Parenting Children Resources

The first line about Josiah’s reign is about how he started his big job as a little boy. He was eight years old, remember? The next line is “And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chron. 34:2). Doing what God thinks is right is the right way to live. The more Josiah sought after God, the more he understood that God alone is to worshiped. Many people in Judah were worshiping other gods. Josiah was upset, because only the one true God is to be worshiped.

So Josiah tore down idols and smashed the altars dedicated to false gods. Now usually it would be wrong to smash people’s stuff, but in this case, it was a very good thing. Worshiping the right God in the right way is always right. Another way Josiah sought to worship the right God in the right way was by repairing the temple. As the workmen worked day after day faithfully fixing all that needed fixing, something amazing happened. Hilkiah the priest found an old book. A cookbook? No. A comic book? Of course not. A book about how to build robots? Come on, now! It was “the Book of the Law” (34:14), the inspired word that the Lord had given Moses. Hilkiah found Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy!

This book of five books had a lot of laws in it, but not laws like “No shoes, no shirt, no service.” These were God-given laws that taught God’s people who God was, what he had done, and what would please him. When God’s word was read to Josiah the king, he tore his clothes. Why? It wasn’t because he wanted a new wardrobe. Rather, it was a sign of his deep sadness that God’s people had “not kept the word of the Lord” (34:21). And he knew that their worship of false gods would bring God’s judgment upon them. So Josiah wasted no time. He came before God and made a promise—a covenant. The people did the same.

All God’s people repented and promised to obey God’s word. Repentance starts with feeling sorry for our sins. True repentance also means turning from sin to God. God’s people now followed God’s holy word, kept his holy days, and served him in holy ways.