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JOSIAH WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD WHEN HE BECAME KING

Text: 2 Chronicles 34
23 May 2010

(I) SEEKING AFTER GOD WHILE BEING YOUNG

1. Given a great responsibility as a young boy

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.” 2 Chronicles 34:1

2. Capable of doing right in the sight of God

“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 34:2

3. He sought after the Lord while he was young

“For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David;” 2 Chronicles 34:3

(II) THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF JOSIAH

1. He dealt with that which was wrong…he purged the land of idolatry

“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

2. He was concerned for the temple of the Lord…sought to repair the temple

“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

(III) SENSITIVITY TO THE LORD’S WORD

1. Discovery of the Lord’s word again

“Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it before the king.” 2 Chronicles 34:18

2. Expressed grief when the Lord’s Word was read to him

“Thus it happened, when the king heard the words of the Law, that he tore his clothes.”

2 Chronicles 34:19

3. Sought to inquire of the Lord

“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.” 2 Chronicles 34:21

4. A word from the Lord

a) Judgment was pronounced on all the people of Judah ( 2 Chronicles 34:23-25 )

b) Josiah would be spared for humbling himself before God ( 2 Chronicles 34:26, 27 )

c) He would be gathered to his grave in peace ( 2 Chronicles 34:28 )

(IV) SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO THE LORD

1. Read the book of covenant to the people (2 Chronicles 34:30)

2. Made a covenant between God and Israel…to follow the Lord and His commandments (2 Chronicles 34:31)

3. Commitment not to depart from the Lord

“All his days they did not depart from following the LORD God of their fathers.” 2 Chronicles 34:33

(V) SPECIAL ENCOURAGEMENT TO HELP CHILDREN

1. To help children seek after God when they are young.

2. To help them determine between what is right and what is wrong. They can discern

3. To help them to grow up being sensitive to the Lord’s Word and to be committed to it.