HOMILETICS OF 2 Kings 22:14-20
THE REVELATION OF THE DIVINE PURPOSE
I. Is clearly interpreted by a duly authorised messenger (2 Kings 22:14). Though little is known of Huldah, the prophetess, there is sufficient to indicate that she must have been a remarkably gifted woman. Her great influence in Jerusalem is shown by the fact that the high priest and the king’s most trusted ministers seek light from her. It is but rare that the prophetic function is bestowed on woman. There are only two other prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament—Miriam (Exodus 15:20), and Deborah (Judges 9:4); but neither of these seemed to touch the high spiritual elevation reached by Huldah. In the spirit of ecstacy, they sang sacred songs and excited the enthusiasm of the people after signal victories; but they did not prophesy, like Huldah, in that higher sphere of Divine authority which warranted the use of the phrase—“Thus saith the Lord.” The Divine Spirit is no respecter of person or sex in the distribution of His precious gifts. The Divine word can be interpreted only by those who are taught by the Divine spirit. As the scientist should be most competent to interpret science, so the spiritual man should be the best authority in explaining spiritual things.
II. Furnishes reasons for the exercise of Divine vengeance (2 Kings 22:15-17). God never strikes without sufficient warning and remonstrance. In this instance Huldah announces that punishment will be imposed because Judah had abandoned Jehovah, and rendered homage to other gods. This treachery was so bold, so persistent, so inveterate, that vengeance was inevitable. Still Jehovah pauses to reason, to explain, to make it clear He does not act from vindictiveness and passion; the offender provokes his own ruin. Napoleon once said, “Vengeance has no foresight;” and this is true regarding human vengeance. Not so with God; the reasons for the Divine procedure are so far revealed as to justify God, and leave man without excuse or cause of complaint.
III. Indicates the Divine willingness to show mercy to the sincerely penitent (2 Kings 22:18-20.) The tears and pleadings of Josiah touched the heart of God, and he was spared the pain of witnessing the calamities of his country. How eager is our God to show mercy; how slow to punish.
Heaven has but
Our sorrow for our sins, and then delights
To pardon erring man. Sweet mercy seems
Its darling attribute, which limits justice,
As if there were degrees in infinite:
An infinite would rather want perfection,
Than punish to extent.
Dryden.
LESSONS:—
1. The Divine purpose may be deciphered in great national changes.
2. The Divine purpose is plainly revealed in rewards and punishments.
3. The Divine wrath may be averted by timely repentance and reform.
GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES
2 Kings 22:14. The dignity of woman.
1. In being exalted to an office of great responsibility and power.
2. In being highly gifted with intellectual and spiritual insight.
3. In commanding the respect and homage of the great.
4. In being honoured and inspired to authoritatively interpret the will of God.
—The grave priest, the learned scribe, the honourable courtiers do not disdain to knock at the door of a prophetess; neither do any of them say, it were hard if we should not have as much acquaintance with God as a woman. But, in humble acknowledgment of her graces, they come to learn the will of God from her mouth. True piety is modest, and stands not upon terms of reputation in the businesses of God, but willingly honours his gifts in any subject, least of all in itself.—Bp. Hall.
