Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left. (2 Chronicles 34:1-2 )
Chronicles records that Josiah did many things right. The words above are just a synopsis of a life lived well.
However, it didn't keep Josiah from acting stupidly by needlessly meeting Neco of Egypt in battle, thus losing his life.
It also didn't protect him from failure in raising his children:
Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. (2 Chron. 36:5)
Jehoiachin [some translations indicate grandson others 18 years of age] was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. (2 Chron. 36:9)
Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. (2 Chron. 36:11-12)
It is good to know that when we blow it in our walk with God, even when we are trying to walk in His ways - when good isn't always perfect - that God's grace and mercy are sufficient.
Blessings,
Richard
2 comments:
I am currently reading/studying Josiah's story, myself. The question I keep asking is "who raised this kid?" His father and grandfather were about as bad as it gets, but Josiah takes over as an eight-year-old and does things right. He must have had a great mom. (?)
-mo
In reading through the books of the kings, it appears that the mothers may have had a stronger influence on their sons than their dads, but in Josiah's case, note that he was only 6 when his grandfather Manasseh died, therefore he may have only known the changed man - unlike his father who had experienced the wickedness of his father.
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