2 Chronicles 34:1-33
Q.1. How long after Josiah ascended the throne did God change his heart? What did he do before repairing the temple? How was the temple repaired? – (2 Chr.34:1-13)
Sometimes Josiah was portrayed as an eight-year-old king who turned the nation to God. However, the Lord captured his heart in the eighth year of his reign, at age sixteen. Four years later he began his revival – For in the eighth year of his reign while he was still a youth, he began to seek the God of his father David; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, the carved images and the molten images (2 Chr.34:3). It is to his great credit that he made such an impact as a young king. In this he was much like King David (2 Chr.34:2). In order to get the people’s undivided attention, Josiah began by purging the nation of their false gods and idols, including those in Israel’s tribal regions of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, and as far as Naphtali (2 Chr.34:6). The cleansing took six years, before Josiah began repairing the temple in the eighteenth year of his reign (2 Chr.34:8). They renovated the temple by using the money provided to the Levites for safekeeping by Judah, and by the remnant of faithful Israelites from the northern kingdom. (2 Chr.34:8-9). Not only did they cleanse and repair the temple, but they also reinstated Levites to lead worship (2 Chr.34:10-13).
Q.2. What surprising find was made in the temple? Why did Josiah react so strongly to what he heard? What was God’s message to Josiah through the prophetess Huldah? – (2 Chr.34:14-28)
While repairing the temple they found the Law of the Lord, given by Moses. After reporting on the progress of the renovation – Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest gave me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king (2 Chr.34:18 c.f. 34:14-15). Josiah had been turning the heart of the nation back to God for six solid years. However, what Shaphan read to him shocked him to the core. He realized how great had been the nation’s disobedience. He ordered his chief advisors – “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book which has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord which is poured out on us because our fathers have not observed the word of the Lord, to do according to all that is written in this book.” (2 Chr.34:21). They inquired of the Lord through the prophetess Huldah, who confirmed Josiah’s worst fears about Judah’s judgment. However, she gave a message of encouragement to the king – 27 Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before Me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the Lord. 28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.” (2 Chr.34:27-28).
Q.3. How did Josiah respond to God’s message of encouragement? How did he lead his people? How far reaching were Josiah’s reforms? – (2 Chr.34:29-33)
Josiah’s response was brilliant. He gathered all the leaders and people of Judah and Jerusalem – … from the greatest to the least; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord (2 Chr.34:30). Then the king – … made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant written in this book (2 Chr.34:31). He even extended his godly influence beyond Judah in – … all the lands belonging to the sons of Israel and made all who were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God. Throughout his lifetime they did not turn from following the Lord God of their fathers (2 Chr.34:33).