Josiah's testimony

I have been reading through the books of Kings, and it has been quite interesting. It seems more Kings than not, "..done evil in the sight of the Lord". Today I read the most positive testimony yet from the book of Kings, and unless there's a more positive one in chapter 25 (the last, which I will read tomorrow)- it is, the most positive, God honoring testimony by a King of Israel. When we hear of people who have accomplished great things for the Lord, we think "wow, I wish God could use me ...". Ladies (and gentleman)- God CAN use you!! Don't let the enemy Satan deceive you in this matter! Seek Him, and you will find Him.

You see, Josiah was eight years old when he become King in Jerusalem. He reigned for thirty one years, so he was thirty nine when he died. He died fighting on behalf of the Lord. I can only imagine, how did Josiah, having such a wicked father in Amon, and grandfather in Manasseh (Ma-nas`-seh), turn out so godly for the Lord? One can only conclude that his mother, Jedidah (Je-di`-dah) taught him the way of the righteous. Thank God for godly mothers!

Lets see what the scriptures say about young Josiah-

2 Kings 22
1Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2And 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.

I love how God made sure to be so precise in His Word to include "... and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.". At eight years old, this boy knew exactly what to do to please God. I bet the inhabitants of Jerusalem turned their heads to the side, puzzled, at the godliness of this young leader, knowing the wickedness that went on before him! For sake of time I'm hitting only the highlights of this story but I encourage you to read all of it from 2 Kings 22-24.

We start seeing what Josiah accomplishes for the Lord in the eighteenth year of his reign. First he restores the temple. The priests find a book of the law, brings it to him, and he learns of the wickedness of his forefathers, and is distressed. Why? Because he knows what is right. I've noticed that a big concern of godly Kings is that their country live in peace, and that they know they will die in peace. Lets see more into our story:

2 Kings 22
11And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

13Go ye, enquire 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.

{Below is the messages from the prophetess... she had just explained the wrath that wold be upon the people because of the forefather's wickedness ...)

18But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard;

19Because 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.

20Behold 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.

From that point, we see King Josiah on fire for the Lord, casting down alters to false gods, slaying the priests that had committed such abominations against the Lord- he was finally bringing Jerusalem back to its original state of righteousness, putting it back in God's will for them again. They were about to have the passover again, and it was mention that there had not BEEN a passover held (for a very long time).

chaper 23:
21And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.

22Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah;

Josiah, becoming a king at 8 years old, dieing at 39, had pleased the Lord. It is written:
chapter 23:
24Moreover 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.

25And 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.