THE STORY OF JOSIAH

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right. During the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David. Then in the twelfth year he began to purify Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all the pagan shrines, the Asherah poles, and the carved idols and cast images. He ordered that the altars of Baal be demolished and that the incense altars which stood above them be broken down. He also made sure that the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images were smashed and scattered over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.” –  2 Chronicles 34:1-4.

There are many characters in the Bible that we might, wrongly perhaps, skip over as not being particularly important. But some of these often-overlooked characters can be significant in other ways, showing us and teaching us something important through their lives, what happened to them, and how other people engaged with them. They were ordinary people who had cast long shadows of godly influence because they chose the road less traveled and trusted in the Lord their God. One of them was a young man named Josiah. The story of Josiah is remarkable on a number of levels, one of which is highlighted in 2 Chronicles 34:1-4.

Imagine what it would be like if, instead of going into the third grade, you became the President of the United States. That’s what happened to Josiah.  When Josiah came as a child to the throne of Judah, he faced an unpredictable and volatile moral-political climate. The nation was spinning out of control, headed for the judgment of God. How could a child right a sinking ship?  But this young man would be used by God to lead his nation in one of the greatest revivals of its history by guiding his people back to God. How? What was Josiah’s secret?

2 Kings 23:25 gives us the answer: “Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.” Josiah focused on a simple goal—to live so God is pleased with all his ways.

Josiah lived the great commandment to love God with all his heart, mind, and soul. He gave all of himself to God, every day, all through the day. Josiah chose wholehearted devotion to God. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him….”

What motivates this unceasing search by God?  He wants to show Himself strong on behalf of anyone whose heart is fixed on Him.  His eyes rested on a young boy named Josiah, who had everything against him, and found a heart that was completely devoted to Him. Josiah’s story is one example of the power of God at work in an ordinary man and how the ripple effects were felt throughout his nation.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do we fix our eyes on Jesus so that we, like Josiah, are called people who do everything like their Father in heaven?