2 Kings 22:19, “…because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants…and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I have also heard you…”

King Josiah After the reign of Solomon, Israel divided into two kingdoms. Over a period of 200 years, Judah was ruled by 12 kings. –Four of those kings were good. –Eight of them were evil. King Josiah was one of the good kings of the southern kingdom. –“And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:2).

King Josiah Josiah began ruling at age eight after his father was murdered (21:23-22:1). After eighteen years of rule, Josiah’s servants found “the book of the Law” (22:3-10). Sadly, this book had gone unread and unheeded for years in Judah’s previous reign of evil (22:11-20). After reading, Josiah realizes the wrath of God Judah will face for its sins. Therefore, Josiah takes it upon himself to obey the “Book of the Law” and cleanse Judah’s iniquity (23). Because of his work, the Scriptures declare of him… –“Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord wih all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him” (23:25). For those who hope to fulfill Jesus “great commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38) we can learn from Josiah…

He Did Not Use His Circumstances as An Excuse Notice the characterization of Josiah’s father and predecessor, Amon, in 2 Kings 21:19-24; 22:2, –“Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem…And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. So he walked in all the ways that his father had walked; and he served the idols that his father had served, and worshipped them. He forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord. Then the servants of Amon conspired against him, and killed the king in his own house. But the people of the land executed all those who had conspired against King Amon. Then the people of the land made his son Josiah king in his place…And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord…”

He Did Not Use His Circumstances as An Excuse We live in a culture that uses victimization as an excuse to do wrong. Josiah was a victim of… –An evil culture. –A long line of wicked monarchs. –Personal tragedy within his family. Yet, none of this is used as an excuse to sin…instead his life defies his culture. Claiming to be a “victim of circumstances” will not save one from hell on the judgment day. God demands the same of “all men everywhere”-- repentance (Acts 17:30-31).

2 Kings 22:3-4, 8-11, –“Now it came to pass, in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the scribe, the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the Lord, saying: ‘Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money that has been brought into the house of the Lord…Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. So Shaphan the scribe, went to the king, bringing the king word…saying, ‘Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.’ And Shaphan read it before the king. Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes.” He Applied God’s Word Personally

For Josiah, the truth hit him first and foremost. Sermons are not just… –For your neighbors. –For the person down the pew. Before you apply the word to anyone…apply it first to yourself. –James 1:21-25 –Matthew 7:1-5 Preaching should feel like it is personal (2 Timothy 4:2). He Applied God’s Word Personally

He Realized Progress May Mean Going Backwards 2 Kings 22:12-13, –“Then the king commanded…‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” Josiah had to admit his ancestors had gone astray from God somewhere in the past.

He Realized Progress May Mean Going Backwards Being “religious” was not merely enough for Israel. Israel needed to see where it had left God’s Word behind in favor of their own religious traditions. If Christians, families and churches are to correct their error they may need to go backwards. –Jesus condemned the Jewish habit of “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). –John demanded we not “go beyond” the “doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9-11). Real progress will be made towards unity when Christians admit where they left Christ’s doctrine. Compare your practice to that of the New Testament church and ask “have we changed?”

He Exhibited True Repentance The inspired account in Kings informs us… –Josiah mourned for his and Israel’s spiritual condition (2 Kings 22:11,13). –He tried to help others see their error (23:1-2). –He vowed to obey God’s covenant (23:3). –He forcefully ridded Judah of unauthorized religious practices and restored proper worship in Judah(22:4-25).

He Exhibited True Repentance Imagine yourself as a 21 st -century Josiah. –We realize we have gone beyond God’s Word. –We commit ourself to doing only what the New Testament authorizes as a Christian—no excuses. What would we have to change about ourselves in order for us to be restored to New Testament Christianity? –Name (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:2)? –Origin (Acts 2:47) –Organization (Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23)? –Worship (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16)? –Work (Acts 11:27-30, 13:1-3; Ephesians 4:11-16)? –Doctrine (1 Peter 4:11; 2 John 9-11)? –Morals (Galatians 5:19-21)?

Do we have a heart that is tender to God’s commands? Open your heart to the Lord and obey Him without delay (Acts 16:13-15).