Introduction:

 

Greetings Friends and welcome to our guests.  Kids pay special attention to this message:  it is about you, your parents and so many others who are striving to following God and giving help it in a troubled world.

 

We are being called and led to doing well in an age of seemingly never-ending strife.  The world is being shaken to its very foundations.    Isa 59:14 says Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away; for truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter.

 

First in the library check with any librarian on duty and let them know you might like to have an mp3 CD which touches on my message for today; one message by Randy Stiver concerns “Heresies” 5-31-14, and Bill Bradford's message on lawlessness or God’s Law. 10-26-13[1]

 

Meanwhile, in a recent Bible Reading Program earlier this week we came across the story of a young King Josiah.[2]

 

Synopsis:  We are told young King Josiah who at only 8 years of age did right in the sight of the Lord.  What lessons can we, the young and old, learn from this young king?   Also, what lessons as Christians can we learn about the rearing and nurturing of children in the ways of the Lord, especially at the approaching of Pentecost tomorrow.

                                

The title of my split sermon is “Josiah – the Raising a Young King”

 

Body:                               

 

1. 1.  The Training of Young a Child Who is to be a King

 

Kids listen!  This is a story about YOU!  Not just about us older people! So many kids AND adults are falling into the trap of doing wrong and getting into trouble, even as we as a nation drift from many sound and basic moral standards.

 

1. A.  First Background:  Before speaking on King Josiah let me briefly mention 2 other young kings:  Manasseh 12,  Joash 7 years old. 

 

Read this from 2Ki 21:1-2 (ESV) Manasseh was twelve years old  (Imagine that!) when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.  His mother's name was Hephzibah.  2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.   

 

In other words, he was corrupted from an early age by the evil around him.  This does not reflect well on his upbringing, even though his dad was King Hezekiah who did well.  What went wrong?  Keep this in mind: Be certain to guard your mind!

 

Let me also read in 2Ch 24:1-2  Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2  And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD - BUT NOTE THIS CLARIFICATION all the days of Jehoiada the priest.  Note v15-17   As long as the priest was there, Joash did right, but it was a different story after Jehoiada died. 

 

Something was wrong!  Something was missing!  Each of us needs to be careful to guard our minds. 

 

2. B.  Now we come to Josiah:  Josiah became king at 8 years old.  Let’s turn to 2Ki 22:1  Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.

 

Josiah’s dad is not mentioned here but his grandfather was Manasseh who did evil from an early age.   But his great-grandfather was King Hezekiah a godly king.

 

So why the difference, between these 3 kings?

 

Let’s take notice of this:  Read 2Ch 34:3(-7) For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images. {Who taught him that?} 

 

Then let’s skip down to where they rediscovered the Book of the Law.  2Ch 34:21  "Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been 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."  Remember though, God is merciful and provides help when we seek HIM!

 

IMPORTANT  But who taught him to do well?  Surely it was not his grandfather Manasseh, who did great evil.

 

2. 2.   How do we go wrong?

 

1. A.  Josiah did well but something happened

 

2Ch 34:27-28, 31-32  because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the LORD. 28  Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.'" And they brought back word to the king. 31 And the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32 Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

 

So where did King Josiah go wrong?  In an article about Josiah, a minister, Mr. Aust,  said this “Although Josiah was a man of many admirable qualities, even righteous people can make foolish mistakes. Josiah's greatest mistake—at an early age—cost him his life. … Josiah exhibited a common weakness. His reliance on his own reasoning apart from God's revelation clouded his judgment. We find no record that Josiah asked for counsel from his faithful advisers, nor that he sought God's will in this matter as he had consulted with Huldah during his early reign.”

 

Each of us, young and old are to seek “wise counsel and good advice”!

1.  
2. B.  Another story: Louie Zamperini  (Mr McGee book)

 

Example from WW II:   Louie Zamperini, a former Olympic star runner of track, was in the air force and when his plane was shot down he and the survivors endured 47 days on a rubber raft gradually starving to death, with sharks circling the raft for the kill.

 

One man died and when they threw the body overboard the sharks did not bother with him.  The men had lost about 1/3 of their body weight.

 

In addition to circling sharks the raft was strafed by Japanese planes.  Eventually, they landed on the Marshall Islands only to be captured and they were held in captivity and severely beaten and mistreated until the end of the war in August 1945.

Louie Zamperini’s anger and hatred for “The Bird” (Mutsuhiro Watanabe), one of his captors,  drove him to serious drinking and tormenting dreams.  At one point he dreamt that he was fighting his nemesis, "The Bird".  He began strangling him until he woke up to the screams of his pregnant wife as he was choking the life out of her.

He fought and struggled against his nemesis in his mind and decided to go to Japan and kill “The Bird”.

IMPORTANT:  However, at one point in his life he remembered a promise he made to God, While on the life raft He had this to say:  “If you will save me I will serve you forever”. [3]

 

He then committed his life to doing what was right to the best of his knowledge and dedicated his life to serving others and God.  Also with the change of heart and mind, peace came over him and as he forgave others.  The anger, hatred left him and he forgave his tormentors.  He went on to lead a productive and happy life; he ended up being a good role model for others.  He was recognized during the Olympics at Sochi, Russia as being a very positive example to others!

 

Are we good role models to others?

 

3. 3.  Fruits of the Holy Spirit

 

In the life of Josiah  we realize and ought to consider some Biblical principles:

We recall from Proverbs 22:6 (ASV)  Train up a child in the way he should go, And even when he is old he will not depart from it.   Does this mean we never make mistakes along the way?  Obviously, we ought to be diligent through our lives.

 

Someone on the scene to help guide:  2Ti 1:5  (ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

 

There were those around Josiah who guided him in his youth and possibly warned him of the dangers life can bring our way.  There was for me over many years as I am sure there is for each of us-young or old.

 

We read this in Prov 3:5 (ESV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  No matter what, this Scripture really is addressing personal responsibility and in making the mistake he did King Josiah set an example for us in what not to do!

 

Pro_28:14  Happy is the man that feareth alway; But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

 

King Josiah fell into the trap of leaning to his own understanding!!

 

Conclusion:

 

In conclusion, someone was there for King Josiah; someone was there for Louie Zamperini.  Some are there for each of us, both young and old.  But when all is said and done we will be held personally accountable for what we do and say.

 

In thinking back to when I was young, I thank God for providing a guiding hand through people who came along at the right moment and said, “Don’t do that.” or “That is not funny.”

 

If any of you young or old need help, seek help-seek wise counsel.  It is NEVER, too late!

 

Let me leave you with a quote and a Scripture:  "It's better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction." - Diane Grane
 

Luk 21:34-36  "But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35  For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36  But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

 

Choose life! Choose right character!  And to all of us be committed to your calling!  Learn the lessons well!

 

[1] http://www.ucg.org/sermon/gods-commandments-lawless-world/10-26-2013 http://members.ucg.org/sermon/heresiography5-31-14 

[2] http://www.ucg.org/christian-living/profiles-faith-josiah-kingdom-returns-god

 

[3] “Unbroken”, page 375