"And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations" (2 Chronicles 35:24-25). Josiah was a king of exceeding excellence. Of him it is written, "Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him" (2 Kings 23:25). Whether the comparison includes the great king David is debated; nevertheless, Josiah's faithfulness to God was abundant, and He stands as a model of what is desirable in a leader. His greatness was most displayed in his removal of false worship from the land of Judah. By his order, articles of idolatry were burned, false priests were removed, and places of pagan worship were destroyed. Many reforms took place in his thirty-one years as king. He brought the nation back to its heritage, standing against the common practices of his day because of his reverence for the true God.

But death is no respecter of persons. The grave claims the rich as well as the poor, the mighty as well as the weak, the wise as well as the foolish. It does not regard rank or position, nor does it heed any voice but that of the sovereign God. The number of our allotted days may vary, but as surely as the sun sets on the day, so we all must face the hour of death. Two exceptions apply--namely Enoch and Elijah; but we must leave them where scripture leaves them--as exceptions and not the rule. "The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away" (Psalm 90:10). Josiah came to the end of his days in 609 BC, at less than forty years of age. He was killed in battle when he attempted to prevent the Egyptians from helping the Assyrians at Carchemish. His wisdom in confronting the Egyptians is quite questionable, teaching us that even the greatest of leaders can err in judgment; but we need not assume evil motivation in the matter, for he had a zeal for the preservation of his nation, and he was willing to risk his own life in battle. In the aftermath of his death, "all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations."

We see the propriety of mourning the death of good leaders. Our sorrow over the death of a leader is in proportion to our estimation of him. We do not lament the passing of an authoritarian, or a despot, or dictator; but we cannot help but mourn for a Moses, or a David, or a Josiah. It is a testimony to the greatness of their leadership. The mourning for Josiah was national. It comprised "all Judah and Jerusalem." This cannot be intended to include every person, for in every time and place, there are those who hate men of righteousness. But the statement must include the majority of people in every part of the kingdom. It would even include some who had been opposed to Josiah in principle, and we learn that a man of God commends himself to the conscience of every man. The mourning for Josiah was also personal. We are told that Jeremiah, the great prophet himself, lamented Josiah's death. Jeremiah had much to lament, for he knew that God's judgment was upon the nation, and the removal of Josiah was only the beginning. Most men recognize greatness, but few so truly see the consequences of its removal as those who fear God. But Jeremiah also lamented out of love for his king. It is impossible for a good leader to not be loved by his subjects. Do we not rejoice in the presence of a good leader, knowing that he is there for our guidance, defense, and provision? And when we lose him, is it not a blow to the heart? In this case, would the people not say, "Oh my king, my heart mourns, for you have been taken away!"? How appropriate to mourn such a loss, and God is well pleased with such tears.

We see the rarity of good leadership. The scriptures teach that our leaders are to be honored. "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Pet 2:17). Our submission to leaders in things lawful is submission to God; our disrespect of them is disrespect of God. But how rare it is to find good leaders! How rare it is that men of knowledge and might also possess the qualities of wisdom, honesty, and kindness! Is there one in a million with whom the guidance of the people can be entrusted? Where are the Joshua's of the world, who, as for them and their households, will serve the Lord? Where are the men who will not succumb to the pressure of politics? --Who will not seek personal gain but the good of others? --Who will not seek their own glory but the glory of God? --Who do not wander from their own wells but are faithful to their wives? Where are those who do not fear man but fear the God in whose hand is their every breath? --Who meditate upon His word day and night and who stand upon His principles of government, morality, and love for others? Oh for such leaders in our time! May the Lord of the harvest raise them up! May He be pleased to bless us with leaders after His own heart, men in whom there is no guile. "Mercy and truth preserve the king, and by lovingkindness he upholds his throne" (Pr 20:28).

We see the importance of means of remembrance. We dishonor men when we speak well of them only in death. How many walk among the living in hatred only to say beautiful words of them in eulogy! But the abuses do not invalidate the principle, and great leaders ought to be honored and remembered. These lamentations over Josiah were written, and they became a part of national tradition. "They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments" (2 Chr 35:25). The human heart is prone to forgetfulness, and therefore, it is wise for us to have means of remembrance. God Himself encourages it: He gave the rainbow as a sign of His covenant to never again destroy the earth with a flood; He gave the Passover as a means of remembering the exodus from Egypt; He gave the Lord's supper as a means to remember the death of Christ until He comes. Here, by example, He also encourages us to have a means of remembrance of our leaders. Those who rule well must never be removed from the hearts of the parents or the children. They must never be allowed to fade into obscurity so that generations to come forget from whence we came. It is ignorance of history that paves the way to error and immorality. It is a forgetfulness of those who have ruled well that causes the election of men who lack principle and ability. Therefore, for our own good, let us have a means of remembrance of those who have served well. Let us also have it for our own comfort, for when our hearts grieve that our leader is no longer with us, it is in remembering him well that we find some solace.

But in all this, let us see that God's work continues. The king may be gone, but the King of all kings reigns forever, and this greatest of kings needs no earthly king to accomplish His work. Isaiah said, "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up" (Isaiah 6:1). God's rule continues beyond the grave of men. One generation replaces the next, but He is the same, and His years have no end. One of the most perplexing aspects of providence is when, as in the case of Josiah, the Lord removes faithful men at an early age. To us, it seems better that their usefulness would continue, but to Him it does not. We must remember that His ways are higher than our ways. He is able to save whether by many or by few, and even by none but Himself. So whether our leaders die early or late, let us always rest content that the Lord Jesus Christ reigns. Let us be thankful that He gave us time to rejoice in their light, and let us commit them to Him, remembering that the King of Kings will one day take His final stand in the earth. The promise of Jesus Christ is "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt 28:20). And as our King, He says to us, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Is 41:10).