206 - Josiah's godly reign.

Kathleen's thoughts

Zephaniah 3: 1-20
2 Kings 22: 3-20, 23: 1-3


Further reproofs for sin
God's mercy For I will then restore pure speech to the peoples so that all of them may call on the name of Yahweh and serve Him with a single purpose
The Remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or tell lies; a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouths. But they will pasture and lie down, with nothing to make them afraid.


Restoration of Israel and Jerusalem The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy.


Josiah repairs the Temple


The book of the Law if found Hilkiah the high priest told Shaphan the court secretary, "I have found the book of the law in the Lord's temple" and he gave the book to Shaphan, who read it,.


Josiah consults Huldah. So Hilkaih the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah, wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her. She prophesied what would happen to the nation but said  to Josiah this. As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants  and because you humbled yourself before Me, and you Tore your clothes and wept before Me, I Myself have heard - this is the Lord speaking. I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants. Then they reported to the king.


The King's covenant. The king stood at his post and made a covenant in the Lord's presence to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments, His decrees, and HIs statues with all his heart and with all his soul in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book. Then he had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin enter the covenant. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

blessings
Kathleen.