King Josiah: A Righteous Boy King – Part 1
2 Kings 23:25 (NKJV)
“Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart…nor after him did any arise like him.” – 2 Kings 23:25 (NKJV)
In the Bible, King Josiah is known as one of the righteous leaders in Israel’s history and an ancestor of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour (Matthew 1:11).
During the time kings ruled kingdoms in ancient Israel, a boy named Josiah, at the tender age of eight, was called into the kingship following the assassination of his father, King Amon, the 15th King of Judah. King Amon and his father, King Manasseh, were both known for their wickedness and idolatry. What could the offspring of these men produce, and at such a tender age, too?
However, unlike his father, King Josiah was so driven by this appetite for righteousness that he pursued getting rid of all the idols and false gods of the land. He followed the trail set by his righteous ancestor, King David, and passionately tore down altars dedicated to foreign gods and deities. King Josiah relentlessly pursued holiness and a new hope of purifying the land and the people’s faith.
King Josiah didn’t stop at the destruction of idols. He set out on a mission to restore the grand Temple of the Lord, which was in a state of disrepair. He called on skilled craftsmen, who provided the finest materials, and together, they meticulously rebuilt the temple (2 Chronicles 34).
Something amazing happened in the process of restoring the Temple. There was an astonishing discovery: hidden within the abandoned chambers, the Book of the Law, containing God’s commandments, was discovered. As the words of the book were read aloud in the presence of Josiah, a profound understanding came to him — he realised that they had wandered away from the path of righteousness.
Josiah sought the Lord’s wisdom, assembling a council of wise sages who researched the sacred texts and revealed God Almighty’s forgotten commandments. Overflowing with compassion, righteousness, determination, and humility, Josiah assembled the people of Jerusalem and Judah and read the sacred words of the Law, causing a renewal of their covenant with God.
Thus, a great revival swept through the land, dispelling the darkness that had plagued the nation for so long (2 Chronicles 34-35). Throughout King Josiah’s reign, the people “…did not depart from following the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 34:33 – NKJV).
Read: 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 John 2:29
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 60:5-12; John 8:12-30; Judges 18; Judges 19
