King Josiah

2 Chronicles 34:1–21 KJV 1900

1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. 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. 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. 4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. 5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. 7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. 10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the Lord, to repair and amend the house: 11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed. 12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments of musick. 13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters. 14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the Lord given by Moses. 15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan. 16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it. 17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and to the hand of the workmen. 18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. 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.

I. A Heart That Seeks Early (The Personal Revival)

A Tender Heart: Unlike his father Amon and grandfather Manasseh, 8-year-old Josiah chose a different path.

Seeking Amidst Ruin: He began seeking the God of his ancestor David at age 16, amidst a crumbling nation.

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.”

The Lesson: You can remain faithful to God regardless of your circumstances, upbringing, or surroundings.

II. A Heart That Trembles at the Word (The Reformation)

Finding the Book: During the repairs of the Temple, Hilkiah finds the Book of the Law.

Hearing and Tearing: Upon hearing the Word read, Josiah tore his clothes, trembling at God's wrath, indicating a repentant and tender heart.

Acting Immediately: Josiah didn’t just feel sorry; he took action to remove every remnant of idolatry from the land, even from Samaria.

The Lesson: True revival happens when the Word of God takes priority over personal or national traditions.

III. A Heart That Renews the Covenant (The Lasting Legacy)

Standing in the Gap: Josiah committed himself and the people to follow God with all their heart and soul.

Restoring Worship: He celebrated the Passover like never before.

2 Chronicles 35:18 “18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

Unparalleled Commitment: Scripture says there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, soul, and might.

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.”

The Lesson: One person’s commitment can shift the trajectory of a whole generation.

Do not let your past define your future (14).

Repent immediately when confronted with the truth of the Word (4).

Commit fully—not half-heartedly—to following God (12). Final Thought: While Josiah's reforms were external, his heart was fully turned towards God. We must seek to lead with that same passion.

1. One obvious lesson is that God can use rather young people to achieve his purposes. 

While experience and wisdom are valuable for God’s leaders, God does not need to only use older Christians to do his work.

2. A second clear lesson is this: no matter how bad the times and how evil the days, God is able to turn things around. This was one of the greatest reforms mentioned in Scripture. And in church history we read about similar things when very bad periods are interrupted by God-given revival and reformation.

3. A third lesson is this: true biblical renewal and reformation is based on the word of God. When young Josiah discovers the book of the law, it brings about immediate changes: thus beginning the work of renewal and reform.

4. And a fourth lesson of these two chapters is that when God moves and seeks to deal with his wayward people, only a thorough and radical response will do. This means not just returning to the Lord in deep and heartfelt repentance, but dealing harshly with all idolatry and sin.

“Josiah’s renewal of the covenant was followed by the destruction of Baal-worship in Jerusalem; those truly in covenant with the Lord cannot also be in covenant with God’s enemies (cf. Deut. 7:1-6). Josiah now proceeds, likewise, to remove all trace of apostasy from Jerusalem and Judah. Everything to do with Baal and Asherah and the worship of the starry hosts is subject to radical treatment.”

2 Kings 23:3–5 KJV 1900

3 And the king stood by a pillar, 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 their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. 4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Beth-el. 5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

5. A fifth lesson is one’s parentage need not determine one’s course in life. Josiah had an evil father and a very evil grandfather. Yet he ended up resembling his great-grandfather Hezekiah, who also undertook reforms (although Josiah’s reforms were even greater than his). So we need not be bound by our upbringing or our lineage. God can do new things and undo old things.

6. A sixth lesson is one day God’s judgment is coming. His long-suffering patience with us will come to an end.

7. A seventh and related lesson is this: because God will one day come again in judgment. We must be faithful until the very end, seeking to be salt and light in a dying world.