II Kings 22:8-10; 23:1-3, 21-23
The 22nd chapter of II Kings opens with the announcement that a boy of eight years was sitting upon the throne of Judah in Jerusalem. Scholars have determined the calendar date that Josiah began to reign to be 639 B.C. We find in verse 3 that eighteen years have passed since verse 1. Verse 2 states: “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.” The narrative of II Kings does not include any examples of “that which was right in the sight of the Lord” that Josiah performed before the eighteenth year of his reign. II Chronicles 34:3-7 provides missing details concerning the “right” things which Josiah did between the eighth and the eighteenth year of his reign.
In his eighth year, Josiah (now 16 years old) began to seek after God. In his twelfth year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places devoted to the worship of false gods. His purging consisted of the destruction of idols and altars. The destruction of idols and altars included those situated in the territories which had originally belonged to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. These lands were part of the northern kingdom of Israel which had ceased to exist following its conquest by Assyria more than one hundred years prior to Josiah’s reign over Judah. During Josiah’s purging of Manasseh and Ephraim, much money came into the hands of the Levites who were charged with maintaining the temple in Jerusalem (II Chron. 34:8-9). Josiah thought it fitting that this money be used to restore the temple in Jerusalem which had fallen into disrepair during the reigns of the kings which preceded him. The restoration of the temple resulted in the high priest Hilkiah finding the book of the law.
The first passage of scripture before us states that Hilkiah gave the book of the law to Shaphan the scribe and Shaphan read it. Reading the word of God moved Shaphan to act. Shaphan read it before the king (v. 10). Hearing the word of God stirred the heart of Josiah. All that transpires in the scripture that follows beginning with verse 11, was spurred by the words which fell upon his ears.
Josiah rent his clothes, inquired of the Lord, and heard the words which the Lord spoke through Huldah the prophetess. Josiah, then, gathered the elders and went up to the house of the Lord and read all the words of the book of the covenant to all of Jerusalem, both small and great (II Kings 23:1-2). In so doing, Josiah did that which the Lord had commanded in Deuteronomy 31:10-13. All present would have heard the words which the Lord spoke to Moses: “Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they shall say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?” (Deut. 31:17).
Sometimes, perhaps many times, New Testament believers wonder why God chooses to do as He does. God’s chosen people forsook Him long before Josiah was born. Why did the Lord wait to release His promised wrath upon His disobedient people? We find an answer in New Testament scripture. We look to Jesus’ return and ask when shall it be? We ask and the Holy Spirit answers. It shall be when the gospel is preached in all places. It shall be when all have heard or will have refused to hear. It shall be with us (New Testament believers), as it was with Israel and Judah of old. The Lord delayed His judgment upon Israel and Judah until after all the people were gathered and heard the words which He had spoken to Moses. The Lord uses Josiah’s actions to reveal His ways to us.
Upon reading the word of God to all the people, Josiah committed himself to obey the covenant. The people followed his example and also committed themselves to uphold the covenant. Josiah’s desire to do right in the sight of the Lord was manifested by many following his example. Josiah’s desire is also manifested in the scripture that follows with the account of his zealous pursuit to cleanse Jerusalem, Judah, and former territories of Israel of all pagan worship.
In the eighteenth year of his reign, the passover was kept as it is written in the book of the covenant to be observed. The human author of II Kings was moved by the Holy Spirit to write, “Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Judah” (v. 22). II Chronicles 35 provides details of this passover observance but the statement that “there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges . . . nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Judah” needs no amplification.
The keeping of the passover in eighteenth year of Josiah was according to the law of Moses. The passover speaks of God’s mercy. It is the sacrifice observed in remembrance of the Lord’s sparing the homes of all in Egypt whose door posts were covered by the blood of a lamb without blemish. Josiah and all Jerusalem remembered and obeyed.
New Testament believers, like Israel of old, remember the blood that covers and spares us from death — the death that shall fall upon all who do not rely upon the righteousness of the Lamb of God. Let the proof of our remembrance be seen in doing as we have been commanded. Let us love one another and proclaim the good news to all people in all places.
