We can’t talk about good kings without mentioning Josiah 約西亞 {yue1-xi1-ya3}, who was described like this in 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.”
That is a praise of the kind reserved for only a handful of kings in history. This remark is even more exceptional considering Josiah’s upbringing. His grandfather was King Manasseh, the worst king of Judah who spelled the doom of the kingdom. His father, King Amon, was no better. One can only speculate how this apple fell so far from the tree, and straight into the arms of the Lord.
Josiah’s notable accomplishments included his repair of the temple, during which his staff found the Book of the Law. Upon reading the book and realizing that his forefathers had completely forgotten and forsaken the Lord, Josiah quickly repented and sought the Lord for direction. With obedience, he led his countrymen to renew the covenant with the Lord, thoroughly abolished idolatry from all Judah, and reinstituted the necessary festivals as written in the Book.
Depending on whom you ask, Josiah’s life may or may not have ended with a perfect report card. 2 Kings recorded no wrongdoings of Josiah, him being the only one among all kings of Judah, Israel, and the United Kingdom of Israel. Yes, it’s a big deal.
However, 2 Chronicles contains more details on Josiah’s death. When Necho, Pharoah of Egypt, invaded Carchemish, Josiah joined the battle to oppose him. Necho claimed that he was sent by God and advised Josiah to go home. Josiah refused the offer and was mortally wounded.
The Bible doesn’t clarify whether Necho was bluffing or really sent by God. God has indeed used foreign nations as His instruments before (Isa 10:5-7, Dan 2:37-38). Meanwhile, some of the godless people have also falsely claimed to have come from God (2 Ki 18:25). Should Josiah believe Necho? I honestly don’t know.
Interestingly, Necho wasn’t even invading Judah! Carchemish was very likely part of the Assyrian empire at that time. Opposing Necho was defacto aiding Assyria, which was probably not the best idea. That, coupled with Necho’s suggestion, perhaps should have made anyone pause.
Either way, what’s important for us is this. People act differently when facing God’s instruction and admonition. Some return to God while others turn further away. Amidst a fast downward spiral of the entire nation, Josiah gained unlikely favor and reprieve for himself and his people through his humility, wisdom, and obedience. I think we can all take a page from his book, no pun intended.
Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash