2 Kings 22:1 – 20 “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.
Funding the Temple Repairs (2 Chronicles 34:8–13)
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, King Josiah sent the scribe, Shaphan son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, to the house of the LORD, saying, “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest and have him count the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the doorkeepers have collected from the people. And let them deliver it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn are to give it to the workmen repairing the damages to the house of the LORD— to the carpenters, builders, and masons—to buy timber and dressed stone to repair the temple. But they need not account for the money put into their hands, since they work with integrity.”
Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law (2 Chronicles 34:14–21)
Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan, who read it.
And Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, “Your servants have paid out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hands of the workers and supervisors of the house of the LORD.”
Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.
When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.”
Huldah’s Prophecy (2 Chronicles 34:22–28)
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.
And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be kindled against this place and will not be quenched.’
But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its people, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.
‘Therefore I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place.’ ”
So they brought her answer back to the king.”
Manasseh brought terror to Jerusalem, “filling the streets with innocent blood from end to end. “(2 Kings 21:16.) Then Amon ruled for two years and compounded the damage, destroying scrolls and neglecting the altar so that the spiders took over. But somehow Amon’s son Josiah was totally different from either his father or his grandfather, copying his great grand father Hezekiah and his ancestor David. The spiritual change appears to have come during the eighth year of Josiah’s reign when he would have been sixteen years old.
There is no record of the person or persons who mentored Josiah; however, Josiah began destroying the altars of Baal when he was about twenty. When Josiah was twenty – six, he instituted the rehabilitation of the temple, and it was during that renovation that a scroll was found. Some scholars believe that this scroll was either a copy of the Book of Deuteronomy or part of it. When Hilkiah, the high priest found a scroll, he took it to Shaphan the scribe, who read it. This act might suggest that Hilkiah was illiterate; on the other hand, perhaps Hilkiah simply wanted Shaphan to act as a witness so that the two of them could submit the scroll to Josiah together. Given the warnings against idolatry in the last several chapters of Deuteronomy, such a document could be considered as dangerous as dynamite. Who knew how the king was likely to react when he learned the contents of this scroll?
Blessedly, when Shaphan the scribe read the scroll to Josiah, Josiah was horrified and tore his clothing in remorse. Josiah realized that both Israel and Judah had sinned, and that God had promised that idolatry would be severely punished. Despite all the idolatry extant, there was still a true prophetess living in Jerusalem. Huldah the prophetess advised Josiah that every word in that scroll was true and that God was about to wreak havoc on Jerusalem for their idolatry. But Huldah also informed Josiah that because Josiah feared the Lord and was grieving on behalf of his people, Josiah would die before horror was unleashed.
Yet another part of this scripture that is significant is the honesty of the workmen who were working on the temple. Josiah told the high priest that the workmen did not need to account for the funds paid them because they were honest. It is amazing that despite the rampant corruption that had previously engulfed Jerusalem, there were still those who would handle money correctly without cheating.
APPLICATION: Things in Jerusalem had really gone downhill to the extent that not even the priests knew where the copy of the Law of Moses was. Evidently, during the reign of either Manasseh or Amon, the scrolls had been stuffed off in a corner under the spider webs. Tradition suggests that the scroll that was found did not contain the complete Torah but only the Book of Deuteronomy. And even the high priest and the scribe were not familiar with this scroll; when they read it, they were shocked at its contents. Such ignorance was a far cry from the requirements God had laid out.
It was God’s intention that every king of Israel should write out his own copy of the complete Torah so that he could study it thoroughly and use it to guide him in ruling the nation. No king of Israel or Judah ever made such a copy. The priests were supposed to teach the Law; however, by this time, they were also ignorant of it. One wonders what kind of worship was taking place in the temple, given this level of ignorance.
The Bible is an amazing book; the more you study it, the more you learn and the more questions you have. There is always another level of understanding, and new insights to be gained from well – known verses. Psalm 119:9 – 11 tells us, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me stray from Your commandments. I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” When we study God’s Word and memorize God’s Word, it will return to us when we need guidance. The more we study the Bible, the more precious it becomes to us.
Josiah’s grief and remorse at the failings of his people was genuine. God honored Josiah by removing him before the attacks by the Babylonians. Josiah eventually died at the age of 39, but he continues to be remembered as the last righteous king of Judah.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to study Your Word and to hide it in our hearts. Help us also to believe Your Word as we see the truth of it worked out in our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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