UNSUNG HERO
Pastor Victor Massey
Part of Unsung Heroes
June 12, 2022

UNSUNG HERO #1: JOSIAH

2 Chronicles 33:1-6, NIV
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. 3 He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 4 He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” 5 In both courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. 6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

2 Chronicles 33:9, NIV
Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.

2 Kings 21:16, NIV
Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end—besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 33:21-22, NIV
21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. 22 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done.

2 Kings 22:21-22, NIV
21  He followed completely the ways of his father, worshiping the idols his father had worshiped, and bowing down to them.  22  He forsook the Lord, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in obedience to him.

2 Chronicles 33:24-25, NIV
24  Amon’s officials conspired against him and assassinated him in his palace.  25  Then the people of the land killed all who had plotted against King Amon, and they made Josiah his son king in his place.

1 Chronicles 34:1, NIV
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was
still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.

2 Kings 23:25, NIV
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.

2 Chronicles 34:8, NIV
In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the Lord his God.

2 Chronicles 34:14, NIV
While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses.
 

2 Chronicles 34:22-28, NIV
22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah… 23 She said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me,  24 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people—all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all that their hands have made, my anger will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched.’ 26 Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: 27 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what he spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before me and tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Now I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.’” So they took her answer back to the king.

2 Chronicles 34:33, NIV
Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

2 Chronicles 35:1, NIV
Josiah celebrated the Passover to the Lord in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month.

WHAT JOSIAH TEACHES US:
• One can be raised in the worst possible environment yet still choose to follow God.
• It is wise to begin seeking and serving God while you are still young.
• Surround yourself with positive influences.
• Treasure the Word of God.
• Only Jesus can change a person’s heart.