 The Boy King
It is an amazing testimony when we witness the grace of God work upon a heart that has spent decades in rebellion against God, but then this elder person is born again as a new babe in Christ. However, it is also amazing when the Lord in kindness rescues a young child from their lost condition and brings them to saving faith early in life. The Apostle Paul when writing to his protege Timothy encourages him to not let anyone despise him because of his youth. The point is that the Lord is often pleased not only to save people when they are young but also to use them. The young person has the blessing of energy, zealousness, and optimism which God uses to great effect. In the Bible, we are told about Josiah (2 Chronicles 34). This boy became king of Judah when he was only 8 years old. To our amazement as Bible readers and amid the list of kings who did not honor God, we are told that Josiah, “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.” What a testimony! One so young followed God, but it was the combination of a good start, a faithful life, and a peaceful end, which brought about this fitting eulogy. Repentance In the eighth year of Josiah’s reign he began to seek God. We must remember that the eighth year of his reign, which began when he was only eight, would be the year he was sixteen years old. In God’s amazing providence, He caused this young man, who saw the wickedness of his father and the depravity that they left as the common practice in Judah and Jerusalem, to begin to seek the God of his forefather David. Then in the twelfth year of his reign, which if we are keeping up means he is now twenty years old, Josiah begins to purge the land of the idols and the false places of worship that have now been in use for generations. He starts destroying the godless traditions that have not been according to God’s commandments or for His glory. This young man has become zealous to lead his people in repentance from the worship of these worthless idols. Josiah is an example of why we should be quick to heed Paul’s instruction to Timothy. We must not despise a zealous youth who is seeking to set an example of faith, love, and holy living (1 Timothy 4:11-12). Even though Josiah is young he is still faithful to the calling of God in his life. Repair But, unfortunately, we know that not everyone who begins well goes on to live a faithful life. Some people prove themselves to be rocky or thorn choked fallow ground which does not bear any good fruit (Mark 4:1-9). Thankfully, Josiah is not one of these! Instead, he continues to reign over God’s people faithfully. He begins the work of repairing the temple of God. Josiah provided for this work in 3 important ways. First, he committed the necessary financial resources to the repair and restoration of the temple. It would have been tempting to do as the kings before him had done and neglect the house of God to the benefit of his own bank account. Second, Josiah committed the necessary manpower to the task of repairing the structure. These were the best builders and craftsmen in Israel given fully to the work to rebuild the place of worship and fellowship with God! Restoration The third thing that Josiah did to complete the restoration, not only of the physical temple but of the correct worship of Yahweh, was to prepare the Levites and Priests to lead the people to worship God rightly as worship leaders, scribes, officials, and gatekeepers in the temple. In the middle of this restoration the most amazing discovery was made! They found the Book of the Law. They found the Bible! Upon reading the Scriptures Josiah was brought to a fuller understanding of the sin of his people and the need for repentance and forgiveness. He immediately seeks to inquire of the Lord concerning these things. He fully expects judgment and wrath because of the sin of his people over the generations. But God! The Lord saw Josiah's tender heart, humble spirit, and repentant faith. The Lord responds by granting peace throughout the rest of Josiah’s reign because of his faithfulness. Josiah is one of the best kings that Judah ever had, not on account of his military prowess or his diplomatic strategy or his economic genius, but because of his faithfulness to the LORD!
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