KING JOSIAH

Josiah became king of Judah at the age of eight. People used to practice magic and worship idols back then. When Josiah was 16, he attempted to learn how to worship God properly. He began destroying the idols and altars throughout the land when he was 20 years old. And when Josiah was 26 years old, he arranged for the repair of God’s temple.

The scroll of God’s Law, possibly written by Moses, was discovered in the temple by the high priest, Hilkiah. Shaphan, the king’s secretary, brought the scroll to Josiah and began reading the Law aloud. As he listened, Josiah realized that the people had been disobeying God for a long time. ‘God is very angry with us,’ King Josiah told Hilkiah. Go speak with him. God will tell us what to do.’ ‘The people of Judah have abandoned me,’ God said through the prophetess Huldah. They will be punished, but not during Josiah’s reign, because he has humbled himself.’

When King Josiah received the message, he went to the temple and summoned the people of Judah. He then read God’s Law aloud to the entire nation. Josiah and the people promised to obey God wholeheartedly.

For many years, the people of Judah had not observed the Passover. But, after reading in the Law that the Passover should be celebrated every year, Josiah declared to the nation, ‘We will hold a Passover to God.’ Then Josiah prepared to make numerous sacrifices and arranged for a chorus of singers to perform at the temple.

The nation then observed Passover, which was followed by the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread. There had not been a Passover like it since Samuel’s time. Josiah was a big fan of God’s Law. Do you enjoy studying God?