King Josiah

1 The memory of Josiah

is pleasant,

like skillfully mixed incense

or the taste of honey,

or like music at a banquet

where wine is served.

2He did right and led the nation

to get rid of its idols

and turn back to God.

3Many had rejected God's Law,

but Josiah was faithful

and encouraged others

to obey God.

The Prophet Jeremiah and the Evil Kings of Judah

4David, Hezekiah, and Josiah

were good kings,

but the other kings of Judah

sinned terribly

and rejected the Law

of God Most High.

So he took away their kingdom

5and gave their glorious power

to foreigners

6 who burned down Jerusalem,

the city God had chosen

for his temple.

The city streets lay empty,

just as Jeremiah had said.

7He had been chosen as a prophet

before his birth

and was later told to speak

of doom and destruction,

of rising and rebuilding.

But the evil kings of Judah

mistreated him.

The Prophet Ezekiel

8 Ezekiel saw a vision

of the Lord's glory

above the living creatures

that were his chariot.

Job

9 God said that Job

always did what was right.

The Twelve Prophets

10I pray that the twelve prophets

will live on

in their descendants

because they helped Israel

stand firm during hard times

by giving them hope.

Zerubbabel

11 What is the best way

to praise Zerubbabel?

He was like a valuable ring

on the Lord's right hand,

12 as was Joshua son of Jozadak.

They built a holy temple

for the Lord,

and it will always be famous.

Nehemiah

13 We should honor Nehemiah

because he rebuilt

the homes in Jerusalem;

he repaired the city walls

and put in strong new gates.

Other Great Ancestors

14No one like Enoch

has ever been born--

he was taken up

from earth to heaven.

15And no one like Joseph

has ever been born--

he kept Israel from starving

and ruled his brothers;

then after his death,

the people of Israel

watched over his bones.

16Shem and Seth are also honored,

but of all God's creatures,

Adam was the greatest.