The Law of Peace

(2 Kings 22:1-20)

Yearly Theme:  “Peace is…”

Series Title:  “Kingdom of Peace”

April 18^th, 2021

Something to think about:

What do you measure yourself against?  By what do you measure right and wrong?  What is the standard by which you live your life?

Today, we come to a passage of Scripture in the Old Testament book of 2 Kings chapter 22.  In this passage we explore a king by the name of Josiah who came into power and authority at the tender age of 8-years-old.  By all measures, this 8-year-old king was a good kid, which led to him being a pretty good king in spite of his age.  As he grew older, and gained more experience, he set his heart on the things of God and began having the Temple (which was in disrepair) renovated.  In the process, the scroll of the Law of Moses was found and brought to this young monarch and was read to him.  At hearing the words of the Law (more than likely for the very first time in his life), Josiah wept and mourned in bitter grief because of the contrast of the culture of Judah compared against God’s Law.  The measure by which Judah had been living was not the measure by which God desired, thus, judgment was on the horizon.  What was Josiah to do?  Where was a peaceful solution to be found?  Let’s take a closer look today…

Turn in your Bibles to:  2 Kings 22:1-20 (NLT),

Josiah becomes king at such an early age, so much so in fact that his life would be shaped by God in the monarchical leadership of the people of God.  Only one of a handful of kings to be considered “good” by religious standards, Josiah leads the people back to God in holy worship of Him alone, reestablishing the directives of the Law of Moses and pointing the nation of Judah toward the only means of peace in their hostile world:  GOD.

Key Point:  “The Law of God puts peace in perspective.”

The result of finding the scroll of the Law (Deuteronomy) put Josiah and the nation of Judah on a trajectory of peace (though only for a few decades).  Let’s take a closer look at how this happened under Josiah’s leadership:

• Josiah did what was  in the LORD’s sight, and did not turn away from doing what was  .

2 Kings 22:1-2 (NLT),  Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. ² He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right.

• When confronted with the truth of God’s Word, Josiah  and  for His and the nation’s sin and  with God on what he should do.

2 Kings 22:11-13 (NLT),  ¹¹ When the king heard what was written in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in despair. ¹² Then he gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the court secretary, and Asaiah the king’s personal adviser: ¹³ “Go to the Temple and speak to the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah. Inquire about the words written in this scroll that has been found. For the Lord’s great anger is burning against us because our ancestors have not obeyed the words in this scroll. We have not been doing everything it says we must do.”

• Because of Josiah’s  ,  heart, neither he, nor the nation of Judah would see  and  during his lifetime.

2 Kings 22:18-20 (NLT),  ¹⁸ “But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard: ¹⁹ You were sorry and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. ²⁰ So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.’ ”

Something to take home:

Again, what do you measure right and wrong by?  How do you live your life, and by whose standard do you live it?

There is only one perfect, holy standard in this world, and His name is Jesus.  And it’s because of His perfect holiness, and doing what we were unable to do to save ourselves, that he lived up to the standard we were unable to in order to save us.  As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, He became sin who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God.  Now, because of what Christ has done for us, when we believe, confess, and repent we too can stand unashamed and live a life of peace.  Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law, the embodiment of the Law, accomplished the greatest feat the world has ever known: destroying the strangle hold of sin and death in this world.  Now, we can have peace because of Him if we surrender to Him in faith.

Key Point:  “The Law of God puts peace in perspective.”