Josiah, A Serious Follower of God

Introduction

I’m neither for nor against apathy.

Anonymous

Apathy is the acceptance of the unacceptable.

John Robert Walmsley Stott (English Preacher)

(See also: Apathy) Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.

Anonymous

33  In marriage you have a choice to respond with empathy, sympathy or apathy. H. Norman Wright Communication: Key to Your Marriage (2000)

H. Norman Wright

Affection is the answer to apathy.

Vance Houston Havner

King Josiah was a serious follower of God. He was anything, but apathetic. His love for God and respect for God changed his life, his kingdom, his people, and the territories around him. 2 Kings 23:25 gives glowing testimony of King Josiah. “25 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.”

D. Josiah was not apathetic in his relationship to God. He was a serious follower of God.

P. God wants you to be a serious follower of Him as well. Mediocrity with God is spew worthy. Revelation 3:16 “16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

T. As we are challenged with the though this year of being followers of God as dear children, apathy has no place in the life of any follower of God. Tonight, we are going to look at six ways Josiah avoided apathy in his life.

Josiah was straight down the line in following God. (2 Kings 22:2; 2 Chronicles 34:2)

Josiah privately sought God early in his life. (2 Chronicles 34:3a)

Josiah publicly set an example of following God seriously (2 Chronicles 34:3b; 34:31-33)

Josiah sorrowed and sought God when confronted with sin by God’s Word. (2 Chronicles 34:19-21)

Josiah submitted humbly to God. (2 Chronicles 34:27)

Josiah shared God’s Word with his people. (2 Chronicles 34:30)

Josiah served God through encouraging obedience. (2 Chronicles 35:1-19)

Josiah stood out for wholly serving God. (2 Kings 23:25)

1. Josiah was straight down the line in following God. (2 Kings 22:2; 2 Chronicles 34:2)

2 Kings 22:2 “2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.”

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

Explain

A dear follower of God cares about what God thinks and seek to follow God according to his Word.

Some examples of those who didn’t and it had severe consequences.

Er - Genesis 38:7 “7 And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him.”

Eleazar and Ithamar near death - Leviticus 10:19 “19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the Lord?”

Israel’s unbelief of God’s promise - Numbers 32:13 “13 And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.”

Being like the world - Deuteronomy 4:25 “25 When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger:”

Why we do right in God’s sight.

Deuteronomy 6:17–18 “17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers,”

Proverbs 15:3 “3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Beholding the evil and the good.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Argue

Do you care about pleasing God the Father?

We should because of Josiah’s example, but also because Jesus did. John 8:29 “29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

Illustrate: Josiah’s Dad and especially his grand dad Manasseh were wicked. They led God’s people to idolatrous practices of even burning their kids to demons, the God Molech.

Apply

Don’t compare yourself with others. 1 Corinthians 10:12 “12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Don’t compare yourself to the world. 1 John 2:15 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

Compare yourself to Jesus example, the Word made flesh. Hebrews 12:2 “2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

T. Sometimes we make excuses. I intend to follow God someday. Josiah sought him early in his teenage years.

2. Josiah privately sought God early in his life. (2 Chronicles 34:3a)

2 Chronicles 34:3 “3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.”

Explain

Josiah is 16 years old

He is yet young, he begins to seek after the God of his father David.

He cared about what God said

He was intent on finding out more

He was asking about God

In this time he is developing a personal relationship with God. What access we have to the Word of God seems limited, but what he can know about Scripture he is doing.

Argue

It’s not the Scripture that you don’t know that matters most. It is your obedience to Scripture that you do know. Purpose to obey God in what you do know of His Word and he will guide you into all truth.

1 John 1:7 “7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

John 12:35 “35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”

Illustrate

Apply

Do you have a genuine interest in what God’s Word says? If you do, you will seek to follow it.

Do you seek to find out more. 2 Timothy 2:15 “15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Have you sought after him today. As the Word is preached are you seeking God to help you be more like Him? Ask the Spirit of God to shine his candle and see if there is any wicked way in you and lead you in the way everlasting.

3. Josiah publicly set an example of following God seriously (2 Chronicles 34:3b; 34:31-33)

2 Chronicles 34:3 “3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.”

2 Chronicles 34:31–33 “31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this book. 32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the Lord their God. And all his days they departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.”

Explain

The twelfth year at 20 Josiah starts letting his private walk with God influence his politics.

He knows how King David only worshipped Yahweh God and he starts purging Jerusalem and Judah of idolatry: highplaces, groves, carved images, and molten images are removed.

