The Blessing of Returning to God
In scripture, we come across continuous examples of people falling short. They would abandon the Lord, leading to a downhill slope of wickedness. Most of the Kings that were raised up did evil in the sight of the Lord. As a result, they would face early deaths, leaving their children to step onto the throne. The word of the Lord had become lost on them.
Josiah was 8 years old when he became king. However, he walked in the ways of the Lord. He sought the Lord and began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of idols (2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 34). It came to pass in the eighteenth year of his rule that he made orders to repair the house of God.
Amidst the repairs, a priest named Hilkiah came across a profound discovery.
2 Chronicles 34:14
New King James Version
14 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses.
The king’s scribe brought the book to Josiah and read it to him.
2 Chronicles 34:19
New King James Version
19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
Josiah had a revelatory encounter with the Word of God, tearing his clothes from the way the people had grieved the Lord. He humbled himself before the Lord and possessed a repenting (committing to true change) heart before His word. Therefore, the Lord restored him.
2 Chronicles 34:26-28
New King James Version
26 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— 27 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord. 28 “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” ’ ” So they brought back word to the king.
Deuteronomy 28 listed the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience, all of which would come to pass. There are consequences for sin, as exemplified by the forefathers of Josiah. However, restoration is promised to us so long as we return to the Lord with a humble heart posture.
Deuteronomy 30:1-6
New King James Version
30 “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
If you fall short, there is no need or edification that comes from falling into condemnation and simmering in your sin. Instead, there is edification in returning to the Lord so that He may change your heart to turn away from all that separates you from Him.