This chapter parallels 2 Ki 22, following Josiah as he rids Judah of false gods, seeks the Lord, and leads Judah to follow the Lord.
“And the king went up to the house of the Lord, with… all the people both great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. And 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 all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant… Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin join in it… All his days they did not turn away from following the Lord, the God of their fathers.” (v29-33 abr)
After the book of the law is found in the newly restored temple, Josiah makes a public oath to follow the Lord of their forefathers. Josiah also makes all of Judah and Benjamin (the two remaining tribes) follow the commandments passed down from Moses.
Have you ever pictured God with a giant, beaming smile on His face? I think of Him like a parent who is proud of their child, being overjoyed with us when we choose to obey Him. Nobody forced Josiah to obey God, and his father didn’t model it – he just chose to follow God because he knew it was the right thing to do.
I recently heard the phrase: ‘take the stairs’. The speaker was saying we should do what is right, not what is easy (or lazy). The stairs are a metaphor for what’s good for us, but they also represent the more challenging path. Meaning, the best/right path is not usually the easiest one. Microwave and takeout dinners are easy, but they’re definitely not the healthiest (or cheapest) option.
Josiah and countless others have learned that following God is not the easiest path, though it is the best/right one. Like exercise, following God requires commitment, sacrifice, and hard work. The good news is, the benefits of following God (and exercise) far outweigh the costs. God promises great rewards for those who ‘take the stairs’.
Father God, our Compassionate Lord and Loving God, holy, holy, holy is Your name. Father thank you for smiling down upon us when we choose to obey Your voice. Thank you for your countless blessings upon us which we do not deserve, but do greatly appreciate. Thank you for making it possible to remain loyal to You through Your holy Spirit and Jesus’ sacrifice. We long to honor You with all of our heart, strength, mind, and soul, forever and ever, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training