There have been multiple occasions over the years, along with attempts on my part, to get serious about ‘decluttering’ the house; as in getting rid of unwanted, unneeded, or unused ‘stuff’ that was collecting dust in closets and attic spaces. I kid you not...I’ve been passionately sincere in ‘wanting’ to do this... until I begin to wade in and open boxes or drawers and come across things I’ve not seen or handled in years...and immediately feel some ‘emotional’ attachment to that object...and tell my wife...’Nah...let’s keep that around for a while longer’. Anyone out there able to relate?

As we continue on in our study of King Josiah, who has had am impactful experience with God through His word, the fruit of his encounter is about to become evident. He first heard the word, and responded in repentance and brokenness. Next, he was compelled for all in his kingdom to have the word read to them as well, which he had done. Then came the renewal of a fully surrendered heart as he made a covenant with the Lord. (2 Kings 23:1-3).

And now...it’s time to ‘clean house’; and I don’t mean a light dusting and propping up a few sofa pillows either. I would also ask that you take a moment and pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to ‘open the eyes of your understanding’ (Eph. 1:17-18) as well as your heart (Acts 16:14) that you might glean any relevant and spiritual truths to be discovered here.

Josiah knew the temple, the ‘house of the Lord’ had been greatly defiled by both his father and grandfather (2 Kings 21). In other words, there were many things that had ‘found a place’ in the temple that should not have been there (2 Kings 21:3-7). So now comes the place where the ‘rubber hits the road’ and God is about to see how serious Josiah was in his commitment to follow, serve, and keep all God’s word.

He does that, you know...God will test our hearts (Deut. 8:2; 1 Thess. 2:4). And I shouldn’t have to point out this comparison to anyone who claims to be a ‘believer’, but just in case...in the OT, the Temple was seen as the dwelling place of God’; but we know today, God does not dwell in buildings built by men’s hands...for we are the temple of the Holy Spirit of God (Acts 17:24; 1 Cor. 3:17). So please remember that as Josiah begins this cleansing and removing of everything that defiled the physical temple back then...so does the Holy Spirit begin the cleansing of all that defiles the hearts of men. (Mark 7:21-23)

Friends...are you fully aware that this is what Jesus Christ came to do...to redeem a people and reconcile us back to God. He didn’t just say ‘repent’ or ‘accept Me’...and “I’ll meet you in heaven when you die!”. He commanded us to ‘follow Him’ as He begins the work of purifying our hearts of all sin and that which is in rebellion to God, His Law, and His nature. And being fully transformed was not some 'holy-add-on option' for us, either.

And guess what His ‘sheep’ do? They hear...and they follow Him (John 10:27). It is God’s kindness that leads us...to repentance (Rom. 2:4). And everyone who has this hope in Him ‘purifies himself as He is pure’ (1 John 3:3). To have a ‘pure heart’ is to be ‘perfected in love’ which is what true ‘holiness’ is. Blessed are the ‘pure in heart...for they shall see God...’ (Matt. 5:8) For ‘without holiness, no one will see the Lord!” (Heb. 12:14). Do you know ‘how’ we are ‘purified’? Peter tells us we do this by ‘obeying ...the truth through the Spirit...” (1 Pet. 1:22). Who...did Christ become the source of eternal salvation for? “Those who obey Him" (Heb. 5:9).

I have an ‘assignment’ for you here today. Grab some paper and something to write with and take your time as you comb through 2 Kings 23:4-25. What you are about to see are the actions that Josiah, which is the evidence of faith that leads to ‘true worship’...and it begins with the removal, the cleansing, the purifying of the ‘temple’ of anything and everything that is NOT... supposed to be in there.

And I don’t want you to miss this key point, but did not the early days of the Israelites going into the ‘promise land’...center around the ‘cleansing’ of the land, removing all that which God commanded needed to be driven off the land? And do you remember why that first generation of folks did not even get to go in to possess this land? They didn’t even believe it was possible to overcome those hostile people (Numbers 13-14). This is why God was ‘angry’ with that first group of people who ended up wandering for 40 years in the wilderness before dying out. Paul even admonishes us to study and review what happened to them for our admonition and warning (1 Cor. 10:4-12; Heb. 3:16-19)

So Josiah’s reforms begin with a ‘cleansing of the temple’. As you read through those verses, make note of the verbiage used to describe what and how he does this. I’ll give you a few clues up front- “bring out of the temple...ALL the articles made for Baal...and he burned them outside...” (4). “Then he removed the idolatrous priest...”(5). Depending how thorough you are, you should find close to 20 instances where you can write down what he did, or had done to all that needed to be dealt with and removed.

It's not until towards the end...that he says...”Now go have church” (i.e.- celebrate the Passover where it means something vs. 21-22). And even then, there was still more work to be done (23-24). Now please note what is said about King Josiah in vs. 25...how he ‘turned to the Lord with ALL his heart, with ALL his soul, and with ALL his might...”.

Did Jesus not tell us that is how one receives or ‘inherits eternal life’? (Luke 10:25-28; Matt. 22:36-40)

How is the 'de-cluttering' and cleansing of your temple going these days? (Col. 3:5-10; Rom. 8:13)