2Ch 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

Also note that he began the purge in the 12th year. The number twelve in general is regarded as suggestive of Divine administration. He began to purge or cleanse Judah (“praised”) and Jerusalem (“teaching of peace”) from the high places, which were places of worship on hillsides.

The groves are representative of Ashera(h) = “groves (for idol worship)”

1) a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images:
a) the goddess, goddesses
b) her images
c) sacred trees or poles set up near an altar

Basically it represented pictures, embodiments or dwelling-places (temple, ark, pillar, priests) of deities worshipped.

These images of fertility and reproduction were naturally connected in Canaan with the worship of the Baals or “lords” of each locality, upon whose favor as possessor of the land fertility depended. They were also naturally associated with the cult of Astarte, the female counterpart of all the Baals (see ASTARTE).

In the Old Testament the Baalim and Asherim are almost invariably classed together, although the latter were wooden posts dedicated to a particular goddess, while “Baal” was merely a title which could be given to any male Semitic deity, and sometimes even to his female associate.

The matstsebhoth were set up in a “high place” (which see), attracting reverence because of its “elevation, isolation and mystery” (Vincent). Originally these pillars were not considered as idols, but were naturally erected to Yahweh (Ge 28:18; 31:45; 35:14; Ex 24:4), and even Isaiah (19:19) and Hosea (3:4) approve them, though pillars dedicated to idols must of course be destroyed (Ex 23:24; 34:13; Jer 43:13; Eze 26:11).

Only in late times or by very far-sighted law-givers were the matstsebhoth erected to Yahweh condemned; but after the centralization of the Yahweh-worship in Jerusalem, these pillars were condemned, even when set up in the name of Yahweh, and the older places of worship with their indiscriminate rituals and necessary heathen affiliations were also wisely discarded (Le 26:1; De 16:22; see also GOLDEN CALF Jer 7:18; 44:17,19; but see).

(2) ‘Asherah (“grove”): Perhaps a goddess (see ASHERAH), but as ordinarily used in the Old Testament, a sacred tree or stump of a tree planted in the earth (De 16:21) or a pole made of wood and set up near the altar (Jud 6:26; 1Ki 16:33; Isa 17:8).

It has been supposed that these were primarily symbols of a goddess Asherah or Ashtoreth (Kuenen, Baethgen), and they were certainly in primitive thought connected with the tree cult and the sacred groves so universally honored by the Semites (see especially W.R. Smith, Religion of the Semites, 169, 437; Stade, Geschichte, 160 ff; Fraser, Golden Bough, II, 56-117; John O’Neill, Night of the Gods, II, 57); but the tree of life is closely connected in texts and pictures with the human organ of generation, and there can be no doubt that there is a phallic meaning connected with this sacred stake or pole, as with the matstsebhoth described above. See references in HDB under “Asherah,” and compare Transactions of the Victoria Institute, XXXIX, 234; Winckler, Keilinschriftliches Textbuch zum AT. As these wooden posts from earliest times represented the ideas of fertility and were connected with the mystery of life, they naturally became the signs and symbols in many lands of the local gods and goddesses of fertility.

Astarte was by far the most popular deity of ancient Palestine. See ASHTORETH. The figures of Astarte from the 12th to the 9th century BC, as found at Gezer, have large hips, disclosing an exaggerated idea of fecundity. In close connection with the Astarte sanctuaries in Palestine were found numberless bodies of little children, none over a week old, undoubtedly representing the sacrifice of the firstborn by these Canaanites (R.A.S. Macalister, Excavation of Gezer, 3 vols). These Asherim were erected at the most sacred Hebrew sanctuaries, at Samaria (2Ki 13:6), Bethel (2Ki 23:15), and even in the Temple of Jerusalem (2Ki 23:6).

The crowning act of King Josiah’s reformation was to break down these images (2Ki 23:14). As the astrological symbol of Baal was the sun, Astarte is often thought of as the moon-goddess, but her symbol was really Venus. She was, however, sometimes called “Queen of Heaven” (Jer 7:18; 44:17,19; but see Zeitschrift fur alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, VI, 123-30).  Further info on Asherah can also be found in this study I did previously, which starts at that link and continues with info on Asherah in 7 parts.

I came across this section of Chronicles, chapters 34-35 about King Josiah a few days ago, and it caught my attention. So I’m doing a short study on it.

2Ch 34:1  Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

Josiah = “whom Jehovah heals”

He was the son of Amon by Jedidah who succeeded his father to the throne of Judah and reigned for 31 years; his reign is noteworthy for the great revivals back to the worship of Jehovah which he led.

Amon: builder
He was assassinated (2Ki 21:18-26: 2 Chr. 33:20-25) by his own servants, who conspired against him.

Jedidah: well beloved; amiable

2Ki 22:1  Josiah [was] eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

His mother was the daughter of Adaiah = “Jehovah has adorned Himself”
of Bozkath or Boscath = “rocky height”

I thought King Tut was alleged to be the youngest king ever at nine years old, but this one was eight.

2Ch 34:2  And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined [neither] to the right hand, nor to the left.

It’s amazing…”And a little child shall lead them…” It always blows me away to see a young child that is so on track with God. I’m not talking about the ones who do the hype and put on the charismatic show. I’m talking about the ones who it is truly real for, those that study the word and know it.

