“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem” (2 Kings 22:1).
The world has seen some very young monarchs. King Henry VI, for instance, became the king of England when he was only eight months old. And Alfonso XIII of Spain and John I of France both became kings on the day they were born.
Still, Josiah’s crowning at eight years of age is quite impressive. But there is something far more remarkable about his life. To understand it, you need to look at the reigns of his grandfather Manasseh and his father Amon. Both of these men were very wicked. They turned away from God to worship idols, and they promoted this wickedness throughout their realm.
Josiah grew up in that kind of environment, yet the Bible says “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). But how can we explain this? He obviously did not receive godly instruction or example from his father; it’s possible but very unlikely that his mother was faithful to God. So where did Josiah’s faithfulness come from?
Scripture tells us that Jesus, the Creator, is the “true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9). Through His Holy Spirit, God appeals to the conscience of every person. With great mercy He pursues each of His precious children, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
Josiah listened to the voice of God and allowed His Spirit to permeate his life so that it became second nature for him to reject the evil choices of his predecessors. By His grace, the one true God found a home in the heart of this boy. Has He found a home in your heart?
Dear Lord, let Your transforming light fill my heart today and every day.
