Josiah the Righteous King

Read: 2 Kings 22–23, 2 Chronicles 34–35

Scripture

“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 (NASB1995)

Table of Contents

Parallel 1 Came at a time of deep spiritual darkness

Josiah

“For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put My name.’”
“He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.Then he set the carved image of Asherah that he had made, in the house of which the Lord said to David and to his son Solomon, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever”
—2 Kings 21:3–7

“Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.”
—2 Kings 21:16

“He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done.”
—2 Kings 21:20 (about Amon)

Josiah came to power during one of Judah’s darkest hours—decades of rebellion, idolatry, and child sacrifice. Manasseh, his grandfather, had filled Jerusalem with bloodshed and desecrated the temple itself. His father, Amon, followed in the same wicked path. Josiah ascended to the throne as an eight-year-old child amidst a nation deeply corrupted and spiritually blind, Judgment had been declared by the Lord God, ‘I will also remove Judah from My sight, as I have removed Israel…’ “

Into the Darkness, Light Came

Jesus

“The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a Light dawned.”
—Matthew 4:16 (quoting Isaiah 9:2)

Just as Josiah was born into a world dominated by evil kings and generations of sin, Jesus entered a world stained by spiritual corruption and the tyranny of earthly rulers.

The Days of Josiah

Josiah’s grandfather Manasseh was one of the most wicked kings in Judah’s history. He reversed his father Hezekiah’s reforms, reintroduced idolatry, desecrated the temple, practiced witchcraft, and shed innocent blood.

“He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.”
—2 Kings 21:6

“Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another.”
—2 Kings 21:16

Josiah inherited a throne soaked in generational sin. Yet into that darkness, God brought forth a righteous king. And not just any king—Josiah would become part of the line through which the Messiah would come:

“Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.”
—Matthew 1:11

The Days of Jesus

Likewise, Jesus was born during a reign of fear and violence under Herod the Great—a king no less corrupt than Manasseh. Herod, driven by jealousy and self-preservation, ordered the massacre of innocent children in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the promised Messiah.

“Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and he sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under…”
—Matthew 2:16

Matthew ties this bloodshed to prophecy:

“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
—Matthew 2:18 (quoting Jeremiah 31:15)

The rulers of both Josiah’s and Jesus’ day were consumed with power, willing to spill innocent blood to protect their thrones. Yet in both cases, God appointed a child—a righteous son—who would rise not to grasp power, but to do His will.

The Light Shines in Darkness

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”
—John 1:4–5

“I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness.”
—John 12:46

The world at Jesus’ birth was not filled with idols, but it was still dark. There was no room for truth in the temple courts or the hearts of men. Tradition had replaced love, and law had eclipsed grace. But into that silence—into the shadow of death—Light came. Not with a sword, but with mercy. Not from a throne, but from a manger.

With that in mind we come to our text this morning:

1. Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2. He did right in the sight of the Lord and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left. —2 Kings 22:1-2

Parallel 2: He Did Not Turn Aside

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord and walked entirely in the way of his father David, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.”
—2 Kings 22:1–2

Josiah rose to the throne of Judah as a boy—only eight years old—following the violent and corrupt reigns of his father Amon and grandfather Manasseh. In the face of generational wickedness, Josiah was raised by his mother Jedidah, whose name in Hebrew means “Beloved.” Her quiet presence in the biblical narrative may be subtle, but it’s significant. She was likely a stabilizing, faithful influence who helped prepare Josiah to become a king who “did what was right in the sight of the Lord.”

Similarly, Jesus was born of Mary, a young woman of humble origin. Her name in Hebrew, Miryam, is often understood to mean “beloved,” “rebellion,” or “bitter,” reflecting both the sweetness and sorrow of her calling. She too was a righteous mother, visited by the angel Gabriel and entrusted with raising the Son of God.

“Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you… you will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”
—Luke 1:28, 31

Just as Jedidah raised a righteous king in a wicked world, so Mary raised the King of kings in a world of religious hypocrisy and imperial oppression.

Two Sons in the Temple

Josiah’s early reign would eventually lead to one of the greatest acts of restoration in Judah’s history—the repair of the temple (2 Kings 22:5). As a young man, he sought the Lord and turned his heart toward restoring what had been neglected.

“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, and have him count all the money brought into the house of the Lord… to restore the damages to the house.”
—2 Kings 22:4–5

In a striking parallel, Jesus also entered the temple in His youth, at age twelve. Though not restoring it with wood and gold, He showed that His heart was firmly rooted in His Father’s house.

“And He said to them, ‘Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?’”
—Luke 2:49

Where Josiah’s heart burned to repair the dwelling place of God, Jesus claimed that He Himself was the true Temple—and would raise it again in three days (John 2:19). Josiah brought revival to the house of God. Jesus became the meeting place between God and man.

A Life of Unswerving Obedience

The phrase “did not turn aside to the right or to the left” appears often in Scripture. It speaks of total devotion—a straight path of obedience without distraction or compromise.

“Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law… do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go.”
—Joshua 1:7

Josiah walked that path faithfully. Jesus walked it perfectly.

“I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”
—John 8:29

“He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”
—Philippians 2:8

Where Josiah followed in the way of David, Jesus came as the true Son of David, fulfilling the Law completely and without fault.

Summary Statement

Both Josiah and Jesus were sons raised in dark days by beloved mothers. Both entered the temple in their youth—Josiah to restore it, Jesus to declare it His Father’s house. And both walked in righteousness without turning to the right or to the left. But where Josiah ruled for thirty-one years, Jesus reigns forever. Josiah pointed to reform. Jesus came to redeem.

“You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
—Matthew 1:21

🗂️ Comparison Chart: David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Jesus

🔍 Why Are Hezekiah and Josiah Described as “Unlike Any Other”?

Both Hezekiah and Josiah are described as uniquely righteous kings, but not in contradiction to David—rather, each is praised for a specific qualifier.

📌 Hezekiah – Unmatched in Trust and Loyalty

“He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.”
—2 Kings 18:5

Qualifier: Hezekiah’s uniqueness was his complete trust in the Lord, especially during the Assyrian crisis. He clung to God without wavering (2 Kings 18:6), making him exemplary in faith under pressure.

📌 Josiah – Unmatched in Wholehearted Obedience

“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

Qualifier: Josiah is praised for the totality of his covenant response—he obeyed with his whole being, in alignment with Deuteronomy 6:5. His reform was not just national but deeply personal and Scripture-driven.

📌 David – A Man After God’s Heart

“The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart…” —1 Samuel 13:14
“I have found David… a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” —Acts 13:22

David is unique in devotion, worship, and covenant relationship. Though deeply flawed, his heart consistently returned to God in repentance, and he became the prototype for the Messianic King.

✝️ The Final Fulfillment: Jesus Christ

Only Jesus embodies all of their strengths—without any of their weaknesses:

• Like David, He reigns on an everlasting throne.
• Like Hezekiah, He trusted the Father in the face of death.
• Like Josiah, He obeyed fully—with all His heart, soul, and might.

“I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” —John 8:29
“He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—death on a cross.” —Philippians 2:8

Jesus is not just a better king—He is the only perfect King, the fulfillment of every righteous longing the Old Testament kings foreshadowed.