The more we meditate upon the activities of Josiah, the more remarkable it seems that a young man of twenty should have attempted and accomplished such great things for God. There is no hint in the sacred records of any backing on the part of the leaders of the people; and as for the people themselves, the early chapters of the book of Jeremiah reveals that their hearts were not with the king in his godly efforts, although they did not actively oppose him. It is a story of individual faith in God, on the part of a young man who perceived that things were very wrong round about him, and who earnestly desired, by the help of God, to put them right.
The Word of God contains much encouragement for young men. Some of the outstanding characters in the Bible were young. It is sufficient to mention that Joseph, Jonathan, David, Elihu and Timothy in addition to Josiah (Jeremiah and Zechariah, among the prophets, were both young men). We are living far down the dispensation, and departure from God and His truth is widespread. Also there is a deplorable lack of spiritual energy in the work of God. We would appeal to the young men to get to their Bibles, and exercise their minds and hearts about what they find there. You must not allow yourselves to be discouraged in your efforts by the criticisms of old men. We should always treat with respect what others may say to us, but we must not allow it to break our hearts and cast us back from useful service. Old men are apt to become set in their ways, and limited in their outlook. With them too often what has been should still be; no reconsideration of the situation can be tolerated! The grip of tradition can be very firm and injurious even over those who have long stood aloof from the hoary evils of Christendom. It is possible to reject traditions a thousand years old and yet be slaves to traditions of scarcely fifty years standing.
Dear aged brethren, it is an old man of long and wide experience who is addressing you. Do not discourage young men. Do not snub the Josiahs of twenty years old. You may perhaps feel within yourselves that things are not as they should be, and possibly there is with you a feeling of weariness due to declining strength which may dispose you to settle down to things as they are, rather than speak and act boldly for God. Give yourselves to prayer that God may be pleased to raise up faithful young men; but beware how you damp their energy when it begins to operate. It is admitted that young men can be forward and troublesome in the assemblies; but so can men who are far from being young. Have we not seen brethren assuming the work of oversight with no spiritual qualifications? And have not such men, by displays of petty authority sometimes blocked spiritual activities? Young men should never despise the counsel of the aged, and the aged should never discourage the zeal of the young. Let us help one another to a better understanding of the will of the Lord.
Josiah was desirous of keeping a Passover unto Jehovah. This was Israel’s great foundation feast. Under the shelter of the blood of the lamb the people were spared the judgment which fell upon the Egyptians. God would have this kept in perpetual remembrance by a grateful people. Alas! the feast lapsed frequently. The paschal lamb was typical of Christ who has been “sacrificed for us” (1 Cor. 5:7). The Lord’s Supper differs somewhat from the Passover in that it is not a mere memorial of a great deliverance, but a remembrance of the Person who wrought the deliverance for us. “This do in remembrance of ME,” were our Lord’s words (Luke 22:19).
Josiah’s Passover was kept in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he was twenty-six years old (2 Chron. 35:19). The purging of the land and of the temple took a considerable time. The king rightly felt that Jehovah must be worshipped in pure surroundings. “Exalt Jehovah our God, and worship at His holy hill; for Jehovah our God is holy.” Thus spake the Psalmist (Psa. 99:9). In Hosea 11:9, God spoke of Himself as “the holy One in the midst of thee.” Every householder in Israel was responsible to search his house for any trace of leaven before the Passover could at any time be properly kept (Exodus 12:15). In Josiah’s day the land was full of abominations; not only the idols themselves, but also the filthy practices which are always connected with idolatry. It apparently required eight years of energetic action to clear all this away. No evil should be glossed over if Josiah could prevent it; but he could not look into the hearts of the people, where, alas, in many cases the evils were still loved. Josiah’s order of procedure is instructive; first he purged the land and the temple; next, he “repaired the house of Jehovah his God” (2 Chron. 34:8); then he felt ready to call the people together to keep the feast. A century earlier Hezekiah kept a great Passover in Jerusalem; but there was much irregularity connected with its observance, for which Hezekiah humbly sought the pardon of Jehovah for His people (2 Chron. 30:18-20). But Josiah was careful that everything should be done strictly according to the written Word. Jeremiah commenced his prophetic ministry in the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign (Jer. 1:2). His seventh chapter should be carefully read at this point. Jeremiah was divinely commanded to stand in the gate of Jehovah’s house and speak solemnly to the people about their unreality, and of the judgments which must come upon them. The house in Jerusalem would soon be divinely forsaken as was the tabernacle in Shiloh long before. But it is always God’s gracious way to give warning before He lifts His hand to destroy.
The story of Josiah’s activities has a voice to us today. Christendom has long been filled with religious abominations, and seeing that brighter light has shone there than Israel ever experienced, the guilt is greater. The call to separation in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 has primary reference to religious admixtures; “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean things.” Paul’s last inspired Epistle makes plain the path that faithful souls should tread now. After speaking of dangerous doctrines, and the deplorable confusion of vessels to honor intermingled with vessels to dishonor, the Apostle says; “If a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21). As in Josiah’s day, so in ours, purging is necessary if God is to be glorified. The Corinthian assembly was charged to “purge out the old leaven” (1 Cor. 5:7). The words of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle stirred their consciences, and the wickedness was judged. In his second epistle, he was able to say, “In all things ye have proved yourselves to be clear in this matter” (2 Cor. 7:11). But when evil becomes established individual action is imperative, and the man who would go on with God must purge himself out. This is the plain teaching of 2 Timothy 2. But he (or she) who is brought to this painful necessity must then look around for others who are likewise desirous of walking in “the ways of the Lord.” “Follow righteousness, faith, love, peace with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.” It is not the mere taking up of a more correct ecclesiastical position. A deep inward spiritual work is indicated which affects one’s whole deportment in every sphere of life. The neglect of these moral excellencies in those who boast of separation from ecclesiastical evil is inconsistency of the greatest possible character.
No purging, however, is once for all. Those who have publicly repudiated Christendom’s grievous departures from the will of God, should watch their conduct continually, “cleansing themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Particularly is this necessary when we go up into the assembly of the saints. We should examine ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28). A servant of Christ once said that it would be well if all God’s saints would spend a quiet hour every Saturday evening in spiritual exercise and preparation for the services of the Lord’s Day. This is worth considering. Josiah would have said, “Holiness becometh Thy house, O Lord, forever” (Psa. 93:5). To this let us add our own reverent AMEN.