Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 23

Josiah turned to God with all his heart

2 Kings 23:24-25

Josiah had truly turned to God, and so he acted with completely sincere attitudes. That fact is clear from how Jeremiah describes Josiah’s rule, in Jeremiah 22:15-16. Josiah used his power as king to defend poor and weak people, from whom he received no benefit. So, he did that because he sincerely believed it to be the right and proper way to behave. He did not just obey God’s law – rather, he loved God’s law with his whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 119:97). In other words, he loved God so he gladly obeyed God’s law.

Josiah had acted in an impressive way against wrong and evil religions. He had destroyed both the images of false gods and the places where people prayed to those false gods. However, with his deeply sincere attitudes, that did not satisfy Josiah. He knew that people carry out much of their religion in private and in secret. So, he decided also to act against the wrong and evil religion that people carried out secretly.

Across his nation, there were people who used magic in order to inquire of spirits (for example, 1 Samuel chapter 28). Josiah had discovered that this is against God’s law (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). So, he dealt firmly with these people to stop this wrong behaviour.

Also, in their homes, the people had small idols, which were images of false gods (for example Genesis 31:30-35). These idols may have been wood, stone or precious metals. Sometimes they were valuable. The people may have prayed in front of them; or, they may have kept the idols for good luck. So, they were trusting in such images and not in God. It was against God’s law for them to have idols (Deuteronomy 4:15-18). Even as Josiah had destroyed the great public idols, so he destroyed these small idols from people’s homes.

Next part: Josiah could not prevent God's judgment against his nation (2 Kings 23:26-27)

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