Grace and Mercy to the Repentant

2 Kings 22:1-20
    1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
    3 Now it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the scribe, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying: 4 "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people. 5 And let them deliver it into the hand of those doing the work, who are the overseers in the house of the LORD; let them give it to those who are in the house of the LORD doing the work, to repair the damages of the house— 6 to carpenters and builders and masons—and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7 However there need be no accounting made with them of the money delivered into their hand, because they deal faithfully."
    8 Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD." And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 So Shaphan the scribe went to the king, bringing the king word, saying, "Your servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of those who do the work, who oversee the house of the LORD." 10 Then Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king.
    11 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 12 Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, 13 "Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us."
    14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke with her. 15 Then she said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Tell the man who sent you to Me, 16 "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will bring calamity on this place and on its inhabitants—all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read— 17 because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore My wrath shall be aroused against this place and shall not be quenched.'"' 18 But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard— 19 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD. 20 "Surely, therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place."'" So they brought back word to the king.

Josiah ascended to the throne of Judah after his evil father Manasseh, also a child king.  He endeavored to live as his ancestor king David, doing what God said was right, and staying the straight path instead of veering left or right from doing right.  But not until he was twenty six years old did he know that he did not have the written knowledge for complete understanding, for that is when Hilkiah the high priest discovered the book of God’s Law which had been lost from the sight of the evil rulers before him.  It was found as workers began restoring the damages of the LORD’s house and brought to the king.  It is also noteworthy that the workers were so trusted with the funds for the work that there was no written accounting of the money, just trust in faithful men to complete the necessary work.  Hilkiah gave the book to a scribe to read, who then brought it to the king and began reading it.  Then Josiah heard and was greatly moved to repentance with the knowledge of his and his people’s sin in neglecting God’s word.  He inquired of the LORD through the priest because he realized how their sinful disobedient ways had earned God’s great wrath and they needed to know what to do to make it right before judgement fell on them all.  He knew upon hearing that they were required to do all that was written (Deuteronomy 29:29) by God for them to live by, but had fallen ever so short of the glory they were called to (Romans 3:23).  A prophet was sought to reveal what God wanted and required them to do, but she said plainly that the consequences were coming for their worship of other gods and rejection of Him.  The king, however, had humbled himself and was repentant, so he would be spared the impending judgment.  We find a parallel in the gospel of grace to this covenant of works, not in that failing to do righteousness earns judgment, but that first of all judgment is for those not trusting God’s work of grace in Christ for our righteousness.   Secondly, that those who reject God’s word and work in Christ (John 6:28-29, 36) are still under that judgment as John 3:18-21 plainly states.  When a man or woman finds God’s word and reads it to conviction leading to repentance, God works His grace in them to believe with a faith which works based on His work and not their own for righteousness.  This is the good news of grace and mercy to all who He calls (John 6:44, 65).