2 Kings 22:16-19. The Divine wrath.
1. Is explicitly declared against all workers of iniquity (2 Kings 22:16).
2. Is unalterable in its attitude towards obstinate apostasy (2 Kings 22:17).
3. Is postponed by sincere repentance and self-humiliation (2 Kings 22:18-19).
4. Will inevitably overtake the impenitent wicked.
2 Kings 22:19. A tender heart.
1. Is keenly susceptible to good influences.
2. Is powerfully affected with the malignant nature of sin.
3. Compassionates the terrible condition of the victims of sin.
4. Finds a profound and immediate response in the tender mercy of God.
—How happy a thing it is to be a reed unto God’s judgments, rather than an oak! The meek and gentle reed stoops, and therefore stands; the oak stands stiffly out against the strongest gust, and therefore is turned up by the roots. At least, let us lament those sins we have-not avoided; and mourn for the sins of others while we hate our own.—Bp. Hall
2 Kings 22:19-20. Josiah, a pattern for the ignorant. Both the character and the fortunes of Josiah are described in these words: his character, his heart was tender and he feared God: his fortunes, an untimely death, designed as a reward for his obedience. Josiah was brought up among very wicked men, in a corrupt court, after an apostasy of more than half a century, far from God’s prophets and in the midst of idols. He had every temptation to go wrong; and had he done so, we might have made allowances, and said that he was not so bad as the other kings, for he knew no better; he had not sinned against light. Yes, he would have sinned against light—the event shows it; for if he had light enough to go right (which he had. for he did go right), it follows, that if he had gone wrong, it would have been against light. This is very important. Everyone, even the poorest and most ignorant, has knowledge enough to be religious. Education does not make a man religious; nor is it an excuse for a man’s disobedience that he has not been educated in his duty. Josiah had that which all men have, heathen as well as Christian, till they pervert or blunt it—a natural sense of right or wrong; and he did not blunt it. His heart was tender; he acknowledged a constraining force in the Divine voice within him; he heard and obeyed. Though all the world had told him otherwise, he could not believe and would not, that he might sin without offence, with impunity; that he might be sensual, or cruel, after the manner of idolaters, and nothing would come of it. And further, amid all the various worships offered to his acceptance, this same inward sense of his, strengthened by practice, unhesitatingly chose out the true one, the worship of the god of Israel. Such was the beginning of Josiah’s life. At sixteen he began to seek after the god of his fathers; at twenty he commenced his reformation with a resolute faith and true-hearted generous devotion. From the language of Scripture, it would seem, he began of himself; thus he is left a pattern to all ages of prompt obedience for conscience’ sake. At first not having the book of the law to guide him, he took such measures as natural conscience suggested; he put away idolatry generally. Thus he set out not knowing whither he went. But it is the rule of God’s providence that those who act up to their light shall be rewarded with clearer light. Accordingly, while he was thus engaged, after a few years, he found the book of the law in the course of his reformations. Josiah’s conduct on this discovery marks his character. Many men, certainly many young men, who had been so zealous as he had already shown himself for six years, would have prided themselves on what they had done, and though they began humbly, by this time would have become self-willed, self-confident, and hard-hearted. Far from it; his peculiar praise is singleness of mind, a pure conscience. His was not that stern enthusiasm which has displayed itself in some so-called reformations, fancying itself God’s peculiar choice, and despising others. Here we have the pattern of reformers, singleness of heart, gentleness of temper, in the midst of zeal, resoluteness and decision in action. All God’s saints have this union of opposite graces: Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Nehemiah, St. Paul; but in which of them all is the wonder-working power of grace shown more attractively than in Josiah? Observe his conduct when the law was read to him—“he rent his clothes.” He thought far more of what he had not done, than of what he had done. He felt how incomplete his reformation had been; and he felt how far more guilty his whole people were than he had supposed, receiving, as they had, such precise guidance in Scripture what to do, and such solemn command to do it; and he learned, moreover, the fearful punishment which was hanging over them, for in that Book of the Law were contained the threats of vengeance to be fulfilled in case of transgression. Observe in what Josiah’s chief excellence lay—“he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:2). He kept the narrow middle way. Now what is this strict virtue called? It is called faith. It is no matter whether we call it faith or conscientiousness, they are in substance one and the same. Where there is faith there is conscientiousness, where there is conscientiousness there is faith. They may be distinguished from each other in words, but they are not divided in fact. They belong to one, and but one, habit of mind—dutifulness; they show themselves in obedience, in the careful, anxious observance of God’s will, however we learn it. And this is called faith, because it implies a reliance on the mere word of the unseen God overpowering the temptations of sin. May God grant that we, like Josiah, may improve our gifts, and trade and make merchandise with them, so that when he cometh to reckon with us, we may be accepted!—Condensed from J. H. Newman.