He did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left

He took the throne at eight years old and reigned for 31 years. He didn’t live to see 40, yet his legacy is one of unwavering Godly character and great work done for the Lord:

“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 the left” (2 Kings 22:2)

As a young man who faithfully served God in his generation, what lessons can we take from Josiah?

He sought the Lord

In 2 Chronicles chapter 34, we learn that Josiah began to seek the Lord in the 8^th year of his reign. At the age of 16, Josiah determined that he would set his heart on the things of God.

So often, we want to get stuck into doing the “big thing”. Yet in the case of Josiah, we see the importance of a time of preparation for service. Having begun to seek the Lord at 16, Josiah is not recorded doing any great work until he was 20. These years in between were not years that Josiah wasted, putting in the time until he could start the work. He had to seek God, develop a relationship with Him, and learn of His ways and character. 

Despite all that he had to deal with as king, which could so easily have distracted him, Josiah sought the Lord “while he was yet young” and it would shape the rest of his reign. 

The Lord Jesus highlighted the priority we should give to seeking the things of God:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33)

We must all start seeking the Lord in order to serve Him. The best time, as Josiah shows us, is while we are young.

He made spiritual progress

Josiah was not content to tread water spiritually. With an understanding of God’s purposes and character, he set out in the 12^th year of his reign to purge the land of idols. This was the first in a series of steps that he took to radically reform the land and to bring it back to the Lord. In the 18^th year of his reign, Josiah began restoring the Temple, reinstituted the feasts, and swept out sinful practices from the land. 

Josiah’s actions were a clear sign that this young man had made significant spiritual progress over the years. 

As we examine our lives, it is challenging to consider if there is similar evidence of growth for God. So often we are content when we should be pushing out to explore the depths. The example of Josiah should cause us to ask ourselves how we are progressing for God. 

Do we know more of Him that we did this time last year? 

Are we more Christlike?

This is God’s ultimate goal for each of us, that we might be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

He valued the house of God

One of the key actions Josiah took was repairing the Temple. In doing so, Josiah demonstrated that he valued the house of God and that he had an exercise to see it be what it should be.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy that today, the house of God is the local church. Have we made it our commitment to contribute to its maintenance and upbuilding? Our motivation should not be a sense of duty, nor the expectation of others, but love for the Lord and a conviction about the truth of the local church.

 In 2 Kings chapter 22, we read that there were carpenters, builders, and masons involved. All the people contributed towards the cost of the repairs. Everyone had their role to play and the same is true today. 

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we read:

“But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Corinthians 12:18)

For our local church to work effectively and be what it should be, each of us must make our contribution in the role God has given us.

He responded to the word of God

The rediscovery of the written word of God proved to be a decisive moment in Josiah’s reign. It was lost for years, but was found, opened, and read. From it he learned of the errors of the nation, God’s judgement against sin, and how God ought to be worshipped. He was struck to the heart by it, tearing his clothes in mourning. However, his response was not just emotional. In response to God’s word, Josiah took action.

The most obvious lesson we learn from this is the vital importance of reading God’s word. When the word had been lost and forgotten about, there was a significant decline in the spiritual wellbeing of the nation. This can be the case in our lives too. When we are careless about reading our Bibles, it will inevitably have negative consequences for our spiritual development.

We also learn from Josiah how we ought to respond to the word of God. Hebrews tells us:

“… the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit…” (Hebrews 4:12)

The word of God should pierce us and should cause us to react emotionally. Whether it be grieving sin or rejoicing in God’s grace, there are occasions where we may react to the Scriptures in this way. However, like Josiah, our reaction should not stop here. It should always lead to action. Let us not be “hearers only”.

He was faithful in his generation

Finally, the story of Josiah is a wonderful encouragement that God can, and does, work in mighty ways even in end times. 

Josiah was the last Godly king of Judah and so he was, in a way, living in the last days. Judgement would soon fall. However, he was faithful in his generation and God worked through him in a mighty way. God is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). 

As young men, let's be faithful in our generation and pray that God will work through us in a mighty way in these last days.

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