Who Was Josiah?

Josiah never knew his great grandfather Hszekiah, but they were alike in many ways. Both had close personal relationships with God. Both were passionate reformers to lead their people back to God. Both were obedient to God among kings with darkened consciences, who seemed bent on outdoing each other in disobedience and evil.

Although Josiah's father and grandfather were exceptionally wicked, Josiah's life is an example of God's willingness to provide ongoing guidance to those who set out to be obedient. At a young age, Josiah already understood that there was spiritual sickness in his land. Idols were sprouting up faster than crops in the countryside. Josiah began his search for God by cleaning up and destroying what ever he recognized as not belonging to the worship of the true God. In the process, God's Word was rediscovered. The king's intentions and the power of God's written revelation were brought together.

As the Book of God's law was read to Josiah, he was shocked, frightened and humbled. He realized that there was a great gap between his efforts to lead his people to God and God's expectations for his chosen people. Josiah was overwhelmed by God's Holiness and immediately tried to expose his people to that Holiness. The people did respond, but the Bible makes it clear that their renewed worship was much more out of respect for Josiah than out of a personal understanding of their own guilt before God.

How would you describe your relationship with God? Are your efforts based mostly on a desire to "go along" with well liked leaders or popular opinion? Or like Josiah, are you humbled by God's Word, realizing that great gap between you life and the one God expects? Good intentions are not enough. You must allow God to truly humble you and change your life.

Have you truly humbled yourself before God ? Do you know God? Do you know Jesus?

Are you certain that you are going to heaven? If the answer is no or your not really sure and there is something stirring inside you at this very moment to do this, then all you have to do is say a small prayer and you can be assured of your name being added to the Book of Life. Go to the prayer of salvation and pray the words out loud and believe in your heart and you will be saved.

Josiah's story is told in 2 Kings 21:24 - 23:30; 2 Chronicles 33:25 - 35:26. He is also mentioned in Jeremiah 1:1 - 3; 22:11, 18.

Content provided in whole or part by IBS-STL Global Life Application Study Bible, NIV.