Youth in God's Hand- 4
The Bible is full of examples of how God has used younger people in some of the most vital roles in the unfolding of his marvelous plan of redemption.

Josiah

The noblest king to reign in the territory of Judah was Josiah. Scripture says there was no ruler of his caliber, neither before nor after him, who sought the Lord with “all his heart” as did he (2 Kgs. 23:25).

Josiah was but a boy of eight when he came to the throne. At the age of sixteen, he began to “seek” Jehovah, and by the time he turned twenty, he initiated a campaign to purge the southern kingdom of its idolatry (2 Chron. 34:1-3).

When Josiah was twenty-six, he arranged for repairs on the temple. It was at this time that a tremendously significant event occurred. A copy of “the law of Jehovah given by Moses” was discovered in the temple (2 Chron. 34:14). When the religious and moral message of the sacred document was studied, and the spiritual fabric of the nation was seen to stand in such glaring contrast, a reformation was proclaimed.

One of Josiah’s important accomplishments was the restoration of the Passover, which had not been observed with care since the days of the judges (2 Kgs. 23:21-23). Since the Passover was designed to preview the death of Jesus (cf. 1 Cor. 5:7), Josiah was an important element in preparing the nation for the Savior’s arrival.
What confidence Jehovah had placed in a spiritual lad!
( WAYNE JACKSON)