“Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according to that which was written in the law of the LORD, And his deeds, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah” – 2 Chronicles 35:26-27(KJV).
Josiah the King of Israel no doubt left an indelible mark in the history of Israel as a nation. He left a good name and a wonderful memorial. The scriptures testified to the wonderful deeds of Josiah in his total and complete pursuit after God. To think that he began to rule as a child at the age of eight and achieved such a great fit of completely purging Judah of all abominations and uncleanness and to perform one of the greatest Passover after Samuel, the prophet, is an unequalled achievement by any king before him, not even David his father. Hear what the scripture says concerning him; “And there was no Passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet: neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah, and all Israel that were present, and inhabitants of Jerusalem” -2 Chronicles 35:17-18(KJV). He gave willingly to the things of the LORD. He endeared himself to the people. He pointed the people to their God by very clear example. He encouraged the people to seek after their God. Mind you, he ruled the land as a youth in the major part of his reign. He demonstrated an unequalled love for God. During his reign, the land had peace because he was in partnership with Almighty God. See what the scripture says about him, “Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house..” – 2 Chronicles 35:8(KJV). Josiah left a name and memorial that will ever remain in the history of Israel.
The question that should occupy our mind as we meditate on this is, what name and memorial will you be leaving behind when you must have gone? What will people remember you for? For good or for evil? What will posterity judge you with? what will people mourn your death for? Will some be mourning you because of the huge debt you are owing them? Will there be an orphan mourning you because of your positive disposition towards him? How many life would your life have touched positively? Hear what Job said about himself in Job 29:12-17(KJV) “Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgement was as a robe and a diadem. I was eye to the blind, feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I break the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth”. It may interest us to note that Job did these in his youth. What gave Job his immense riches is clearly stated in Job 29:4(KJV), “As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle”. He contacted the secret of God in his youth and became the richest man in the east in his days. The fear of the LORD was the secret of Job; “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” – Psalm 91:1(KJV). How genuine are your ways? Will people remember you for your uprightness or for your greed and selfish life? PLEASE PONDER OVER THESE QUESTIONS AND FIND THE ANSWERS IN YOUR HEART.
Prayer: O Lord, give me a humble spirit and a diligent heart to seek after you like the hart pants after the brooks of water.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo