2 Kings 22:1-23:28 | 2 Chronicles 34:8-35:19

Please note, this entry was originally scheduled for August 4.

Josiah was 8 years old when his father Amon died, and he reigned as king in Judah for 31 years. Josiah was the most faithful and godly king in Judah since David. He instituted a program of eliminating all of the places of idol worship in Israel, which even included Bethel, in the (former) northern kingdom. He initiated a temple restoration project, to clean it out, and to bring back the worship of Jahweh in that place.

It’s an amazing thing to consider that during this temple renovation project, the priests stumbled upon the book of the law, which had apparently been lost in the previous 50+ years of the reigns of Manasseh and Amon. There were apparently none who remembered God’s laws until His Word was discovered in the temple, and when Josiah read what was written there, he was devastated. He sought the Lord, and started a revival in Judah that would last until his death, some 12-13 years later, and God promised that He would not bring about His judgement on Judah until after Josiah died.

Josiah died in battle with Pharaoh Necho, and all Israel mourned him, including Jeremiah the prophet.