2 Kings 23:31-33 – Dealing with our sinful propensity

In 2 Kings 23:29, we were told how Josiah died. He was shot by an archer while he tried to confront Pharoah Neco who was on the way to Carchemish to deal with the king of Assyria. So he was brought from Megiddo to Jerusalem by his servants where he died and was buried there. According to 2 Kings 23:31-33 his son, Jehoahaz succeeded him on the throne. Second Chronicles 36:1 tells us that it was the people of Judah who had  made him king in the place of Josiah his father.

Jehoahaz was 23 years old when he was made king and ruled in Jerusalem only for three months. Those months allowed Neco of Egypt to finish what he went to Carchemish to do. When he returned from dealing with the king of Assyria, he deposed Jehoahaz and even imposed a fine on Judah. He made them pay one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold. He also made his brother Eliakim King over Judah and Jerusalem and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Then they took Jehoahaz and imprisoned him in Riblah in the land of Hamath. We are told in 2 Chronicles 36:4 that Jehoahaz was brought to Egypt. Jehoahaz was not a good king. we don’t have to guess why it was so short. The clue is given in 2 Kings 23:32. It says that he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.  The main sin of his fathers was idolatry. We would not be wrong to say that he became idolatrous.

Sin is inherent in man’s fallen nature. No one is immune to its influence or its corruption. Both the best and the worst of us have fallen prey to it. Besides, it is always seeking an opportunity to reassert itself. But we are grateful that God did not leave us to find a solution to it by ourselves. He has provided His Son. Jesus Christ as a remedy to our sinful nature. Hence it is so good to know who we are in Christ. Second Corinthians says that we, believers are God’s new creation. The old has passed away and we are given a new start in life. In Christ and through the Holy Spirit resides in each of us, we are divinely enabled to deal with our old nature.  Always keep short accounts with God.  Pause periodically and often to take a reality check and align. Don’t be done in by blind spots. Love God with your whole being. Seek to be sensitive to Christ in our every waking moment. Learn to identify and discern the voice of the Spirit of God.  Be Word-centred, read it, study it, meditate and memorize it, obey and act on it, and we will grow in by it.