The Good Boy King

By Michael Griego on July 18, 2025 • ( 0 )

A evil king reigns for 55 years. His evil son reigns only 2 years. His grandson becomes king at the age of 8, rules for 31 years and is considered one of the greatest kings of the land. What’s it take to be good? ♦

Josiah was 8-years old in Jerusalem when he became king and began his 31-year reign over the southern kingdom of Judah (640-609 BC).

He was considered one of Judah’s greatest kings. Unlike many of his predecessors, “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Kings 22:2).

In fact, he was the last Jewish king to faithfully serve God.

What Was So Great About Josiah?
Josiah had both good and bad influences in his family line. Josiah’s great-grandfather was King Hezekiah, a good king who reigned for 29 years (721-621 BC). Read his story in 2 Kings, chapters 18-20. Hezekiah honored the God of Israel and eradicated pagan worship throughout the land of Judah in the southern kingdom. Hezekiah reestablished Godly worship after his evil father, King Ahaz (725-715 BC), ruled for 20 years. Ahaz sacrificed his own other children to pagan gods.

Hezekiah’s son, and Josiah’s grandfather, King Manasseh, was a wicked king whose reign began at age 12 and continued for 55 years (698-643 BC). Read his story in 2 Kings, chapter 21 and 2 Chronicles, chapters 32-33. Manasseh reversed all the good reforms of his father Hezekiah.

Here’s how the Bible notes Manassah’s apostasy:

“Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years…. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put my Name.’ In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.”… “Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end”

King Amon, Manasseh’s son and Josiah’s father, became king for a short 2-year reign. His idolatrous practices led to a revolt against him and eventually to his assassination in 641 BC.

So Josiah became a boy king at age 8.

A Young Man Discovers the Past
About halfway through his reign, King Josiah oversaw the repair of the holy temple in Judah’s capital city of Jerusalem. The year was 622 B.C., a hundred years after the Assyrians had invaded and captured the northern kingdom of Israel.

While this rehab work was being done, an old copy of the book of the Hebrew law (actually a scroll, most likely a version of Deuteronomy given his response) was found and brought to the king. It was read in his presence.

His reaction was dramatic.

He tore his clothes (a known expression of grief and anger) after realizing how far from its teachings the people of Judah had strayed. Shortly thereafter the dire consequences for their national disobedience by his own evil ancestors was spelled out to him by one of God’s prophets: (see 2 Kings 22:12-20).

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and aroused my anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched.’

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: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. Therefore 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.’” (2 Kings 22:12-20)

A Man on a Mission
Undaunted, Josiah set in motion a comprehensive set of reforms (2 Kings 23:1-24). He started with a public meeting and scriptural reading of the text throughout the region of Judah and city of Jerusalem to unite and awaken the people to the darkness that had infiltrated their culture. The list below highlights how thoroughly the land had been corrupted and intertwined with pagan worship practices:

They cleared the temple of all vessels used in the worship of Baal, Asherah and other gods.
They tore down the pagan shrines of worship on the high places throughout the land and removed all their priests.
They leveled the houses of the male cult prostitutes who practiced in the temple.
They removed from the temple the wooden pole and woven hangings devoted to Asherah.
They destroyed Topheth, the place where child sacrifices were offered to the god Molech.
They took away the horses devoted to the sun god and burned their chariots.
They got rid of the altars in the royal palaces and the temples dedicated to pagan gods.
They demolished the shrines devoted to Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Milcom, and Asherah.
They destroyed the altar at Bethel erected 300 years earlier by Jeroboam.
They rid the land of all the mediums, wizards, household gods and idols.
They celebrated the full Passover feast for the first time since the days of the judges before the monarchies.

By the end of Chapter 23, Josiah is honored for the ages as a king like no king before him or after, who “turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses.”

Sadly, Josiah’s successors to the throne all rebelled against the Lord. It was during his second son’s reign, Jehoiakim, that Judah succumbed to savage destruction by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians (605-586), scattering the people, demolishing the temple in Jerusalem, and taking the remaining Hebrew people into 70 years of captivity.

Indeed, God’s specified Word of blessings and curses for His chosen people of Israel (see Deuteronomy) stands true whether the people buy in or not.

How Could This Happen?
While it might be disconcerting to witness the once Godly Hebrew nation stray so far from its roots and original moorings, the story of King Josiah and his amazing discovery gives hope to renewal and righteous reforms. But I have always wondered how a people like the Hebrews with such a rich history and legacy of God’s amazing and fantastic rescue, provision and blessing from Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the Judges, David, to Solomon, etc., could ever forget their spiritual heritage.

Would they not tell their children and grandchildren of the mighty works of God and instill reverence and awe and a heart of worship for the great and awesome God who has proven over and over again to be faithful, holy and righteous?

Would they not reject foolish and self-serving leaders? Would they not despise anything that corrupted what was noble, good and right in God’s eyes?

Apparently not.

As in Josiah’s time, 600 years later the Jews would even reject Christ the Messiah in their midst. And now centuries later, as the Good News has been offered to both Jews and Gentiles, i.e., all the nations (as promised to Abraham), many in our own nation have forgotten our deep roots of faith and spiritual heritage, and many of our own people and leaders have grown cold and callous toward God in their hearts and souls.

Where is the modern King Josiah whose heart aches when considering the Word of God and realizing the spiritual degradation of his nation?
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“Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him. – 2 Kings 23:25