King Josiah has been a biblical character who has had my admiration and respect since I was a child. He’s one who reminds and inspires me to search my heart and keep God’s Word close by. In these two chapters we get a view of his rise to kinghood, the discovery of the Book of the Law, his reaction to its words, and the reforms to follow. God’s people had been living for decades with His Word and were fully entrenched in idolatry of all sorts. They had turned their back on their Creator King, allowing their hearts to harden and turn to the evil ways of their earthly kings and neighbors. There was no conviction in their hearts and no desire to live for anyone other than themselves. However, when the young Josiah was presented with the lost Book of the Law, his heart was broken. Instead of turning away and continuing in sin, he quickly assumed a posture of repentance, seeking redemption from the one true God.
Before him there was no king like him, who 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, nor did any like him arise after him.
2 Kings 23:25
King Josiah went to great lengths to instruct the people in the ways of the Lord, to restore a way of life that was pleasing to the Lord, and to reinstitute the Law that was forgotten for so many years. Josiah reminds me of the dangers of prioritizing things of this world over my relationship with my Creator. His heartbreak reminds me of my sinful nature and the ease of slipping out of communion with my Maker. I pray that we all would search our hearts, be grieved by our sins, and seek redemption and restoration.
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