Themes From The Old Testament (a) Recount Josiah's response to the discovery of the Book...

Explanation

(a)(2 Kings 22, 23:1-30):

(i) Josiah was eight years old when he begin to reign.

(ii) He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of David his father.

(iii) During the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, he asked that the temple should be renovated,

(iv) When the temple was being repaired, a copy of the book of the Law was discovered by Hilkiah, the High Priest.

(v) Hilkiah then gave the book to Shaphan, the king's secretary and he read it to the hearing of the king.

(vi) When the king heard the words of the book of the Law, he rent his clothes.

(vii) The king sent Hilkiah to go and find out from the Lord concerning the words of the book that was found,

(viii) Huldah, the prophetess was then consulted and she said that God would bring evil upon Judah. Because Judah had forsaken the Lord and had burned incense to other gods,

(x) She said King Josiah would be spared because his heart was penitent and the evil that will befall Judah would not happen in his days,

(xi) Josiah then summoned the elders to the temple and read the Law to them,

(xii) King Josiah then began is religious reforms by purging Judah of foreign and religious practices,

(xiii) All vessels and items made for Baal and Asheran were removed from the temple and burnt,

(xiv) All the priests who had been burning incense in the high places to Baal were killed,

(xv) All the houses built for the cult prostitutes were pulled down.

(xvi) The celebration of the Passover was reinstated

(b)i) There are cultic practices and secret societies in the society and churches today as it was in the days of Josiah. (in Many worshippers in our churches today involve themselves in idol worship as in the days of Josjan.

(iii) Some pastors and church leaders indulge in immoral acts and unchristian practices as the priests of Josiah's time did.

(iv) There are corrupt practices, in the society and church as it happened in the days of Josiah.

(v) Commercialization of the gospel (e.g. ritual bathing, use of effigies, fake miracles, etc.).

(vi) Activities of fake pastors,

(vii) Syncretism.

(viii) Religious facade.