Titus Connection Volume 19, Number 1 – January 2005

Greetings.  The focus in this letter is King Josiah.  He is a quite interesting study in the area of leadership.  He was placed on the throne as King of Judah at age 8.  Key to his life and reign was having the correct advisors and mentors around him, sparking the question of who you and I should be connecting with to help develop.  Thanks.  Mike

From 2 Chron 34:1-13 (2 Kings 22:1-2), we read Josiah was 8 when he was placed on the throne because of his father, Amon’s death and reigned 31 years, dying at age 39.  We read Josiah did right in the eyes of the Lord walking in the ways of David his father, not deviating from the left or right.
Now becoming a ruler at the ripe old age of 8 would not happen today but culturally in Old Testament times, whoever was to succeed the sitting king, would be made king no matter the age.  Think about putting a child in a leadership position like that is not wise.  In reality, Josiah was on the throne, but the probability is extremely high that officials in the king’s court oversaw the activities of the kingdom.
Yet during the time from age 8 to 16 (and beyond), Josiah was being prepared to run the country.  Josiah was trained by Jewish mentors who had great influence on him.  Were these good, godly mentors?  Chances are very great that he did not receive any good religious training from his father because Amon did what was evil in God’s sight.
His mother was Jedidah, daughter of Adiah and from Bozkath.  Legend has it she was a representative of the elect remnant, who sought God with all their hearts and a group that stayed faithful to God.  She did not cave into the sins of Amon’s reign and what the kingdom followed.
As she had contact with Josiah, she had a positive influence on her son especially in those first 8 years.  Josiah took the throne and was mentored by advisors.  Scripture indicates that he walked in the ways of King David, thus he had to been taught history and the ways of previous kings.  There were 14 generations or kings between David and Josiah.  He followed in David’s footsteps all through his reign.  History would reveal in his reign, he got rid of the bad, evil ways of his father and grandfather, and made positive changes.
It is very likely that Josiah studied David’s life, knowing that Davd had sinned but also that David was a man after God’s own heart.   Here is a question to consider.  How do you personally deal with knowing someone who disciples you is also a sinner, working through his/her sanctification?
Even though we do not place children in places of significant authority at early ages, we have ways to instruct and mentor.  How does your cultures take a similar approach to what occurred to Josiah?  We have schooling.  In the first 18-20 years, we work to pour our lives into younger lives.  Mentoring opportunities are in your culture?   If so, what do they look like?  Do you need to create discipling/mentoring opportunities for younger people you know?
While on the subject, who is mentoring/discipling you?  None of us are too old to say we know everything we need to know.  Discipling is a lifestyle that Christians need to champion!
Meditating on the 2 Chronicles (or 2 Kings) passage, how do you know you are doing the right thing?  We need to have a standard to follow and as Christians, it is the Word.  If your standard is yourself or another person (or another worldview), we fluctuate in what is right and wrong.
In  2 Chron 24:3-7, we read Josiah had a heart for the things of God.  He wanted to do the right things and also completely honor and glorify God.  How do we get a heart for God’s things and how frequently should we immerse ourselves in spiritual disciplines?  As much as you can and prioritize your relationship with the Lord.
Here are some spiritual disciplines we can establish in our lives.  Read Scriptures, Pray, Witness, Fellowship, Fasting, Solitude, Study, Service, Simplicity, Worship, Memorization, Meditation, Gratitude, Chastity, Confession, Secrecy, Give.
What are one or two disciplines that you could establish or increase in your life in 2025?  Determine a goal the involves specific and measurable steps, along with the steps being attainable and relevant in your life.  Finally consistently check your progress and have someone hold you accountable to your new goals.

Could you imagine yourself at your age right now, being in charge of a country, with your title as Prime Minister or President?  How about imagining being placed in charge when you were eight, that’s right, eight years old?  Perhaps you are thinking that there is no way you nor anyone else would be ready to assume that role even at your age.
It did occur.  In 2 Chronicles 34:1-13 (and 2 Kings 22:1-2), we learn that Josiah became king of Judah at age 8.  He ended up reigning 31 years, dying at 39.  Could he even wear the crown as everyone previous to him, were grown men with bigger heads?
His father Amon was evil, doing many things that were contrary to following God’s ways.  He did not have a good role model in his father, nor even his grandfather, Manasseh, as he did evil in God’s sight.
Here was an eight-year-old kid, place in at least in position as king of a country.  We do read that he did right in the eyes of God, walking in the same ways as King David, many generations prior to his reign.
How could he first of all rule and second, do the opposite of his father and grandfather?  According to tradition, Josiah’s mother was part of a group that sought to serve God and do what would be honoring to God.  Plus, Josiah had to be mentored and guided, especially in those early years of being king.  There is a good probability that Josiah had mentors who sought after the things of God, influencing him as he prepared to take charge of Judah.
Josiah had access to the accounts of David or heard about David as he followed David’s footsteps.  Again, having mentors who influenced him with godly direction and an understanding of God, was key in his life.
Regarding your life, who is influencing you, whether you call it having a mentor or being discipled?   Having someone who will guide and instruct you is huge.  How do you know you are being and doing what will shape you into a person that God is using and will continue to use to impact others for Him?  If you do not have someone who builds positive, constructive wisdom into your life, find a person preferably your own gender who is willing to invest her or his life into your life.  There is no price that can be put on such a relationship.  You will never regret this relationship.
Josiah was trained well.  When he was 16, he had the Temple of God cleaned up and the Book of the Law (probably the first five books of the Bible) was found.  It had not been read for years.  Josiah had the Book read and immediately obeyed what he heard from the readings.  Then he instructed his people of Judah to also obey the Book of the Law.
Josiah wanted to do the things that honored and glorified God.  He got rid of idol worship and everything associated with idolatry (2 Chronicles 34:3-21) as he had the people follow God’s ways.  If it had to do with God, Josiah was doing that.
What is your standard that you follow?  Just because you are a Christian, that does not mean you are following how God wants you to live.  It does not mean you are thinking Jesus thoughts and obeying as well as you can, that which will honor Jesus.  In making decisions, do you consult biblical truths to guide you?  Is checking with what the Bible says your last resort when you get into situations that are not easy to get out of?
Do our friends know how to follow Jesus by the way we live our lives?  If not, what needs to change and how will you intentionally change to pursue being more like Jesus in all you do?  When making changes, these changes need to be specific and measurable in your life, in addition to being attainable and relevant for you.  Having someone hold you accountable (a mentor), helps you reach your goals to develop and become the life that will draw people to Jesus.
Josiah would not have made it without the help of older men and women who invested their lives into him.  Believers in Jesus are in your midst who are willing to help you develop.  Ask the Lord to bring you to such people.