Removing Idle Worship

How deep is your faith in Jesus? How far are you willing to go to follow His ways in your life? Is your faith merely words you recited or is it something you seek to live out each day?

In 2 Kings 23, Josiah, after hearing the words of the God’s law, commits “to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book (verse 3, NASB).” As you continue to read this chapter, you see that this is not some idle statement. Josiah is determined to reform the entrenched idol worship that has plagued Israel and caused them to sin against God.

As the chapter progresses, Josiah diligently pursues the elimination of shrines and other things associated with idol worship. You can see how entrenched this sin was in and around Jerusalem. I count at least 14 different altars and other things associated with idol worship that Josiah destroys in this chapter. Some were even built in the court of the house of the Lord (12).

It’s a good example of following through on a commitment to follow God. Josiah demonstrates the need to eliminate entrenched sin in our life so that it does not draw us away from God. He shows us the need to get rid of things that distract us from God. He helps us to see that we need to humbly submit to God’s will for our life.

© 2022, Chris G. Thelen

Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him. – 2 Kings 23:24-25 (NASB)

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB)

Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim — for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. – Exodus 34:12-14