King JOSIAH – Serving God In Youth

 

 

Unlike his evil grandfather and father, King Josiah tried to lead the people of Judah back to God. When he ordered the temple of the Lord cleaned and repaired, the high priest found the Book of the Law that had been lost and forgotten. Convicted by the words in the book, Josiah gathered all of the people together and read the Book of the Law to them. For the first time in hundreds of years, God’s people celebrated the Passover according to God’s law. Although the Word of God had been in the temple all along, it had not been read.

 

After the death of Solomon, the people of God had divided into two kingdoms – Israel and Judah. During the reign of Hezekiah, Israel had been captured by the Assyrians. Although Judah had had some good kings, it was often corrupt and was beginning to follow more and more in the footsteps of the rebellious Israel. 

At the age of eight Josiah inherited a corrupt kingdom that had turned away from the Lord. His father, Amon, had been the king of Israel only two years before his servants assassinated him.

Both Amon and his father, Manasseh, had done “evil in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 21:20). Manasseh reigned fifty-five years, longer than any other king of Judah, and he was considered the wickedest king. It was Manasseh who introduced many forms of idolatry to Israel and broke Israel’s covenant with the Lord. Eventually, it was Manasseh’s sins that destroyed the nation and led it into captivity.

Taking over such a kingdom would have been bewildering to anyone, but Josiah showed great wisdom, for he “began to seek the God of his father David” in the eighth year of his reign (2 Chronicles. 34:3). By his “twelfth year” Josiah had instructed that idols were to be destroyed in Judah, Jerusalem, and throughout the land. In the eighteenth year of his reign he raised money to repair the temple.

It was during the work on the temple that a discovery was made – the Book of the Law was found. Scholars disagree whether this book included the entire Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) or only the Book of Deuteronomy. It may be that only Deuteronomy was found, since the reforms after this event are closely related to this book.

When Josiah read the Book of the Law, he was distressed and tore his clothes because of what it said. God’s Word told of the destruction that was to come to the nation because of the evil idolatry that had occurred under Manasseh and Amon.

The King sent Hilkiah, the priest, and four other officials to “inquire of the Lord”.  This was done by going to speak to the prophetess, Huldah.  Her message from God was that God’s judgement would fall on the people and their home.  Because of his genuine response to God King Josiah would not have to see this take place (2 Kings 22:13-20).  Later on we will find that this was a message with both “good new” and “bad news”.  The good news was that Josiah would not have to see the full measure of God’s wrath on the people.  The bad news was that he did not see it because he was killed in battle (2 Kings 23:29-30).

After Huldah’s prophesy, Josiah called all the people together to read God’s Word to them. Then he renewed the covenant to keep God’s commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and soul.  The people pleadged themselves to the same covenant (2 Kings 22:1-3).

Following that there was a major cleansing of the idolatrous altars and shrines of the high places.  The observance of the Passover was restored.

Josiah reigned from 640 to 609 B.C. During his reign Judah returned to reading God’s Word and experienced spiritual renewal. For his work Josiah is remembered as one of the greatest kings of Judah. “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” (2 Kings 23:25).

 

 

LESSONS that the young King Josiah leaves.

 a. He leaves an example of courage!
  He was a man consumed with following God’s will in life.

 b. He leaves an example of influence!
  2 Chron 34:33. The young King’s dedication to God was honored by those who were in his Kingdom. After him there would be no other King who would uphold the Truth.

 c. He leaves us an example of how to receive God’s Word!
  He shows us that we ought to “hear and heed” God’s Word! He listened and allowed it to sink deep within his heart. He was diligent in applying it to his life even it such was not to his liking.

  d. He leaves us an example of how to serve God even if no one else does!
  There was outward conformity to his decrees, but Judah’s heart was not converted. The nation was waiting for a change of Kings so they could once again bow to their idols. But he did not miss his opportunity to serve and urge others to do so! In lip the people honored God, but their hearts were far from God (Is 29:13). Regardless of the people’s pretense, Josiah remained firm in his devotion.

 e. He leaves us an example of true zeal for the Lord.
  He was guided by allegiance for God’s way. His motive was to restore the proper devotion/worship to God. His authority was strictly God’s revealed word. He zealously fought to restore pure and undefiled religion. Like him we should be dedicated in uprooting all that is false in religion and call people back to the purity of the Bible’s authority!

 

  f. He leaves us an example of how critical our youth are to God!
  As a young man he knew what was right and was determined to follow right. He knew that as a servant of God, he was obligated to use every power against sin. He acted, not with half-measures, not with popularity calculations, but with a fearlessness and determination that belongs only to one who knows the authority of the Almighty God! He urges young and old alike – never consent by silence to anything that dishonors God or that violates God’s Word.