Josiah, the Reformer King

II KINGS 22:10, 11; 23:1-5, 21

GOLDEN TEXT: “Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law.”—Psalm 119:34

JOSIAH came to the throne of Judah when he was a mere lad, being only eight years old. Doubtless the executive affairs of the throne were managed by older persons until the young ruler reached the years of accountability. It was in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he was twenty-six years old, that he embarked upon a program of reformation in Judah. It developed in an odd way. The king’s original intention was merely that of authorizing needed repairs of the temple, but it did not end there. Evidently Josiah’s heart was inclined toward the Lord and when he was given understanding he did the best he could to obey the divine commands.

Noting that the temple needed repairing Josiah commissioned one named Shaphan to instruct Hilkiah the high priest to turn over the money that was in the temple treasury to the caretakers of the temple with instructions that skilled workmen be employed to do whatever was necessary to put the building in good repair. These directions were carried out with fidelity, and the account states that because of the faithfulness of all concerned it was not necessary to keep an account of the money spent. Evidently the entire project was executed without graft or undue profits—a compliment indeed to all concerned.

At some point in connection with this undertaking Hilkiah the high priest found in the temple a copy of the Book of the Law, and he gave it to Shaphan to take back to King Josiah. This revealed how grossly the nation had departed from the ways of the Lord. Idolatry had supplanted the worship of the true God to such an extent that even the high priest of the temple had only by accident, and for the first time, seen the Book of the Law. Apparently to the high priest it had no significance except as a relic of the past, and he thought the king would be interested in seeing it.

King Josiah was indeed interested. Shaphan read the book to him and he was amazed to realize the extent to which the people had departed from the laws and statutes of the Lord. He was ashamed, also, and rent his clothes. He ordered a further investigation of the matter by Hilkiah the high priest and Shaphan the scribe, and others. They interviewed a prophetess of Judah named Huldah, who, confirming the opinion of the king that the people were guilty of gross sin in departing from the worship of the true God, said that the wrath of God would surely fall upon the nation. However, the word from the Lord was that because of the tenderness of Josiah’s heart, and his manifest humility and desire to please the Lord, he would be permitted to die in peace and would be gathered to his fathers before calamity came upon the nation.

Josiah then summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, and this representative gathering went up to the house of the Lord. There the king made a covenant with the Lord to obey all his commandments, and to keep all his statutes. Then he proceeded to carry out what he had covenanted to do. He commanded that the temple be cleansed of all the trappings that had to do with the worship of Baal; and that the worship of false gods be stopped everywhere throughout the nation, and that all the groves and images be destroyed. He did a thorough job and accomplished a genuine religious reform, for which the Lord blessed him.

In King Josiah we have a good example of those who would be glad to do God’s will were they enlightened sufficiently to know what he wants them to do. He demonstrated that his heart was right by ordering the repair of the temple. His judgment told him that this was the least he could do to show his reverence for the God of Israel and of Judah. When he learned what was in the Book of the Law he realized much more was needed for the nation to get back to God than merely the repair of the temple. But he met this added responsibility which knowledge imposed upon him with thoroughness and courage.

This principle is exemplified in the case of all those who seek after the Lord and eventually find him through the enlightenment he gives them. Whether in the Jewish age, the Gospel age, or the Millennial age, those who progress in the grace and knowledge of the Lord must make faithful use of the understanding that is revealed to them. Not until we prove faithful to the knowledge already attained may we expect further enlightenment. And if at any time we fail to live up to the light we do enjoy, we may be permitted to drift into darkness.

We have a good illustration of the operation of this principle in the case of Jesus. To him the “heavens” of spiritual understanding were open when he entered into a covenant with his Heavenly Father to “do” all the things which had been written concerning him in “the volume of the book.”—Psalm 40:7; Heb. 10:7

Josiah was among the few faithful of Judah’s kings. As a matter of fact he was the last king of Judah who was faithful to the Lord. His reforms included ridding the land of spiritualists, and reinstituting the passover observance. He died in battle, fighting against the king of Egypt at Megiddo.

QUESTIONS:

What induced King Josiah to order the temple of the Lord repaired?

How does the Golden Text apply to the course taken by Josiah?

Upon what condition may any of the Lord’s people expect to increase in the knowledge of the Lord?

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