Josiah

In short

He became king at age eight and was one of the very best kings Judah had. He was also the last good king in Jerusalem. After he died, Judah rocketed downhill until it was taken captive by Babylon, about 23 years later.

Why he is important

Josiah basically just delayed the inevitable doom of Judah that was due it, but wow, did he do a good job at it! Oh, if only the kings before him could have been half as faithful as Josiah, what could have been! But that’s not what happened.

Stories about Josiah

1. Birth and iconoclasm* prophesied about 400 years earlier (1Ki 13:1-2; fulfilled in 2Ki 23:15, 20)
2. Father and grandfather (Amon and Menasseh) were horrible examples (2Ki 21:19-20)
3. Became king at age 8 (2Ki 22:1)
4. At age 16, seeks the LORD and destroys the idols (2Ch 34:3)
5. At age 26, orders the repair of the temple (2Ki 22:3-7; 2Ch 34:8-13)
6. In the process of the repairs, they find the Book of the Law, and Josiah is devastated as he knows they are all doomed for the sins of the older generations (2Ki 22:11-13; 2Ch 34:19-21)
7. Huldah the prophetess agrees – they’re doomed. But the LORD says He will bless Josiah in his lifetime. And then doom. (2Ki 22:14-20; 2Ch 34:22-28)
8. Josiah continued to gut the nation of idolatry during his life (2Ki 23:1-20)
9. Like Hezekiah, reinstitutes the Passover after a long absence (2Ki 23:21-25; 2Ch 35:1-19)
10. Did battle with Pharaoh Neco and lost his own life (2Ki 23:29-30; 2Ch 35:20-25)

Things that are not so well-known

• Dad (Amon) was only 16 when Josiah was born, apparently (2Ki 21:19, 26 + 2Ki 22:1). I think that’s the youngest genealogy in the Bible.
• There was a king younger than Josiah; Joash (also named Jehoash) was 7 when he became king (2Ki 11:21). It can be difficult to keep the two of them straight.
• Josiah sought the LORD at age 16 even without the Book of the Law (which was found ten years later)
• Josiah’s death was avoidable, it seems, according to 2Ch 35:22. It says that Pharaoh’s words were “from the mouth of God.”

Theology and doctrine

Some of Jeremiah’s prophecy takes place in the days of Josiah (Jer 1:2) and mostly in the time of his sons (Jer 1:3). Josiah’s sons did not do well.

Footnotes

* An iconoclast tears down idols and/or religious institutions and objects, literally or figuratively. Josiah was the good kind, tearing down statues and altars for false gods.

Check out older lessons and the schedule for this whole year at www.jasonmcdermott.org.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.