(A Case Study)

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did – with all his HEART and with all his SOUL and with all his STRENGTH, in accordance with all the Law of Moses“. 📖2Kings 23:25

1) JOSIAH GAVE THE TIME OF HIS YOUTH TO THE LORD
🔖 At 16 years he began to serve the Lord faithfully (2Chron 34:3)
🔖 At 20 years he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the idol practices (2Chron 34:3-7)
🔖 At 26 years he led the people to celebrate the Passover in significant way (2Chron 35:17-19)

💫 God’s Word reminds us:
📌 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth..” Eccl 12:1
📌 “It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young ” Lam 3:27

2) HIS PRIORITY IS TO REPAIR THE TEMPLE AND KEEP IT HOLY
🔖 At 26 years he send a delegation to repair the Temple of the Lord, and had provided all the necessities and help (2Kings 22:3-7)

💫 God’s Word motivates us:
📌 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you ?” 1Cor 3:16
📌 “.. just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.. .. BE HOLY , because I AM HOLY ” 1Pet 1:15-16

3) HE GAVE ATTENTION TO GOD’S WORD: When the repairing of the Temple of the Lord was in progress, the Book of the Law was found and it was brought to King Josiah.
🔖 Josiah heard it read and responded in grief and repentance (2Kings 22:11)
🔖 He sent a TEAM to Prophetess Huldah to seek a clarification
🔖 He read it and decided to follow it.(2Kings 23:1-3)

💫 God’s Word exhorts us:
📌 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth ; meditate on it day and night..” Jos 1:8
📌 “Oh , how I love your law ! I meditate on it all day long ” Psalm 119:97

4) HE PRACTISED WHAT HE PREACHED
🔖 His heart was responsive to the Word of God (2Kings 22:19)
🔖 He renewed the covenant to follow.(2Kings 23:3)
🔖 He could motivate the people to follow his example (2Kings 23: 3b)

💫 God’s Word inspires us:
📌 “You are chosen… so go and bear fruit”. John 15:16
📌 “Be doers of God’s Word”. James 1: 22

5) GOD IS NUMBER ONE IN HIS LIFE
🔖 He Renewed the covenant
🔖 He Removed the idol practices
🔖 He Restored the Temple Worship
🔖 He Revived the Passover.

💕 Beloved Church, let us learn from Josiah:
🎈 He did not follow the example of his father, his grandfather, and other kings of Israel / Judah. He was one who would not follow the crowd in doing wrong (Exodus 23:2)
🎈 To put God in number One place.
🎈 To devote our time in meditating on His Word
🎈 We are His Temple. Keep it holy .

Glory to God 🙏
✍🏽 Mark Boje, ArP 🇮🇳