Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God's command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.
Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, '' Take me away; I am badly wounded.'' So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs and Jerusalem mourned for him.''
Dear people, as the Spirit of God helps us, let us meditate on these Holy Scriptures, and understand how God deals with crookedness.
Many of us, in some situations turn to crooked ways and deceive those who are at peace with us. People wear a charming personality outwardly, but inwardly devise wicked schemes for their neighbors.
'' Proverbs 26 : 24-26 A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbours deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.
His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. ''
In the above Scriptures, we read that King Josiah was warned by King Neco that it is on God's command he is fighting , and that he is not coming against him. So he should stop opposing him.
King Neco seems to be at peace with King Josiah.
King Neco seems to be at peace with King Josiah.
However, Josiah doesn't listen to him, but marches against him in disguise.
He spurned the word of God, that King Neco spoke.
Josiah acted in a crooked way, and tried to deceive someone who is at peace with him.
But God enabled King Neco to overcome King Josiah and thereby the archers shot him and he is badly wounded in the battle field. He was then brought to Jerusalem where he died.
Word of God clearly says in Jeremaih 51 : 56 that our God is a God of retribution.
'' Jeremiah 51 : 56 For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full. ''
If people act in wickedness, and disguise themselves to play around with the people of God, God pays them back in full.
Though Josiah was warned by Neco, he marched against him in disguise.
Josiah acted in a crooked way, and tried to deceive someone who is at peace with him.
But God enabled King Neco to overcome King Josiah and thereby the archers shot him and he is badly wounded in the battle field. He was then brought to Jerusalem where he died.
Word of God clearly says in Jeremaih 51 : 56 that our God is a God of retribution.
'' Jeremiah 51 : 56 For the Lord is a God of retribution; he will repay in full. ''
If people act in wickedness, and disguise themselves to play around with the people of God, God pays them back in full.
Though Josiah was warned by Neco, he marched against him in disguise.
He probably felt if he is in disguise no one can make out is identity.
But Josiah could not escape the eyes of God, and the archers shot him.
Dear people of God, be careful that you watch your hearts and keep them clean from any sort of crookedness towards your neighbors.
Do not deceive yourselves thinking, if you change your attire and your outlook, wearing the disguise of a sweet persona, you can go unnoticed of your unfaithful acts.
'' Proverbs 26 : 23 Like a cloating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. ''
Many people try to take advantage of the goodness of those who are living at peace with them. And in disguise speak extremely polite, but in reality they would be digging a pit for them.
Here is what the word of God says about such people :
'' Ecclesiastes 10 : 8, 9 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.''
'' Proverbs 26 : 23 Like a cloating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. ''
Many people try to take advantage of the goodness of those who are living at peace with them. And in disguise speak extremely polite, but in reality they would be digging a pit for them.
Here is what the word of God says about such people :
'' Ecclesiastes 10 : 8, 9 Whoever digs a pit may fall into it; whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake. Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them; whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.''
''Psalm 7:4 ,5 If I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe - then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust.''
There are people who act very diplomatic in order to get their business done, by harming others, and to create hindrances to others' progress.
This happens not only at work places but also within family relationships.
These behaviours basically have their roots in feelings like jealousy, ego, envy, threat and prejudice.
Acting in disguise implies Pretention.
Dear people, if your family members or your colleagues or neighbors are living at peace with you, and you pretend to be in peace with them, but inside harbour filthiness of jealousy and envy, and set traps for them, or harm them, remember that the word of God condemns such crookedness, and our God, who is a God of retribution, will pay back in full, and the stone that we rolled on them will be rolled back on us.
We have seen what happened to King Josiah.
Though he received the word of God from Neco, and was being warned not to oppose, he did not bother, but advanced himself against him in disguise, thinking King Josiah will not make out, but he fell victim to the shots of the archers.
This hour, dear child of God, as we are meditating, if the Spirit of God is convicting you of any such crookedness your heart is harbouring for your neighbors, confess before God and cleanse yourself.
Do not ignore the convictions, or the devil will get hold of you completely, and if you still march ahead, you will be only going towards the same pit that you probably are digging for someone. In the ways you don't expect, the stone that you are rolling, will be rolled back on you.
This happens not only at work places but also within family relationships.
These behaviours basically have their roots in feelings like jealousy, ego, envy, threat and prejudice.
Acting in disguise implies Pretention.
Dear people, if your family members or your colleagues or neighbors are living at peace with you, and you pretend to be in peace with them, but inside harbour filthiness of jealousy and envy, and set traps for them, or harm them, remember that the word of God condemns such crookedness, and our God, who is a God of retribution, will pay back in full, and the stone that we rolled on them will be rolled back on us.
We have seen what happened to King Josiah.
Though he received the word of God from Neco, and was being warned not to oppose, he did not bother, but advanced himself against him in disguise, thinking King Josiah will not make out, but he fell victim to the shots of the archers.
This hour, dear child of God, as we are meditating, if the Spirit of God is convicting you of any such crookedness your heart is harbouring for your neighbors, confess before God and cleanse yourself.
Do not ignore the convictions, or the devil will get hold of you completely, and if you still march ahead, you will be only going towards the same pit that you probably are digging for someone. In the ways you don't expect, the stone that you are rolling, will be rolled back on you.
There are few people among us, who, in order present themselves clean, show their adversaries as the most sinful of all, even at times, they present a Scriptural backing to their philosophies.
Let us see what the word of God says about such of us:
'' Isaiah 5 :20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. ''
In order to justify their crookedness some of us call evil good, and good evil.
They devise harmful schemes, but present them as beneficial.
They intend destruction and plot schemes of darkness and call it light.
They repay evil for good and give back bitter for sweet.
These people are extremely good at manipulation.
Dear people of God, let us read what the word of God says if we indulge ourselves in such behaviours.
Let us see what the word of God says about such of us:
'' Isaiah 5 :20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. ''
In order to justify their crookedness some of us call evil good, and good evil.
They devise harmful schemes, but present them as beneficial.
They intend destruction and plot schemes of darkness and call it light.
They repay evil for good and give back bitter for sweet.
These people are extremely good at manipulation.
Dear people of God, let us read what the word of God says if we indulge ourselves in such behaviours.
Let us read from Isaiah 5 : 20 - 25
'' Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight .
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the Lord's anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.''
Therefore dear redeemed people of the Most Holy God, keep yourselves holy and blameless and clean in the sight of God.
Lets read what we must do, as God's people, when we see someone falling into a trap :
'' Proverbs 24 : 12 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering towards slaughter.
If you say, '' But we knew nothing about this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it ? Does not he who guards your life know it ?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done ? ''
'' Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight .
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, who acquit the guilty for a bribe, but deny justice to the innocent.
Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Therefore the Lord's anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets.''
Therefore dear redeemed people of the Most Holy God, keep yourselves holy and blameless and clean in the sight of God.
Lets read what we must do, as God's people, when we see someone falling into a trap :
'' Proverbs 24 : 12 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering towards slaughter.
If you say, '' But we knew nothing about this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it ? Does not he who guards your life know it ?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done ? ''
'' Proverbs 24 : 28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive. ''
May God grant us grace to diligently work towards keeping our hearts pure and clean from every crookedness and deceit.
God Bless You.
