Lord of all Creation, Know His Love, Here in Your Presence, Even (I’ll Still Praise), Christ is Enough

What did you seek, thinking it would give you happiness when you were younger?

Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David and did not turn aside to the right or to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, 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 Asherim, the carved images and the molten images.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’

Josiah became king when he was 8 years old. He reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. He had a bad grandfather, Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:1-2). His father, Amon, also did evil in the sight of the Lord (2 Chronicles 33:21-22). King Josiah did right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 34:2). He turned out differently from his grandfather and father; he sought God (2 Chronicles 34:3). Where did young Josiah receive godly influence? God’s prophets like Jeremiah (who served in Josiah’s lifetime) may have spoken to the life of King Josiah (Jeremiah 29:13). We should seek Him with all our heart, and young king Josiah did.

GET RID OF IDOLS (2 Chronicles 34:1-8)

Josiah was 8 years old when he became king (2 Kings 22:1, 2 Chronicles 34:1). On the eighth year of his reign (at 16 years old), he began to seek God (2 Chronicles 34:3). In the twelfth year (at 20 years old), he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images (2 Chronicles 34:3).

It did not say that he immediately got rid of idols. The Christian life is a journey or process. God takes us as we are and begins working in our life. As God teaches us something, we respond in obedience. As a young boy, Josiah did not know all the evil going on in the land but when he matured and realized they had many idols, he set out to get rid of them.

God still said Josiah was a good king. He did not fault Josiah for not getting rid of the idols when he was 8, or 16 years old. God in His wisdom and power knows us so well that He understands that sometimes we don’t even know we have an idol. It takes time as we learn and grow to realize there are things in our lives that God doesn’t like.

People thought that Baal (god of sun and rain) and Asherah (goddess of moon and fertility) were the source of prosperity, success, comfort, and security in life (v.4). Josiah getting rid of idols let the people know that these are the wrong places to look for those things. He got rid of them completely (v.5, 7). God hates idols; they become a snare to us that weighs us down in life (Psalm 106:36). They are worthless (Jeremiah 2:5)!

After that, God gave Josiah a new mission (v.8). When they were fixing the temple, God gave them the greatest gift. When we get rid of idols it opens our life to receive things from God that we cannot imagine. They found the Book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses. Josiah was 26 years old when that took place.

Truth: True life and joy are found in the right ordering of our lives, with God at the center.

Application: Surrender and get rid of any modern-day idol.

OBEY HIS WORD (2 Chronicles 34:19-21, 24-33)

When Josiah heard from God’s law what they were supposed to do (that they had not read for years), he realized how much they disobeyed God (vv.19-21). There was repentance and reverence. Have a holy fear of the Lord (vv.24-25). If we don’t get rid of idols, there is judgment.

God showed kindness to King Josiah (vv.26-28) with a promise of peace in his generation.

God’s Word is the key to obedience (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). God told them how to be a good king through His word. For all of us, God wants us to be good children of the King by reading His word; God’s word changes us.

The king read all of the Book to the people (vv.29-30) and he made a covenant with God to walk before Him, and obey His word with all his heart and soul (v.31). All those who were there also did according to the covenant (vv.32-33). Throughout the lifetime of Josiah, they did not turn from following the Lord. It’s like an oasis in the desert. In between bad kings, one good king changes an entire lifetime. We can do this in our generation!

Truth: God has His commands for your protection and lasting joy.

Application: Don’t delay. Obey right away to experience joy all the way.

DEPEND ON HIM (2 Chronicles 35:18)

When they found God’s word, they celebrated the Passover (2 Chronicles 35:18). The Passover was something written in the law that they must do. King Josiah immediately made a covenant and he then celebrated the Passover. There has not been a Passover like this since the time of Samuel.  There was a celebration unlike any other, right before God allowed Judah to be conquered.  One king chose to be different from his father and his grandfather.  He put in his heart to get rid of idols and obey.

The  Passover feast reminds the Jews that they could not save themselves. They needed God. They needed the blood of the lamb. Jesus is our Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7b). We cannot even start to get rid of idols or obey God unless we first experience Jesus as our Passover lamb (Romans 6:23, John 3:16). Salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone. We do not add to it or take away from it.

Doing good matters; we are called to do good because we are children of the King. We will be held to account for how we live today.  Someday we will be asked whether we were faithful with the gift of salvation and the knowledge of Jesus Christ and His word. So let us do good, not to “go to heaven” but because we are going to heaven (Galatians 5:16).

Truth: Faith in Jesus alone saves us, and by His power alone can we let go of idols and obey.

Application: Trust in Jesus alone for salvation and then rely on Him to surrender and obey!

What are you hoping in for happiness? Is God in the center of that hope?

Is there a possible idol in your life? If yes, how will you put God in front of it?

What is something you can start doing to depend on God and His power more?

Who is someone you can share Jesus with? Start praying for them!

Pray for loved ones to experience salvation in Christ.

Walk alongside another person in their faith journey.

Share the gospel to someone this week.

• Worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do in our lives.

• Upright and moral governance of public servants; repentance and salvation for government leaders and citizens for a Christ-centered Philippines.

• God’s help and comfort for the Sudanese people caught in violence and conflict.

• War in Ukraine to end, loss of lives prevented; tension in East Asian and Middle East countries to stop.

• Continue to pray for the rest of Israeli hostages to be restored back to their families safely. Pray for Israel and the war with terrorists to end according to God’s purpose and for His glory.

• For the recent political and social upheaval in the US to result in spiritual awakening in the church and a great spiritual harvest.

• That CCF Members would honor and love God and make disciples.

• Elders, pastors, dleaders, and families (holy, humble, harmonious, happy, heart-working).

• Ministries and churches expansion worldwide.

• Worship and Training Center

• Prayer Mountain

• Deeper intimate relationship with God.

• Righteous living.

• Salvation of family and friends.

But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My  people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’