1. One Mans Influence l "I'm only one person. What can I do?" Many times we hear these words from those around us. People think that one person cannot effect a change, that we do not make any difference. But it does not take an army to effect change. One man can profoundly affect a wayward nation. 1

2. One Mans Influence l All it takes to swing an election one way or the other is one vote. One vote has often approved or defeated a measure in congress or before the city government. It only takes one person taking an interest in a youngster to change the course of that youngster's life (mentor). 2

3. One Mans Influence l The Conditions Described –Manasseh's influence - 2 Chron. 33:2- 7 3

4. One Mans Influence 4 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem shall My name be forever." 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. 7 He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 2 Chronicles 33:2-7

5. One Mans Influence l The Conditions Described –Amon's influence - 2 Chron. 33:21-24 5

6. One Mans Influence 6 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22 But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done; for Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and served them. 23 And he did not humble himself before the LORD, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself; but Amon trespassed more and more. 24 Then his servants conspired against him, and killed him in his own house. 2 Chronicles 33:21-24

7. One Mans Influence l The Conditions Described –Astarte (sexually explicit idols of Canaanite fertility cult; associated with Baal cult prostitutes); aka as Asherah - 2 Kings 23:7 (qedeshim) 7

8. One Mans Influence 8 Then he tore down the ritual booths of the perverted persons (qedeshim) that were in the house of the LORD, where the women (qedeshot) wove hangings for the wooden image. 2 Kings 23:7

9. One Mans Influence l The Conditions Described –"Abominations" (2 Chron 34:33) - strongest words in Old Testament for repugnant to God. Included homosexuality, idolatry, human sacrifice, occult activities, dishonest business practices, ritual prostitution 9

10. One Mans Influence 10 Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the LORD their God. All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 34:33

11. One Mans Influence l The Basis Of His Approach –Doing God's will - 2 Chron. 34:1-2 11

12. One Mans Influence 12 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 2 Chronicles 34:1-2

13. One Mans Influence l The Basis Of His Approach –Possible parental influence of his mother »Jedidah (2 Kings 22:1) of Adaiah ( pleasing to Jehovah ). 13

14. One Mans Influence 14 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 Kings 22:1

15. One Mans Influence l The Basis Of His Approach –Possible parental influence of his mother »Jedidah (2 Kings 22:1) of Adaiah ( pleasing to Jehovah ). »Lois & Eunice so influenced Timothy - 2 Tim. 1:5 15

16. One Mans Influence 16 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 2 Timothy 1:5

17. One Mans Influence l The Course He Followed –Seeking God (age 16) as David - v. 3; Eccl. 12:1 17

18. One Mans Influence 18 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 2 Chronicles 34:3 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them": Ecclesiastes 12:1

19. One Mans Influence l The Course He Followed –Seeking God (age 16) as David - v. 3; Eccl. 12:1 –Cleaned house (age 20) v. 3-7 19

20. One Mans Influence 20 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images. 4 They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and the incense altars which were above them he cut down; and the wooden images, the carved images, and the molded images he broke in pieces, and made dust of them and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 6 And so he did in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali and all around, with axes. 7 When he had broken down the altars and the wooden images, had beaten the carved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:3-7

21. One Mans Influence l A Man Of Action –The Temple was abused & neglected - 2 Kings 18:14-16 21

22. One Mans Influence 22 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me I will pay." And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. 16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. 2 Kings 18:14-16

23. One Mans Influence l A Man Of Action –The Temple was abused & neglected - 2 Kings 18:14-16 »Indifference a great plague »Cannot be indifferent to evil - Eph. 5:11 23

24. One Mans Influence 24 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5:11

25. One Mans Influence l A Man Of Action –The Temple was abused & neglected - 2 Kings 18:14-16 »Indifference a great plague »Cannot be indifferent to evil - Eph. 5:11 –Temple needed repair, so get job done - v. 8 25

26. One Mans Influence 26 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. 2 Chronicles 34:8

27. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A startling discovery - v. 14 27

28. One Mans Influence 28 Now when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. 2 Chronicles 34:14

29. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A startling discovery - v. 14 »We do not have to lose our copy of Gods word to neglect it - Matt. 22:29 29

30. One Mans Influence 30 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. Matthew 22:29

31. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A startling discovery - v. 14 »We do not have to lose our copy of Gods word to neglect it - Matt. 22:29 »The source of any spiritual awakening is the imperishable word 31

32. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A penitent response - vs. 18-19 32

33. One Mans Influence 33 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read it before the king. 19 Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes. 2 Chronicles 34:18-19

34. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A penitent response - vs. 18-19 »Maybe King's responsibility - Deut. 17:18-20 34

35. One Mans Influence 35 Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel. Deuteronomy 17:18-20

36. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A penitent response - vs. 18-19 »Maybe King's responsibility - Deut. 17:18-20 »Maybe included curses of Deut. 28:15 ff; Lev. 26:14-17 36

37. One Mans Influence 37 But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, 16 I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. Leviticus 26:14-17

38. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A desire to know & do ALL God's will - vs. 21-22; Acts. 2:37 38

39. One Mans Influence 39 Go, inquire of the LORD for me, and for those who are left in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do according to all that is written in this book. 22 So Hilkiah and those the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect. 2 Chronicles 34:21-22 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Acts 2:37

40. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –A desire to know & do ALL God's will - vs. 21-22; Acts. 2:37 »Without true sorrow for sin, will be no desire to know more 40

41. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –Humility essential - v. 27; Mat. 18:4 41

42. One Mans Influence 42 "because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the LORD. 2 Chronicles 34:27 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4

43. One Mans Influence l A Receptive Heart –Humility essential - v. 27; Mat. 18:4 »Knowledge of sin will bring any man to his knees 43

44. One Mans Influence l Eagerness To Help All Men –Called to the leaders - v. 29 44

45. One Mans Influence 45 Then the king sent and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:29

46. One Mans Influence l Eagerness To Help All Men –Called to the leaders - v. 29 –Took initiative to read ALL the book - v. 30 46

47. One Mans Influence 47 The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem-the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 34:30

48. One Mans Influence l Eagerness To Help All Men –He renewed the covenant with God - v. 31-32 48

49. One Mans Influence 49 Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow 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 the covenant that were written in this book. 32 And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 34:31-32

50. One Mans Influence l Eagerness To Help All Men –He renewed the covenant with God - v. 31-32 »His personal commitment to follow God & perform! »We must let our light shine - Matt. 5:16 50

51. One Mans Influence 51 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

52. One Mans Influence l Eagerness To Help All Men –He renewed the covenant with God - v. 31-32 »His personal commitment to follow God & perform! »We must let our light shine - Matt. 5:16 –Blessed in his efforts - v. 33 52

53. One Mans Influence 53 Thus Josiah removed all the abominations from all the country that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were present in Israel diligently serve the LORD their God. All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 34:33

54. One Mans Influence l What can one person do? Most people say not very much. But according to what we read in the Bible, one person can save themselves and possibly influence the entire nation. 54

55. One Mans Influence l At the very least, a righteous person can have an influence on those around them. Not all will listen or be influenced by the actions of one. But then neither was the entire nation changed in the time of Josiah. But there were enough influenced by him that it had an effect on the judgment God sent on Judah. 55

56. One Mans Influence l What is your influence? Is it good? Or is it bad? 56