Kings on Fire

8 min read

19 “ ‘Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’ ” So they took her answer back to the king.
— 2 Kings 22:19-20

After Hezekiah died, Judah suffered fifty-seven years of terrible leadership—really, terrible followership. Manasseh and his son Amon did not follow the ways of the LORD, but rather followed the ways of the Canaanites. Manasseh was the tipping point of Judah’s destruction.

In light of the unfaithfulness of His people, God was waiting and waiting for their repentance. But there came a tipping point where the destruction that was to come could not be avoided.

Knowing this, how would Josiah respond? In a way, the revelation he received was similar to the revelation that Hezekiah received from Isaiah. And Hezekiah responded by thinking, “At least, I’ll die in peace.”

Two aspects of Josiah’s story stick out to me. First is that they consulted Huldah, a prophetess. Recently, there have been a lot of tense discussions about women leaders in the church. Is it OK for women to be ordained as pastors? Is it OK for women ministers to even be called pastors?

Strictly speaking, it’s clearly OK for women to be ministers of God’s word and to be allowed to teach men. But the issue is a little more complicated than meets the eye. In the Bible, whenever we find women stepping up to be ministers of God’s word and teaching men, it is usually because God’s people are in a spiritually unhealthy state. Part of the message that the Bible is communicating is that God’s people were not strong enough to raise up ministers of God’s word among the men. And in those situations, God would raise up women to fill that role.

So it is OK for women to be ministers of God’s word. But God’s intent all along was for men to fill that role of spiritual leadership (really spiritual followership) in the home and in the community.

I look at our situation today and find that, more and more, men are not stepping up to take on that role. Then, of course, women are going to step up and fill that role. Who are we to object to God’s ministry of His word simply because God chooses to use women for that role when the men won’t step up?

But also, more men need to step up to be pastors and ministers. The reason that they don’t is because the whole Christian society (both men and women) have strayed so far away from God by worshiping the idols of this world.

I will say this (and I say this with the greatest respect and honor for women in the fear of the LORD), if more women would encourage their husbands and sons to be ministers of God’s word, they would be. In a very real and important way, that is one of the purposes that God has ordained women for.

Of course, this is not to point the finger at the women. Men can’t blame women for being weak in faith. Men need to step up. Women ought to encourage them.

The second aspect of Josiah’s story that sticks out has to do with Josiah’s age when all of this happened. He was eighteen years old. Hezekiah was old when he received the revelation of Judah’s destruction.

Young people feel the urgency of God’s holiness in a way that older people don’t. That is another reason that the church SHOULD always belong to the next generation—to keep the church fiery in its holiness.

Of course, most younger people lack experience and maturity, and they actually seek guidance. But that guidance must be born of relationship.

Older church folk need to let the fire of young people burn bright. But we are also there to provide stability and structure (a fire pit for the fire), and also to model the importance and primacy of healthy relationships (loving the EGRs and forgiving one another and putting community needs on equal par with personal needs).

Whenever I see a church where an old person (say 40+) is leading worship week in and week out, I know that church is dying. Of course there are exceptions. But mature and wise followers of Christ will always let the fire of young saints burn bright to fuel the spiritual energy of a church.

Father, I thank You for all the young people who have been coming out recently. Thank you for the affirmation of the message I share that the church always belongs to the next generation. Help me and the rest of us old folks to provide humble guidance through love and witness. In Jesus’s name. Amen.