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Objective

In this lesson, we’ll learn that even the most faithful believers must continually seek God’s guidance and never become so comfortable in success that we stop listening for His voice.

Key Verse

2 Kings 23:25: Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

Introduction

Josiah stands as one of the brightest lights in Judah’s long history of kings. He began his reign during one of the darkest periods in the nation’s spiritual life, yet God used this young king to bring about the greatest revival Judah had ever experienced. The story of his life teaches us both inspiring lessons about wholehearted devotion to God and sobering warnings about the danger of acting without seeking divine guidance.

Most of the kings of Judah were measured against David’s example, and sadly, most fell far short of that standard. The northern kingdom of Israel had an even worse record—their kings consistently followed the sinful pattern established by Jeroboam, who led the people into idolatry from the very beginning of the divided kingdom.

2 Kings 22:2: He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

But Josiah was different. He pursued God with extraordinary passion and brought sweeping changes to his nation. Yet even this great king’s story contains a tragic ending that reminds us we must never stop depending on God’s wisdom, no matter how successful our service for Him may be.

In this lesson, we’ll examine two major aspects of Josiah’s remarkable life: ● The faithful reign of Josiah ● The tragic death of Josiah

The Faithful Reign of Josiah

Josiah became king when he was only eight years old, thrust into leadership at an age when most children are just learning to read. But something extraordinary happened in this young boy’s heart—he began to seek the Lord earnestly from his earliest years.

2 Chronicles 34:1-3: Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols.

Think about what this means. When Josiah was only sixteen years old, he began actively removing the false worship that had corrupted his nation for generations. By age twenty, he was leading a full-scale spiritual revolution. This reminds us that God can use anyone who has a heart wholly devoted to Him, regardless of age or experience.

Josiah’s reign became famous throughout Israel’s history for the comprehensive revival that transformed the nation under his leadership. His reforms touched every area of spiritual and national life:

First, He removed the idols from Judah. Josiah didn’t just remove a few obvious pagan shrines; he systematically destroyed every trace of false worship throughout the land, even extending his reforms into the territory that had belonged to the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Chronicles 34:3-7).

Second, He rebuilt the temple. The house of God had fallen into serious disrepair during the reigns of wicked kings, and Josiah made its restoration a top priority, ensuring that God’s people once again had a proper place for worship and sacrifice (2 Chronicles 34:8-13).

Third, He rediscovered God’s Word. During the temple repairs, workers found a copy of the Law that had been lost, and when it was read to Josiah, it broke his heart and transformed his understanding of what God required (2 Chronicles 34:14-33).

Fourth, He restored the Passover celebration. Josiah led the people in observing this crucial feast in a way that hadn’t been done since the days of the judges, reconnecting them with their covenant heritage (2 Chronicles 35:1-19).

When we study King Josiah, we should remember the prophetess Huldah, who confirmed the authenticity of the Book of the Law and called the king and the people back to covenant faithfulness (2 Kings 22:14-20). Huldah’s courage and authority helped ensure that Josiah’s reforms were grounded in God’s Word, showing us how God uses both men and women to guide His people toward righteousness.

What portion of God’s Word did Josiah rediscover in the temple? Most Bible teachers believe it was the book of Deuteronomy because of the nature of Josiah’s reforms and the emphasis on wholehearted obedience that characterized his reign. Another reason for thinking this is that the Bible quotes directly from Deuteronomy when describing Josiah’s devotion to God.

2 Kings 23:25: Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

Deuteronomy 6:5: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

This connection reminds us that true obedience to God is always a matter of the heart, not just external religious activity. (Notebook Moment: When you think about your own relationship with God, would you describe it as wholehearted devotion like Josiah’s, or are there areas of your life where you’re holding back from complete surrender to His will?)

Josiah provides an excellent pattern for all believers today. We are called to remove the “idols” from our own lives, to build up the body of Christ through faithful service, to treasure and obey God’s Word, and to worship together with other believers in ways that honor our Lord.

The Tragic Death of Josiah

Josiah was at the peak of his power and influence when international events drew him into a conflict that would cost him his life. War had broken out between Egypt and the declining Assyrian Empire, and Judah found itself caught in the middle of this great power struggle. Pharaoh Neco of Egypt was marching his army north through the land of Israel to help the Assyrians fight against the rising power of Babylon.

Josiah made a fateful decision to intercept the Egyptian army at Megiddo, a strategic location that controlled the important trade route through the Jezreel Valley. But before the battle began, Neco sent messengers to Josiah with an unexpected warning.

2 Chronicles 35:21-22: But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.” Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. He would not listen to what Neco had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo.

