Josiah, the sixteenth king of Judah, is renowned for his zealous reforms and efforts to restore the worship of Yahweh in the kingdom. His reign, which lasted from approximately 640 to 609 BC, is marked by a significant religious revival and a return to the covenantal faith of his forefathers. Josiah ascended to the throne at the tender age of eight following the assassination of his father, Amon. His early years were likely influenced by his mother, Jedidah, and the high priest Hilkiah, who played pivotal roles in his spiritual development.

Religious Reforms and the Book of the Law

The most transformative event of Josiah's reign occurred in the eighteenth year of his rule when the Book of the Law was discovered in the Temple by Hilkiah the high priest. This discovery, as recorded in 2 Kings 22:8-11, profoundly impacted Josiah, leading him to tear his clothes in distress upon hearing the words of the Law. The king recognized the extent to which Judah had strayed from the commandments of God and was determined to initiate comprehensive reforms.

Destruction of Idolatrous Practices

Josiah's reforms are detailed in 2 Kings 23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35. He embarked on a campaign to eradicate idolatry from Judah and the surrounding regions. The king ordered the removal and destruction of all the vessels made for Baal, Asherah, and the host of heaven from the Temple of the LORD. He burned these items outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and carried their ashes to Bethel (2 Kings 23:4).

Josiah's reforms extended beyond the capital. He traveled throughout Judah and even into the former northern kingdom of Israel, tearing down the high places, altars, and shrines dedicated to foreign gods. In Bethel, he destroyed the altar erected by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who had led Israel into sin. Josiah also desecrated the high places that Solomon had built for Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom on the Mount of Olives (2 Kings 23:13).

Fulfillment of Prophecy

The destruction of the altar at Bethel fulfilled a prophecy given by a man of God during the reign of Jeroboam I, as recorded in 1 Kings 13:2. Josiah's actions were seen as a direct fulfillment of this prophecy, demonstrating the sovereignty of God over the affairs of nations and His faithfulness to His word.

Restoration of the Passover

In addition to purging the land of idolatry, Josiah reinstituted the celebration of the Passover, which had been neglected for many years. The observance of the Passover during Josiah's reign was unparalleled, as noted in 2 Kings 23:22: "No such Passover had been observed from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor throughout all the days of the kings of Israel and Judah."

Legacy

Josiah's reign is characterized by a sincere commitment to the covenant and a desire to lead his people back to the worship of the one true God. His efforts to cleanse the land of idolatry and restore the proper worship of Yahweh left a lasting impact on the spiritual life of Judah. Despite his untimely death in battle at Megiddo, Josiah is remembered as one of the most faithful and righteous kings in the history of Judah, as affirmed in 2 Kings 23:25: "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses."2 Kings 23:3-20,24,25
And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.
Nave's Topical Index

The Greater Prophets.
... which God had communicated to him from the days of Josiah to that time (36:1-4).
When the king had destroyed ... 1.) Prophecies addressed to Judah, with which ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxii the greater prophets.htm

The Sixth vision "On Earth"
... and his host (Judges 5:19); there King Josiah was overthrown ... words of the souls under
the altar (chap. ... in his superhuman stage, "the eighth" king " the final ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the sixth vision on earth.htm

Doctrinal and Moral Treatises. Index of Subjects.
... Altar, prayers at the, [327]434; ministers of, Christian Priests, [328]515; prayers ...
396]549; asking for burial, [397]545; use of: pointing out places of burial ...
/.../on care to be had for the dead /doctrinal and moral treatises index.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... prophet, I will cause the captivity of Judah, and the ... when Jerusalem went into captivity
under the King of Babylon ... be like the bowls before the altar, and every ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

Who was King Josiah in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Huldah the prophetess in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was King Amon in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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