191. JOSIAH'S STAND FOR TRUTH

"Like unto him was there no king before him"

Though Josiah instituted wide and sweeping reforms they did not real­ly touch the hearts of the people. The people did what the king demand­ed, not because they loved Yahweh, but because they feared their zealous young king. Because of this Josiah's reform was not really effective.

2 Chronicles 33-35; 2 Kings 22-23.

JUDAH TURNS FROM GOD TO IDOLATRY

The death of Hezekiah brought, his son Manasseh to the throne. His reign of 55 years was the longest of all the kings of Judah, but it was more notorious for its unrighteousness than for its length of reign (2 Kings 21:1). He came to the throne at the age of twelve and conducted a cam­paign for idolatry, reversing all the good that his father had done (2 Kings 21:3; 2 Chronicles 33:15). Of especial abhorrence to God was the massacre of thousands of innocent people; "he filled Jerusalem" with their blood! It should be noted that the evil of Manasseh's reign was not forgotten for when some 50 years later the Babylonians came against Jerusalem, it was Manasseh's reign that received principal blame (2 Kings 24:3-4).

In his later years Manasseh repented and tried to repair the damage he had wrought (2 Chronicles 33:11-17). Yet it was too late, for when his son Amon succeeded him, he followed the evil ways of his father's former life. After two years Amon was slain in a conspiracy. The people of the land slew the conspirators and anointed Josiah, son of Amon, king in his stead.

With such a background it is remarkable to read the summary of Josiah's life.

"And he did that which was right in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left" (2 Chronicles 34:2).

AN EARLY BEGINNING

He was a child of only eight years when he began to reign, and at the age of sixteen he "began to seek after the God of David his father" (2 Chron. 34:3). His faith motivated him to perform a great work of reformation. What caused Josiah to seek the God of his father David, when the nation as a whole had become utterly corrupt before God?

It is no doubt that his mother had a good influence over him; her name was Jedidah, which means "beloved". There were also the prophets — Jeremiah, Zephaniah and Huldah the prophetess. From these people the young king received instruction in God's ways. In the midst of teenage years he learnt the answer to the question posed by David "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his ways? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word". The R.S.V. puts it "How can a young man keep his way pure? by guarding it according to Thy word" (Psalm 119:9).

By prayer and meditation on the Word he came to see the beauty of God's ways. Then Josiah realised the extent that evil was being practiced throughout his realm. This made an enormous impact upon the mind of the young king. His heart was set on fire with the need for reform, and so at the age of 20 he commenced his sweeping purge and reformation (2 Chron. 34:3).

JOSIAH'S REFORMATION. 2 Kings 23:5-20.

Josiah's reform began with the deposing of the idolatrous priests known as the "Chemarim" or black-robed priests (Hosea 10:5 mg.). The king then set about destroying the high places, groves, images and idols that had been set up in Jerusalem and throughout Judah. He broke down the altars of Baal and ground the images to powder.

He destroyed the altar called Topheth, where the people had offered their children as sacrifices to the god Molech (v.10). So thorough was he, that not only were the abominations set up by Ammon and Manasseh removed, but even those which remained from Ahaz's and Solomon's reigns.

Then Josiah's zeal for true worship took him to the cities of Israel in the north. His love of Yahweh and His people caused him to pursue his objectives as far north as Naphtali. Never had there been such an earnest attempt to remove the wickedness of idolatry and superstition. Josiah personally supervised the work, and only when it was completed did he return to Jerusalem (2 Chron. 34:3-8).

JOSIAH FULFILS PROPHECY. 2 Kings 23:15-17.

In his travels throughout the land cleansing it from all idolatrous wor­ship, Josiah came to Bethel. You will remember that it was here that Jeroboam set up a golden calf for the people to worship (1 Kings 12:27-33). Because of his evil he caused Israel to sin. Shortly after Jeroboam set up this golden calf a prophet of God came to Bethel and proclaimed these words to Jeroboam "Behold a child shall be born, into the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee (the altar) shall he of­fer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee" (1 Kings 13:2).

Josiah destroyed the altar and high places that Jeroboam had set up and he took from the sepulchers the bones of the idolatrous priests and burnt them on the altar (2 Kings 23:15-20). In doing this Josiah fulfilled the prophecy that was given 360 years before, and shows the importance of this young king in the purpose of God.

