I actually started my reign while I was just 8 years old, but God sustained me and helped me to do what was right in His eyes.
Shepherd Heart: Sometimes, people blame their fate on nurture. Your father and grandfather were idol worshippers. What made you reject their ways?
King Josiah: What I did was not strange at all. Abraham had an idolatrous lineage, yet he chose to worship Almighty God. I think we should ascribe all the glory to God, for He indeed was my stronghold and bulwark against all the wiles of the enemy. Being raised in an idolatrous household exposed me to all the pollutions associated with the false worship. Almost everything we ate was first polluted with incantations made to Baal and other idols worshipped by my father.
Shepherd Heart: When did you first realise that your father was pursuing a destructive path? Was there anything that triggered your interest in Almighty God?
King Josiah: That is a great question. If you read Psalm 19 written by my great-grandfather David with understanding, it would become clear to you that God is greater than His creation. If that is true, why should I bow to a man-made statue that is void of life? Of course, the demons who attach themselves to these statutes do manifest themselves in some form or shape occasionally. I watched all these play out as a child and vowed not to join in the charade.
Shepherd Heart: Did your mother play any role in this transformation?
King Josiah: Definitely! My mother was a godly woman and a disciplinarian to the core. I learned much about the God of Israel from her.
Shepherd Heart: Your reforms were astounding, and clear evidence that a visionary leader can pull his people back from the brink of destruction. Who were your role models as you grew up in the palace?
King Josiah: I was an avid student of history. I am sure that this would surprise you because your generation believes that you have a corner on education. We actually had a college in Jerusalem run by Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah. I took advantage of the facility to research about the exploits of my great-grandfather David. He was and still is my favourite king of Israel and role model.
Shepherd Heart: From your vantage point in heaven, you must have heard about the challenges the church of Christ is experiencing right now, especially the proliferation of unscriptural doctrines that have caused many believers to lose their confidence in the word of God. As a foremost reformer, what do you think genuine believers can do to turn the tide against satan and his agents?
King Josiah: Reforms are not an end in themselves. Christian leaders have initiated reforms over time, but the results were not sustainable. One of the pitfalls of previous revivals in Christendom was the emphasis on personalities, instead of God Himself. Almighty God does not brook anyone taking His place in the hearts of men. When a reform promotes the achievements of individuals, they sooner or later yield to pride and become idols attracting worship from their followers.
That is why most Christian reforms or revivals fizzle out and end in a disappointing way most of the time. When the Holy Spirit starts a work at a particular location, He expects believers to yield to His authority and leading. Most often than not, church leaders establish structures and institutions around an outpouring of the Spirit, grieving and quenching Him in the process.
Shepherd Heart: So, what exactly should the church do?
King Josiah: The solution is simple. Allow the Holy Spirit, the administrator of the church on earth to do His work. There can only be one captain in a boat! Right now, the church has too many captains, especially those who abrogate to themselves authority that is not from heaven. The Holy Spirit is the only Personality satan dreads here on earth.
That is why he has done everything to discourage many believers from receiving Him into their lives, or accepting His operations in the church. The enemy works through compromised Christians such as the Cessationists to undermine the work of the Holy Spirit. They are at the fore of the falsehood that operations of the Holy Spirit ceased with the early church.
It takes a special kind of stupidity for people to believe that degrees in theology can take the place of anointing. God is Spirit as the Messiah affirmed in John 4:24. Concisely, this means that He operates only on the supernatural realm. How can theology, a mere mental gymnastics compete at the spirit realm? Hope is not lost though, as Christ is working behind the scene to pull out His disciples from the apostate church, and will fill them with the Holy Spirit for the last great harvest before He (Jesus) comes to take His church to heaven.
Shepherd Heart: It is heart-warming to know that the Lord is working on our behalf and will fulfil His promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church. Thank you very much dear King. You have blessed us tremendously with your wise counsel.
King Josiah: The pleasure is mine.