Day 119

Parents and Children

Read: 2 Kings 21-23

Why do some godly people have children who are ungodly? We do not understand. All we can do is seek to be faithful in raising our children in the ways of the Lord. Hezekiah, who had been such a good man, had a son, Manasseh, who was one of the worst kings of Judah. Amon, son of Manasseh, was also evil.

But Amon’s son Josiah was a very good man, carrying out a most extensive reformation. He repaired the temple. During the process, some portion of the law of Moses was discovered. When it was read to the king, he was appalled because he realized that the evil which had been done would bring God’s punishment. The prophetess Huldah assured him, however, that because of his penitence the punishment that must come would not take place in his day. Again and again the Bible teaches that a penitent spirit can forestall the wrath of God for a season.

Josiah gathers together the people and has the book read to them, which had been found. He then does a thorough job of ridding the land of altars and other objects used for idolatrous worship. He gets rid of all objects used for fortune-telling, of which there are plenty in our land today. On the positive side, he reinstates the Passover. But when he is killed by the king of Egypt, even after all his reforms, the son who takes his place is evil.

PRAYER
Father, work in the hearts of our children that they may walk in your ways. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.