Lessons from King Josiah
Our reading this week took us through the story of King Josiah. He was the last “good” king to sit on the earthly throne of David. (Christ sat down on the heavenly throne at the right hand of God when he ascended into heaven.) Josiah’s story shares with us many wonderful lessons.
Our parents do not define us.
Although Josiah’s family tree consisted of great men such as Abraham, Jacob, David, and Solomon, those whom he knew would have been his father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh. Amon and Manasseh spent 57 years corrupting Israel. Manasseh built the high places that Hezekiah tore down. He erected altars for Baal. He made the Asherah. He worshipped the sun, moon and stars. He sacrificed his own children. And he practiced witchcraft, divination and dealt with mediums and spirits (II Kings 21:1-6). His son, Amon followed in Manasseh’s footsteps. “Like father, Like son.” One could easily assume that Josiah, Amon’s son, would continue in these abominations. After all, he was 8 years old when he was made king.
But Josiah rose above that of his predecessors. In fact, one could argue he was one of the greatest kings that Israel had for “like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him (II Kings 23:25).”
It is possible to break the pattern that our parents, and/or our grandparents have taught us. On television programs such as Dr. Phil, they often teach that a child cannot rise above the home in which they are raised. Josiah has proven it is possible. Furthermore, if an 8 year old boy can do it, an adult most certainly can make the choice to change his/her life.
We must be more than just God fearing.
The first eight years of Josiah’s reign mentions none of his works. Exactly what prompts him to begin his reformation is unknown. But, in the eighth year of his reign, at the age of 16, he began to seek the Lord. Four years later the reformation process began and he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from all the unauthorized altars and places of worship (II Chron. 34:3-4). Yet, it was in the eighteenth year of his reign that he realized his sin. When Josiah began to repair the damages done to the temple, the book of the Law, that is the Pentateuch, was discovered. Up to this point in Josiah’s life one could easily describe him as a God fearing man and one who sought after God with all his heart. But, when Josiah heard the words of the Law, he understood that he, and the rest of the nation of Israel had sinned (II Kings 22:13). Josiah at that point humbled his heart and began to seek the Lord with the Law as his guide.
We must be willing to do the same. Merely being God fearing is not enough. It is a beginning point! We must use our fear of the Lord to motivate us to keep his commandments. A person who truly fears the Lord would change when showed that he falls short of God’s glory.
We must work the fruits of repentance.
Although Josiah had already been reforming Israel for a period of ten years, his reformation reached a new level when the Law was read to him. He then removed all the vessels of Baal from the temple. He did away with the idolatrous priests, he defiled the altars to the false gods, he even broke down the altars in that Jeroboam had built nearly 300 years earlier (II Kings 23). Furthermore, he not only purged Israel of the false forms of worship, but he led them to worship God the way God intended. Josiah did not just offer lip service to God. He did not just say I am sorry. He didn’t merely rent his cloak. He worked the fruits of repentance.
If we desire to set our lives right with God we must be willing to do in a like fashion. We must be willing to tear down what is evil in our own lives and then begin pursuing after righteousness.
Our reform must be complete.
This has been alluded to already. Josiah completed the work. As the Kings account of his life comes to a close it says, “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him (II Kings 23:25).” Josiah was one of a kind not just because of where he came from, but also because of where he led Israel. He unlike most of the kings before him who had left some form of idolatry up; whether it was high places, idols, unauthorized altars, the two golden calves, etc.
If we desire to please God we must turn ourselves over completely to the Lord. God does not want a half hearted approach in our worship. He does not want someone who keeps one foot in sin and the other in righteousness. God wants us to be completely devoted to Him.
-WTK