The Rediscovery of God's Law Under King Josiah
The history of the Southern Kingdom of Judah was largely a chronicle of spiritual decline, punctuated by brief periods of revival under a few righteous kings. Following the apostasy of Manasseh, who filled Jerusalem with abominations and shed much innocent blood, and the brief, wicked reign of Amon, Judah plunged into deep spiritual darkness. Idolatry was rampant, the temple of the LORD was neglected, and the knowledge of God's divine statutes seemed all but lost. It was into this spiritual desolation that King Josiah ascended the throne, a mere eight-year-old boy, destined to become one of Judah's most remarkable and righteous monarchs.
Josiah's Early Righteousness
Despite his tender age and the pervasive wickedness surrounding him, Josiah distinguished himself early in his reign. The scriptures testify to his unique character:
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.
In his eighth year, while still young, Josiah began to seek after the God of David his father. This was not merely a passive inclination but an active pursuit of righteousness. By his twelfth year, he began a fervent reformation across Judah and Jerusalem, purging the land of high places, groves, carved images, and molten images (2 Chronicles 34:3). This early zeal for God set the stage for the profound spiritual awakening that was soon to follow, an awakening rooted in the rediscovery of the very foundation of Israel's covenant with God: the Book of the Law.
The Catalyst: Temple Repair
In the eighteenth year of his reign, after a significant period of internal reform and purging the land of idolatry, Josiah turned his attention to the dilapidated house of the LORD. This was a common act of piety among the more righteous kings, indicating a desire to restore proper worship. Josiah commissioned Shaphan the scribe, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the recorder to oversee the repair of the temple. They were to deliver the money collected from the people to Hilkiah the high priest, who would then pay the workmen.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.
This seemingly routine maintenance project became the providential key that unlocked centuries of forgotten truth and ignited a nationwide revival.
Hilkiah's Earth-Shattering Discovery
It was during this temple restoration, as Hilkiah the high priest was overseeing the collection of the money brought into the house of the LORD, that he made an astonishing discovery. Hidden away, perhaps for generations, and forgotten amidst the spiritual decay, was the very foundation of Israel's covenant with God. Hilkiah found "the book of the law in the house of the LORD."
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
The exact contents of this book are debated by scholars, but the consensus is that it was at least the book of Deuteronomy, if not the entire Pentateuch. The fact that it was "found" implies it had been lost or hidden, a stark testament to the profound spiritual negligence that had gripped Judah for so long. The very Word of God, the nation's guiding light and covenant document, had become a forgotten relic in its own temple.
Josiah's Profound Response
Shaphan brought the newly discovered book to King Josiah and read its words before him. The effect upon the young king was immediate and overwhelming. When Josiah heard the words of the law, he was not merely interested or curious; he was utterly broken and humbled. He rent his clothes, a powerful symbol of deep mourning, conviction, and repentance.
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
Josiah understood the gravity of what he had heard. The Law, with its blessings for obedience and its curses for disobedience, revealed the depth of Judah's apostasy and the impending judgment of God. His immediate command was to "Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us." (2 Kings 22:13)
Huldah's Prophecy: Judgment and Grace
Josiah sent Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah to inquire of the LORD. They went to Huldah the prophetess, who dwelt in Jerusalem. Her prophetic word confirmed Josiah's fears but also offered a tender word of grace for the king himself.
Huldah prophesied that indeed, all the curses and judgments written in the book would come upon Jerusalem and its inhabitants because they had forsaken the LORD and burned incense to other gods. Their wickedness had provoked God to wrath, and it would not be quenched.
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
However, because Josiah's heart was tender and he had humbled himself before the LORD, rending his clothes and weeping, God promised that he would be gathered to his fathers in peace and would not see the great evil that was to come upon Jerusalem. This was a profound demonstration of God's mercy and grace towards a truly repentant heart, even amidst the certainty of national judgment.
Covenant Renewal and Sweeping Reforms
Armed with the confirmed word of the LORD, Josiah did not merely lament; he acted decisively. He gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, from the least to the greatest, into the house of the LORD. There, he read aloud "all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD." (2 Kings 23:2)
Following this public reading, Josiah stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, "to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant." (2 Kings 23:3)
This covenant renewal ignited the most extensive and thorough religious reforms in Judah's history. Josiah's actions included:
His reforms were so comprehensive that the scripture records, "Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD." (2 Kings 23:24)
The Great Passover
A highlight of Josiah's reforms was the celebration of the Passover, commanded within the very Law they had rediscovered. Josiah commanded all the people to keep the Passover unto the LORD their God as it was written in the book of the covenant.
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 of the kings of Judah;
This Passover was celebrated with unprecedented devotion and adherence to the Mosaic Law, demonstrating the profound impact of the rediscovered Word of God on the heart of the king and the nation.
Conclusion: The Enduring Power of God's Word
The discovery of the Law under King Josiah stands as a powerful testament to the transformative power of God's Word. For generations, Judah had strayed, accumulating sin upon sin, largely because the very standard of truth had been forgotten. The reintroduction of the Law brought conviction, repentance, and a widespread, albeit temporary, national revival. Josiah's reign is eulogized as one of unparalleled righteousness:
And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.
While the spiritual awakening under Josiah did not ultimately prevent the eventual Babylonian captivity, it demonstrated God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and His willingness to show mercy to a repentant heart. The narrative serves as a timeless reminder for believers today:
- The Centrality of Scripture: Just as the Law was vital for ancient Israel, God's inspired Word, the Bible, is indispensable for the life and health of believers and the church.
- The Power of Conviction: When God's Word is truly heard and understood, it convicts of sin and reveals God's righteous standards.
- The Necessity of Repentance: True understanding of sin leads to genuine humility and repentance, which is met by God's grace.
- The Call to Reformation: Personal repentance should lead to outward reformation, both in individual lives and in the corporate body of believers, aligning practices with God's commands.
The story of Josiah and the rediscovery of the Law urges us to continually return to the scriptures, allowing them to shape our hearts, guide our steps, and ignite within us a passion for God's truth and righteousness.