Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself

“Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.” - 2 Kings 22v19

In a case nearly unique God used a woman here to serve as a prophet. The leaders took the book of the law to her to see what God is saying. Here prophecy was sobering – God was indeed going to judge Judah. Their sin had gone on too long and there were never really to repent.

However she had good news for the king. “Because you have a tender heart and you humbled yourself you are not going to see the destruction of the land. You will die in peace instead.

Josiah died physically in battle. His physical death was not peaceful, but he was able to die without the turmoil of watching his nation be destroyed. He also died in eternal peace knowing that he had pleased the Lord.

Josiah had a tender heart and he was humble. Obviously these are character traits that please God. How do we compare to Josiah in these two areas? Do I really have a tender heart? Am I truly humble? Our flesh rebels at the thought, but these things please God. The question is one of importance. Will I allow my flesh its satisfaction, or will I seek to please God as Josiah did?