Devotional: Loving Two Masters

II Kings 22-23 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt. 6:24, NASB). The ancient Israelites practiced “syncretism.” This means that they worshiped Jehovah their covenant God while at the same time they also worshiped the gods of the surrounding nations. As time passed their worship became more in the high places dedicated to the gods of the nations and less in the temple of God in Jerusalem. This can be seen in II Kings 22. Josiah was king in Judah. “He did right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left” (v.2, NASB). Josiah sent money to the high priest to give to the workmen to repair the temple (vv. 3-7). The high priest found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. They took the book to the king who received word from the prophetess Huldah concerning the wrath spoken of in the book of the law. God was going to destroy Judah and send her into captivity by the Babylonians. Josiah headed the words of Huldah, and he initiated religious reforms. Josiah learned from the book of the law that Judah was guilty of trying to serve two masters. Jesus tells us that this is impossible. “No one can serve two masters.” May God rise up leaders in the church who have the mind and spirit of Josiah that seek to bring the church back to an authentic worship of God with no compromise of the truth that God alone is to be worshiped.