This presents us with one of the most puzzling episodes in Josiah’s life. Here was a pagan king claiming to speak for the God of Israel, while the most godly king in Judah’s recent history refused to listen to what God was apparently saying through this unlikely messenger.

This reminds us that God sometimes speaks to us through unexpected sources. We see this pattern elsewhere in Scripture with figures like Balaam, who prophesied about the coming Messiah despite his own spiritual problems; Cyrus, the Persian king whom God called His “anointed” to restore the Jewish exiles; and even Caiaphas, the high priest who unknowingly prophesied about Jesus’ substitutionary death.

The battle at Megiddo ended in tragedy. Josiah was struck by Egyptian archers and died from his wounds at the young age of thirty-nine. The entire nation mourned the loss of their greatest king.

2 Chronicles 35:24-25: So his servants took him out of his chariot, put him in his other chariot and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his ancestors, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.

What does Josiah’s death teach us? His tragic end at Megiddo provides several important lessons for our own spiritual lives:

• Not every battle is one we should fight right now. We need discernment from the Lord to know when to engage and when to wait.
• We should never become so busy that we fail to be quiet before God. Even our service for the Lord can distract us from listening to His voice.
• We should expect God to speak to us in unusual ways. Like Josiah, we might miss God’s message if we’re only listening through familiar channels.
• We should be the person God has called us to be. Josiah disguised himself in armor, trying to be something he wasn’t, rather than trusting God as the king he was called to be.

➤ The Story of Jehoshaphat

The story of another good king of Judah helps us understand these principles more clearly. Jehoshaphat made similar mistakes but learned important lessons that Josiah apparently forgot.

Earlier in his reign, Jehoshaphat had allied himself with the wicked King Ahab of Israel in a battle against Syria. Like Josiah, he entered a conflict without properly seeking God’s guidance first.

2 Chronicles 18:1-3: Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.”

In that battle, Ahab disguised himself, hoping the enemy would focus their attacks on Jehoshaphat instead. The plan backfired, and Ahab was killed while Jehoshaphat barely escaped with his life. This experience taught Jehoshaphat an important lesson about the danger of acting without God’s clear guidance.

Later, when the Moabites and Ammonites invaded Judah, Jehoshaphat responded very differently. Instead of rushing into battle, he brought his fears directly to the Lord and led his people in prayer.

2 Chronicles 20:3-4: Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Jehoshaphat’s humble prayer reveals the attitude that Josiah should have maintained: (Notebook Moment: Notice how Jehoshaphat acknowledges his complete dependence on God’s wisdom and power. How might your own decision-making process change if you consistently approached difficult situations with this same humble dependence on God?)

2 Chronicles 20:12: Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

Because Jehoshaphat waited for God’s direction, he received clear guidance through a prophet who told him he wouldn’t even need to fight—God Himself would win the battle.

2 Chronicles 20:15-17: He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow march down against them… You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'”

This same pattern of God fighting for His people appears throughout Scripture—at Jericho, when the walls fell after Israel simply obeyed God’s unusual battle plan; against the Assyrians, when God’s angel destroyed an entire army in one night. There’s an important application here for our personal lives: we need wisdom to know which battles we should fight ourselves and which ones we should leave entirely in God’s hands.

Exodus 23:22: If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.

Romans 8:33-34: Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

You might wonder about the prophecy that promised Josiah would die in peace. God had indeed promised through the prophetess Huldah that Josiah would not see the destruction that was coming upon Jerusalem.

2 Kings 22:20: Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.

This prophecy was specifically referring to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Josiah would not live to see that terrible judgment, and in that sense, he did die “in peace”—spared from witnessing the end of everything he had worked to restore. (Notebook Moment: Sometimes God’s protection takes forms we don’t expect or initially understand. Can you think of situations in your own life where God’s protection became clear only in hindsight?)

Conclusion

Josiah’s story demonstrates how the rediscovery and wholehearted obedience to Scripture can bring remarkable renewal and blessing to God’s people, but it also points beyond itself to a greater truth. Even the most faithful human leadership cannot provide permanent solutions to the problem of sin and rebellion.

Josiah’s reforms could not ultimately prevent Judah’s descent into exile, but they laid a foundation of hope that would sustain God’s people through the dark years ahead. The same God who raised up this godly king would one day send the perfect King—Jesus Christ, the true Son of David whose reign brings lasting transformation, reconciliation, and renewal.

Josiah’s legacy challenges each of us to respond to God’s Word with the same sincerity and wholehearted action that characterized his life. But it also reminds us to look ahead with hope to the day when all of God’s promises find their ultimate “yes” in Christ, bringing complete restoration for all God’s people.

Jeremiah 23:5-6: “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

2 Corinthians 1:20: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

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