At 26, when the law is found, He finds out he and his people are under the imminent judgment of God for their and their father’s idolatry. He leads the nation in a revival to return to the Lord and they make a covenant with God.

What started out privately in his life became a wholesale eradication of abominations out of all the countries pertaining to the children of Israel.

Argue

While we don’t live in a monarchy, Dad’s and Mom’s you are kings and queens in the castle of your home. You get rid of the things that are abominable to God. Proverbs 6:16–19

“16 These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, - what scoffs at God’s laws of morality and decency

a lying tongue, - dishonesty and deceitful

And hands that shed innocent blood, - unjust, murder of the innocent, abortion

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, - fraud and embezzlement, cheating on taxes

Feet that be swift in running to mischief, - rioting and lawlessness

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, - spreading half truths and brazen lies, legacy media

And he that soweth discord among brethren.” - gossip, and speaking evil of one another

Ask God to help you take the principles of Proverbs 6:16-19 and help you apply them in your every day life at home, work, and spheres of influence. You can be a righteous witness for God as Josiah.

Illustrate

2 Kings 22:4–8 “4 Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: 5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, 6 Unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. 8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.”

2 Kings 22:10–16 “10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. 12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 13 Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. 14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, 16 Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:”

2 Kings 22:19–20 “19 Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. 20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again.”

Apply

Cut out things that God says are wrong in your life. 2 Kings 23:24 “24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.”

All the cultish vampire, Harry Potter, and horror films, the child of God should not be viewing or thinking about. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 “22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Rid out of your home, phone, and life.

4. Josiah sorrowed and sought God when confronted with sin by God’s Word. (2 Chronicles 34:19-21)

2 Chronicles 34:19–21 “19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes. 20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king’s, saying, 21 Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord, to do after all that is written in this book.”

Explain

He heard - the law revealed the sins of Israel. The Law converted his soul to realize they were not okay. They needed God’s mercy. Galatians 3:24 “24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”

He rent his clothes - He was broken by his peoples sin shown in a public display of grief - Joel 2:13 “13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, And turn unto the Lord your God: For he is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness, And repenteth him of the evil.” Isaiah 57:15 “15 For thus saith the high and lofty One That inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, With him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

He realized how haphazard their obedience to the Bible was.

Argue

Well it his fault! Repentance starts with personal accountability.

Illustrate

Apply

Are you willing to hear God’s Word.

Are you willing to change. Psalm 55:19 “19 God shall hear, and afflict them, Even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, Therefore they fear not God.”

Are you committed to carefully follow and do all that God has commanded. Matthew 28:20 “20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

5. Josiah submitted humbly to God. (2 Chronicles 34:27)

2 Chronicles 34:27 “27 Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord.”

Explain: The attitude of Josiah

Tender heart - he was sensitive to what God wanted. Not jaded or hard hearted.

Humble - he made himself low although the King

Rent his clothes - symbolized his inward brokeness

Wept - He was heart broken

Argue

Illustrate

Apply

Are you sad when you learn that you have disobeyed God, or looking for an excuse.

6. Josiah shared God’s Word with his people. (2 Chronicles 34:30)

2 Chronicles 34:30 “30 And the king went up into the house of the Lord, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord.”

Explain

Argue

Illustrate

Apply

7. Josiah served God through encouraging obedience. (2 Chronicles 35:1-19)

2 Chronicles 35:1–19 “1 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the Lord in Jerusalem: and they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to the service of the house of the Lord, 3 And said unto the Levites that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the Lord, Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the Lord your God, and his people Israel, 4 And prepare yourselves by the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of Solomon his son. 5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the division of the families of the Levites. 6 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your brethren, that they may do according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. 8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. 9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. 10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. 11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. 12 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the Lord, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. 13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people. 14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. 15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for them. 16 So all the service of the Lord was prepared the same day, to keep the passover, and to…”

Explain

Argue

Illustrate

Apply

8. Josiah stood out for wholly serving God. (2 Kings 23:25)

2 Kings 23:25 “25 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.”

Explain

Argue

Illustrate

Apply

Matthew 22:37 “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Matthew 22:39 “39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Conclusion

Straight

Privately Sought God

Set an example publicly

Sorrowed and sought God when confronted with his nation’s sin.

Submitted humbly

Shared God’s Word with his people

Served God through encouraging his people to obey God and equipping his people to do so

Josiah was a stand out for God like no other.

Are you committed like Josiah to seriously follow God.