Famous Kings - Josiah

At Age 16 

Josiah Pursues God 

“For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, … (2 Chronicles 34:3, ESV)  

At Age 20 

Josiah Purges the Nation 

"…and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images.”  (2 Chronicles 34:3, ESV)  

At Age 24 

Josiah Prioritizes Worship 

“Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. They came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God…. And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house. They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.” (2 Chronicles 34:8–11, ESV)  

Josiah Practiced Remorse and Repentance 

“While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord given through Moses. … Shaphan brought the book to the king, … And Shaphan read from it before the king. And when the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes.” (2 Chronicles 34:14–19, ESV)  

Josiah Presented the Nation For Mercy 

“And the king went up to the house of the Lord, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.” (2 Kings 23:2–3, ESV)  

Questions: 

1. What are you doing to help children in their understanding of God? 

2. Who are you influencing? 

3. What do you need to restore in your life to return your passion for Christ?