A Tale of Two Kings
"Let no one look down on your youthfulness..." (1 Tim. 4:12)
Let me tell you about Manasseh. Imagine the pressures of taking over a kingdom at the age of 12...determining economic policies, maximizing the use of resources, making crucial military decisions, staying in good relations with foreign dignitaries...and if you were the king of Judah, your most important duty is to be the spiritual leader for your nation -- God's representative on earth. Even though a young king would have plenty of advisors to which he could defer in making these decisions, he still held the highest and most influential position in the land. As the son of the legendary and godly King Hezekiah, we would think Manasseh would be in good shape to follow in his father's steps when he took over the kingdom of Judah at the age of 12 (2 Kings 21:1). But the youthful lust for power and conforming to the world around him was too much for Manasseh to overcome. He led Judah down the ungodly path of the Canaanites and other surrounding nations (2 Kings 21:2). He set up altars to Baal, practiced witchcraft and divination, sacrificed one of his own sons, and even brought a carved image of the goddess Asherah into God's holy temple. In regard to his most important duty as king, Manasseh failed miserably and brought his nation down with him, "seducing" his people to do more evil than the Canaanite nations whom God destroyed (2 Kings 21:9). Sounds like putting a young person in a position of influence is a recipe for disaster...right?
But wait. Before we apply Manasseh's story to the modern world and say, "See! That's why these no good youth are bringing our whole nation down!"...let me tell you about another king -- Manasseh's grandson, actually. Josiah was actually 8 (2 Kings 22:1), an even younger age, when he became king of Judah...sitting on the same throne of his evil grandfather, facing the same pressures of being king at a young age, inheriting an even tougher kingdom situation -- especially spiritually...another chance to see a young man fail! And yet, Josiah goes on to become one of the greatest kings in Judah's history. Upon the discovery of the lost book of the law, Josiah realizes how far his people have strayed from where God wants them to be. He boldly leads a revival in Judah -- cleansing the temple of God of its corruption, forcefully tearing down idols all over the land, removing spiritists and mediums, and reinstituting the long-neglected Feast of the Passover. Josiah exerted more positive influence on his nation than any other king before or after him (2 Kings 23:25).
The contrast between the
actions of the two young kings tells us that YOUTH IS NOT THE CULPRIT FOR THE
PROBLEMS IN JUDAH OR OUR MODERN WORLD. Being young does not mean you have to go
down the worldly path, lead others down the worldly path, or follow others down
the worldly path. Being young does mean that whether you realize it or not, you
are in a position of great influence. Manasseh influenced those around him for
evil -- drawing them away from God. Josiah influenced those around him for good
-- bringing them closer to God. How will you influence your generation?
To His Glory,
Caleb
