Religious Reforms in Judah

Introduction

Religious reform refers to the act of restoring the worship of God to its pure state as commanded in the scriptures. In the history of Judah, King Josiah stands out as the greatest reformer. His reign (c. 640–609 BC) marked a significant turning point in Judah's spiritual life after the apostasy of his predecessors, Manasseh and Amon.

1. The Cleansing of the Temple (II Kings 22)

Josiah became king at the age of eight. In the eighteenth year of his reign, he initiated the repair of the Temple of the Lord. He sent Shaphan the secretary to Hilkiah the High Priest to consolidate the funds collected by the doorkeepers for the restoration.

• Discovery of the Book of the Law: During the repairs, Hilkiah found the 'Book of the Law' (likely Deuteronomy) in the Temple.
• Reaction of Josiah: When Shaphan read the book to Josiah, the king tore his clothes in grief and repentance, realizing how far Judah had strayed from God’s commands.
• Consulting Huldah: Josiah sent a delegation to Huldah the prophetess. She prophesied that while God would bring disaster upon Judah for their idolatry, Josiah would be spared and die in peace because of his humility and repentance.

2. Renewal of the Covenant (II Kings 23:1-30)

Josiah gathered all the elders, priests, prophets, and the people of Judah. He read the Book of the Law in their hearing and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and keep His commandments with all his heart.

Specific Reform Actions:

• Removal of Idolatry: He removed the vessels made for Baal and Asherah from the Temple and burned them outside Jerusalem.
• Destruction of High Places: He defiled the high places where priests had burned incense to other gods.
• Topheth: He defiled Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom to stop child sacrifices to Molech.
• The Altar at Bethel: He pulled down the altar Jeroboam had built at Bethel, fulfilling a long-standing prophecy.
• Restoration of the Passover: Josiah commanded the people to keep the Passover, a celebration that had not been observed with such devotion since the time of the Judges.

3. Significance of the Reforms

Josiah's reforms were significant because they centralized worship in Jerusalem and temporarily averted the wrath of God. The reforms emphasized that the survival of the nation depended on its loyalty to the Covenant. However, the reforms were largely external; the hearts of the people often remained unchanged, leading to the eventual exile after Josiah's death.