Josiah, the sixteenth king of Judah, is often celebrated for his piety and reformative zeal. His reign, which lasted from approximately 640 to 609 BC, is detailed in 2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35. Josiah ascended to the throne at the tender age of eight, following the assassination of his father, Amon. His rule is marked by a significant religious reformation, as he sought to restore the worship of Yahweh and eliminate idolatry from the land.

Josiah's self-will is evident in his determined pursuit of religious reform. At the age of sixteen, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and by the age of twenty, he initiated a campaign to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols, and cast images (2 Chronicles 34:3-4). His actions were driven by a personal conviction and a desire to align the nation with the covenantal laws of Yahweh. This self-will, in the context of Josiah's reforms, is portrayed positively as a commitment to divine commandments and a rejection of the syncretistic practices that had plagued Judah.

Josiah's stubbornness, however, is most notably illustrated in the events leading to his untimely death. In 609 BC, Pharaoh Neco of Egypt marched to assist the Assyrians against the rising Babylonian power. Despite Neco's message that God had commanded him to hurry and that Josiah should not interfere, Josiah stubbornly decided to engage him in battle at Megiddo. The biblical narrative in 2 Chronicles 35:22 states, "Josiah, however, did not turn away from him, but disguised himself to fight against him. He did not listen to what Neco had said at God’s command but went to fight him on the plain of Megiddo." This decision, driven by a sense of nationalistic zeal and perhaps a misjudged sense of divine mandate, led to his death from wounds sustained in battle.

Josiah's life presents a complex interplay of self-will and stubbornness. His self-will, when aligned with God's purposes, brought about significant spiritual renewal and covenantal fidelity in Judah. Yet, his stubbornness in the face of divine warning through Neco resulted in personal tragedy and national mourning. The account of Josiah serves as a poignant reminder of the need for discernment and humility in leadership, even when driven by righteous intentions.2 Chronicles 35:22
Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and listened not to the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.
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