Learning from King Josiah

When my children were small we used to love the Donut Man music. Whenever I read about King Josiah (as in this morning's reading 2 King 22-23) I was reminded of this song by the Donut Man (pick no 6 from the song list here). It reminded me a few important things about this king:

• He was only 8 years old when he became king of Judah.
• He was known for his zeal to clear out the idols among the people of his kingdom.

This is a song that encourages children that even though they may be young but they can still do great things for God:
"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

But there is more to Josiah! In 2 King 23:25 the bible describes him as:
"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."


Wait a minute, when you read this description of a king you would think of King David, or even King Solomon. But this honor is reserved for King Josiah. So what exactly set him apart from the rest of kings in history?

When I read this text more closely, it says three things about him:

1. He turned to the Lord.
2. With all his heart, soul and strength.
3. In accordance with all the Law of Moses.

Josiah, like many kings before him, was described as a king who "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left." (2 King 22:2). But the real change came when he "heard the words of the Book of the Law" (2 King 22:11). The high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law while repairing the temple. This happened after 55 years of reign by two very bad kings (Manasseh and Amon) who practically destroyed the Jewish religion. When Josiah heard the Book of the Law read to him, he responded by tearing his clothes in mourning and in grief, and in repentance for the sins of his people (see GotQuestions.org's explanation on "What did it mean to tear one’s clothes in the Bible?"). It is this "turning to the Lord" which distinguishes him from all the other kings in history.

He also followed the Law of Moses which gave him this commandment: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Also in following the Law of Moses he kept these other commandments, testimonies, and statues:

• He removed all the idols from his kingdom. (2 King 23:4-22)
• He celebrated the Passover for the first time after almost 400 years! "For no such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, or during all the days of the kings of Israel or of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this Passover was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem."(2 King 23:22-23)

These are the lessons I learned from King Josiah today:

• Listen and learn from God's faithful people. Josiah had the high priest Hilkiah. I have my church community.
• When I hear God's word spoken - respond! (Hebrews 3:15)
• Clear out the idols of my life - is it my career, fame and money, even my own family? Do I only want good jobs for my children? Their marriages? "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God..." (Matthew 6:33)
• Celebrate Passover - remembering his salvation on a regular basis. God has set me free from the bondage of sin through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God - His Son! (Biblestudy.org has a good explanation of the Passover for the new testament Christians)