2 Kings 23:28-37: a reflection

28Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 29In his days Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him, but Pharaoh Necoh killed him at Megiddo when he saw him. 30His servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him, and made him king in his father’s place. 31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that his fathers had done. 33Pharaoh Necoh put him in bonds at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 34Pharaoh Necoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim; but he took Jehoahaz away, and he came to Egypt and died there. 35Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, from everyone according to his assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Necoh. 36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, according to all that his fathers had done.

Josiah had been a good king, one who turned the nation back to God with great reforms. But when he is killed at Megiddo, the kings who follow him do not carry on his goodness. Of his son Jehoahaz it is said, He did that which was evil in the LORD's sight, according to all that his fathers had done; and of Jehoiakim after him, the same. The good king's reforms did not automatically pass to his sons; they turned back to evil. Goodness was not inherited; each of Josiah's sons chose his own way, and they chose the evil their good father had opposed.

Notice that Josiah's goodness did not automatically pass to his successors. He had led the nation back to God; but his sons did not follow his example. They did evil, turning back to the ways Josiah had labored to remove. The reform did not perpetuate itself; goodness was not inherited like a possession. Each of Josiah's sons faced the choice himself, and each chose the evil his father had opposed. A good father did not guarantee good sons; faith and goodness are not passed down automatically, but must be chosen by each in turn. Josiah's goodness was his own, and did not become his sons' merely by descent.

That is worth taking to heart, for faith and goodness are not automatically inherited; each of us must choose to follow God for ourselves. We can rely on the faith of those before us, our parents, our heritage, as though their goodness made us good, or assume our own faith will pass automatically to those after us; but Josiah's sons did evil despite their good father. Faith is not inherited like a possession; each person must choose it. Do not rely on the faith of those before you as though it made you good, nor assume goodness passes automatically to the next generation; each must choose to follow God. Choose to follow God for yourself, not relying on the faith of those before you nor presuming it passes automatically to those after you, as Josiah's sons did evil despite their good father; for faith and goodness are not inherited but chosen, and each generation, and each person, must take up the choice to follow God.

Lord, Josiah had been a good king, one who turned the nation back to you with great reforms. But when he is killed at Megiddo, the kings who follow him do not carry on his goodness. Of his son Jehoahaz it is said, he did that which was evil in the LORD's sight, according to all that his fathers had done; and of Jehoiakim after him, the same. The good king's reforms did not automatically pass to his sons; they turned back to evil. Show me that Josiah's goodness did not automatically pass to his successors. He had led the nation back to you; but his sons did not follow his example. The reform did not perpetuate itself; goodness was not inherited like a possession. Each of Josiah's sons faced the choice himself, and each chose the evil his father had opposed. A good father did not guarantee good sons. Take that to my heart, for faith and goodness are not automatically inherited; each of us must choose to follow you for ourselves. I can rely on the faith of those before me, my parents, my heritage, as though their goodness made me good, or assume my own faith will pass automatically to those after me; but Josiah's sons did evil despite their good father. Keep me from relying on the faith of those before me as though it made me good, nor assuming goodness passes automatically to the next generation; help me choose to follow you for myself, Lord, not presuming it passes automatically to those after me.