King Josiah’s religious reforms

Josiah was eight years when he began to reign as king. He reigned for twenty one years in Jerusalem. He did what was good in the sight of God. He walked in the way of his grandfather, David. He showed much interest in the things of God. One of his first assignments was the repair and renovation of the temple. Later when the book of the law was found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, Josiah engaged in other reforms. The book was read to the king and when he heard the contents he tore his cloth as sign of repentance because he knew they had been transgressing.

Josiah sent Hilkiah, the high priest; Shaphem, the secretary and others to enquire ofthe Lord through prophetess Hildah, the wife of Shallim. The prophetess said: “Thus said the Lord, behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read.” (I Kings 22:16-17). The Lord said that because Josiah was patient and humbled himself before the Lord when he heard the words read to him, his eyes would not see evil and he would rule his people in peace. King Josiah summoned all the elders in Israel and read the book of the covenant which was found in the temple to them. King Josiah stood by the temple’s pillar and made a covenant to walk with the Lord and keep His commandments and His testimonies and His structures with all his heart and soul.

Josiah’s Reform

1. He ordered the priest to bring out all the vessels made for Baal and Asherah and burn them.
2. He deposed all the idolatrous priests whom the king of Jude had ordained to burn incense in the high places of the cities of Judah and Jerusalem. He also brought Asherah image from the temple and burned it.
3. He broke down the house of the male cult prostitutes (cult prostitutes was a situation, where the idol priest made love with the deceitful belief that the sexual act will cause the fertility god to make the land fertile.
4. He defied Topheth to prevent people from burning their sons and daughter for sacrifice to Molach. He further removed the horses the king of Judah dedicated to the sun.
5. Josiah carried out his reforms up to the northern kingdom, he removed the shrines of the high places that w there in the city of Samaria which the kings of Israel had made.
6. He restored the feast of Passover and commanded the people to observe it as it is written in the book of the covenant.
7. He abolished witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying, divination and their idols

EVALUATION

1. Mention the reforms Josiah made.

TOPIC: SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TODAY’S RELIGIOUS SITUATION AND THAT OF JOSIAH

Josiah is well known for his thorough cleansing of the land of Israel, destroying every idolatrous legacies in totality. Israel was transgressing since all those while before Josiah came, the land needed cleansing, Josiah did that.

1. Crimes and various vices are rampant in the churches today
2. There are many corrupt preachers and churches today
3. As it was in the days of Josiah, when people were filled with immoral act. In the society today people we think are practicing the right religion are doing something else.
4. There are many wrong teachings in our society today, we have derailed from the actual meaning God wants.

Significance of Josiah’s Reforms

1. It brought about spiritual revival in Israel
2. The reforms made the people to rededicate themselves to God.
3. The ordinances and statues of God were now made clearer to the people.

Lessons to Learn

1. Josiah, in spite of his young age, he was a perfect example of a good leader
2. He did not follow the footstep of his father
3. People should not followed the bad behaviors of others.
4. Churches and the name of God should be respected.

EVALUATION

1. What are the similarities between today’s religious situation and that of Ahab?