Ecc 12:1  Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

My younger brother was very much like that when he was young. We thought for sure he was going to become a pastor, because he took his bible everywhere, and although he didn’t preach it, he read it constantly with no encouragement from my parents. He was just into it. I think he was about 8 or 9 at the time.

Note that he bypassed his father Amon, who apparently was a builder of a lot of mess…things not worth investing in. Instead he followed and walked in the ways of David, and so he found favor in God’s sight. At that age, he discerned the differences between what David did and what Amon did, and he chose David.

2Ch 34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

My bible study group recently finished a study on the stress of change. In the course of this study, I was called a pessimist for reasons I’m not clear on. Personally, I think it was because I disagreed with certain things being expressed. Why does my disagreeing make me a pessimist?

So naturally, I had to look this word up just to make sure I fully understood the meaning. This is what I found:

“A person who habitually sees or anticipates the worst or is disposed to be gloomy.”

I’m gloomy? I anticipate the worst?!? Really? I find that hard to believe, but correct me if I’m wrong, please.

What was I disagreeing about? The spirit of control in the church, particularly regarding women, which I already discussed here. But we only briefly touched on that subject, and I said that this was something I disagreed with at my own church. It all comes back to one issue, but I’ll get to that in a sec.

Then, when we started the study, the first point of reference was Abraham; specifically, chapter 12 of Genesis. Well, I’ve studied that chapter in depth for several years, and know it pretty well. Not that I’m the end all, or total source of knowledge on the subject, but I am pretty familiar with that particular chapter, which I discussed here.

So the question was asked, “How would you respond if God told you to leave your country?” My answer was, When do we leave? But of course, my mind was on living in a place I’d prefer to live in. I wasn’t thinking outside of that.

The person who later said I was a pessimist (a male btw) was in complete disagreement about leaving the country, and said his response would be more resistance towards the idea of leaving.

Later, the other question, which was supposed to get us thinking of a God given opportunity, was worded like this:

“Your company has told you that they have an incredible new opportunity for you in another city. They won’t tell you where it is, and you must put your house up for sale and load up the moving van before you receive an envelope with directions to your new home. How would you respond to their offer?”

I immediately said, “No way.” Then my accuser said incredulously, “You wouldn’t jump at that opportunity?!?”

I said, “No, I wouldn’t, because the company is not God.”

Well, it became somewhat of a debate (not an argument, mind you) yet, I was told I’m just a pessimist, because I didn’t agree, even when the alleged purpose of the question was explained, and even after being told, “Let’s just go with what the question asks.”

I replied, “According to the question, I’d be trusting in man, with no information to go on. I’d be uprooting my entire life based on a promise from man. At the very least, I’d have to pray about it and get confirmation from God that this is in His plans for me, otherwise, I would not go!”

I know of several people who jumped up and uprooted their lives for a “golden opportunity” promised by their company, only to get there and find out that the situation changed while they were in route, and the wonderful opportunity no longer existed. All that glitters isn’t necessarily gold.

I had made this point already in the discussion, prior to the above statement, and this was the point in which I was called a pessimist. But I don’t think I’m a pessimist for this. I think I’m cautious.

I’m not quick to believe everything man tells me, even those men who lead the church. I always want to check the word for proof if I don’t know for a certainty that a doctrine  they promote or a statement they make is supported by scripture.

For instance; in the notes of this study, it said the following:

“The Lord calls Abram to take a step of incredible faith, and through the obedience of one man, God unfolds His marvelous redemption of all mankind.”

What’s my problem with this statement? My problem is, its not a true statement. This statement is one of those typical church pushed ideologies that is self serving for the purpose of control. How?

Its in this: “…and through the obedience of one man…”

Problem is, Abram was not obedient. Check out my study if you want to know what I’m talking about. He was not obedient. But the idea of obedience is pushed so hard in the churches to control people, because the concept of faith and grace is not fully grasped nor taught.

There is no need to push obedience when faith and grace will naturally be a catalyst to obedience. We aren’t obedient when we falter in faith and because of that we fail to walk in grace which would birth obedience.

Believe me, I’m as guilty of this as the next man, but the truth is the truth. Why do you think I know this chapter in Genesis so very well? Because I was Abram.

I walked in the same sort of foolish path. I missed God in very similar ways for a long time, and He kept bringing me back to Abram until I got it, and even still; every once in a while, I have a setback in this area, and God has to gently remind me.

In the course of this study with the group, I actually discovered a verse that I didn’t find at the point my study on Abram, but which relates. Its Acts 7:2, which only confirmed the fact that God “had” told Abram to leave (past tense), which means he was not obedient immediately, and if you check that chapter and/or my study, you’ll see that God did not tell Abram to take the family. So he was not obedient.

Note that Abram’s name didn’t change right away. It changed after he finally lined himself up with God’s will, after he finally became obedient, but that didn’t happen until much later. He wasn’t known as the “father of obedience,” but as the “father of faith.” His name changed because his faith changed and he was obedient as a result of that change.

It was not his obedience that gave him that title. God did not “unfold His marvelous redemption of all mankind” because of Abram’s obedience, because clearly, he wasn’t obedient, and it took a while for him to line up.

Paul states that it is not of ourselves that we can do anything. He talks in Romans about the war with the flesh. To be obedient at our own will, or to gradually be obedient is not obedience to God’s will. Obedience to God’s will requires faith, not flesh.

We can’t accomplish anything, even obedience within the auspices of the flesh, so obedience could not and would not be the reason. Only faith is.