“He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God…” II Chronicles 35:22
He was a godly king who sparked revival, purged Judah of idolatry, cleansed the land and the house of the LORD, repaired and restored the Temple, found and read the lost Book of the Law in the hearing of all the people, and reinstated the Passover. His heart was tender and humble before the LORD. He wept over the sins of the people and feared the wrath of the LORD. Throughout his reign, King Josiah was one of very few kings who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
Yet, in the 31st year of his reign, he made a costly mistake. King Neco of Egypt was marching his army up through Judah to aid the Assyrians in their fight against Babylon. King Josiah went out to fight him, and Neco told him to stand down because he had not come to fight Judah. He said, “God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God who is with me lest he destroy you.”
His words were true, but Josiah disguised himself and went to battle anyway. (II Chron. 35:21-22) We’re not told why, but we’d probably be hard-pressed to believe that God speaks through the mouth of our enemy. Yet He did. Josiah had the testimonies of Moses, Joshua, David, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah – living proof that the battles are the LORD’s, but for whatever reason, he chose to fight apart from the Lord’s leading.
It was not a happy ending. Archers shot Josiah in his chariot, and he died. A godly king was struck down fighting a battle that he was not called to fight. He had God’s written Word, he feared God, he brought revival and restoration to a backslidden nation. He reinstituted the Passover and did so much good, but his downfall was that he didn’t recognize or heed the voice of the LORD.
Are you fighting a battle you were not called to fight – engaging in arguments, settling a score, leaning on your own understanding, trying to save the day, be the savior, or just doing what you think is right without hearing from the LORD? Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) Man lives by every (spoken) word that comes from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing. He only spoke what His Father gave Him to say (John 5:19; 14:10). To His dying day, He didn’t fight battles that were not His to fight.
Mature believers are called to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves (Matt. 10:16). They have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil (Hebr. 5:14). They don’t blindly follow religious rules and principles; they abide in Christ and co-labor with Him. They test everything (I Thess. 5:21; I John 4:1). They are led by the Holy Spirit who gives wisdom and revelation (Eph. 1:17). If we’re living a surrendered life – seeking, listening, and heeding His voice – we’ll be guarded from costly mistakes in battles we were never called to fight.
“Father, forgive me for rushing into battles that You never called me to fight. I repent of pride and ignorance; of letting my flesh get the better of me. I surrender to Your will, Your way, and Your timing. You are my Lord. The battles belong to You. Lead me in Your truth. I choose to abide in You and let Your Living Word abide in me.”
Lisa Moore