He called him by name! ~ Bob Coy

And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, "O altar, altar! Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men's bones shall be burned on you.'"-1 Kings 13:1-2 (NKJV)

Things went downhill for Israel following David's reign as its king. The kingdom maintained a sense of prestige for a season under David's son, Solomon, but after Solomon died, the kingdom went through a civil war and split in two. The southern half, Judah, stayed loyal to God for a period of time; however, the northern half, which kept the name Israel, rapidly fell into idolatry. This was largely due to the wicked influence of its first king, Jeroboam.

Jeroboam set up pagan altars in his northern kingdom and offered sacrifices on them. As he offered incense on one of these altars, God sent a prophet from Judah to proclaim that this false system of worship would be punished. A king would come up from the south (Judah) and put an end to it. This was a bold prophecy, but what makes it truly amazing is that the prophet gives the exact name of the king who would do this! His name would be Josiah.

Approximately 300 years after this prophecy was given, the king of Judah rose to power and destroyed the pagan altars Jeroboam had built. As you might have already guessed, his name was Josiah (2 Kings 23:15-16). This is such an incredibly precise prophecy that critics have argued that it was somehow faked. But it's a matter of historical fact that cannot be reasonably contested or challenged.

The next time someone asks you why the Bible is different from every other religious book, point to this prophecy and ask if any other book predicts that a person with a particular name will do something so specific so far in advance!

Discuss your name with your group. Why were you given it? What does your name mean, or who were you named after?

Dig into 1 Kings 13:1–2. What impression does this passage make on you? Why do you think the Lord chose to name the future king? How does this prophecy provide you further evidence for your faith?

Decide how you and your group can help each other grow. Read 2 Timothy 2:2 together. Determine how you can best do this, and pray about your investment in the lives of three specific people.