REPAIRING THE HOUSE AND FINDING OF THE BOOK OF THE LAW. 2 Chronicles 34:8-28.

In the 18th year of his reign, when the king was 26 years of age, he turned to the building up of true worship. A deputation of four faithful men was sent to oversee the repairing of the house of God, the expense being met by a large sum of money, that had been donated from those of both Israel and Judah, when visiting the Temple during the years of the reformation (2 Chron. 34:8-9). The skilled workmen responded to the spirit of the king in their labours and no account of the money was kept, because they could be trusted (2 Kings 22:7). In the midst of these events a book of the Law of Moses was discovered (2 Chron. 34:14 mg.). Shaphan, the wise and faithful scribe, delivered the precious document to the king. When its words of threatened judgment (e.g. Deuteronomy 28; Leviticus 26) were read before the king, he rent his clothes and wept in dismay. He perceived how much the people had strayed, and realised that judgment was decreed upon them (2 Chron. 34:19, 27). Immediately he enquired of Huldah the prophetess. She revealed that the curses of the book would be brought upon the nation, but that the king would be spared because of his humility before God.

Thus the king's faithfulness preserved a generation in Judah. Yet for all this they did not respond within their heart. They feared the king more than God. Josiah tried to force the people to love God, but the people did not seek to learn about the love of God and therefore never developed a love for Him.

Jeremiah prophesied in the midst of Josiah's inspiring reformation and indicted them in strong terms for their evil ways (Jer. 2:20; 6:13-19). Knowing the nation's reluctance to reform, Josiah was determined to remove all the abominations out of the land and make the people serve Yahweh (2 Chron. 34:33). He gathered the elders together, and caused them to make a covenant to Yahweh (v.29-32). But despite all Josiah's ef­forts the people were unaffected by what was done: the reform was superficial; external and not internal. "And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Yahweh" (Jer. 3:6-11).

THE GREAT PASSOVER. 2 Chronicles 35:1-19.

The climax of his restorative work was the convening of a great Passover, a feast which had apparently lapsed over the years of apostasy. Everything was prepared in the proper manner—the sacrifices according to the Law of Moses, the priests' and the Levites' Temple service, accor­ding to the writings of David and Solomon (2 Chronicles 35:2-6, 15). The king's appeal brought many to the feast from the northern tribes (v.17-18). By his personal commandment every detail was carefully observed (v.10, 16). Never had there been such an outstanding Passover Feast as in the 18th year of King Josiah.

THE DEATH OF JOSIAH. 2 Chronicles 35:20-27.

Pharaoh-Necho, King of Egypt, passed through Israel on his way to make war with Assyria at Carchemish by the River Euphrates (2 Kings 23:29). Josiah foolishly (v.v.21, 22) went to Megiddo to resist the Egyp­tians, but was fatally wounded by the archers and brought back to Jerusalem. There he was buried in a solemn and memorable funeral. As the nation remembered his stirring faith and courage they were brought to grief and despair. Many years later, the prophet Zechariah used this in­cident to describe the depth of mourning that will overtake the Jewish people, when they realise that they pierced the Son of God (Zechariah 12:9-14).

LESSON FOR US:

As people being taught by faithful teachers of the word of God, what great lessons we can learn from this young man's life. At a very young age he was obviously being taught God's ways and he determined to do that which was right before God. At the age of 16 he was moved by his understanding and love of God to cleanse Judah from idolatry and with great zeal he dedicated himself to this difficult task.

Never let it be said by you that you will concentrate on trying to understand the Bible when you are older. Rather, take Josiah's life as an example for yourselves, and with determination and humility daily read and learn of God's ways, and He will bless your efforts to serve Him.

REFERENCE LIBRARY:

"The Story of the Bible" (H.P. Mansfield)—Vol. 6, No. 4.

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the extent to which Josiah tried to rid the land of idolatry?

2. What was so significant about Josiah's actions at the altar at Bethel?

3. What book was found in the temple and what effect did it have on Josiah?

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Describe the circumstances of the finding of a copy of the Law when Josiah was cleansing the Temple and the events which followed.

2. What lessons can we learn from the early years of Josiah's reign in his attitude to the Word of God?