1 2 ß9/25/11 2)) He was taken to Babylon by Assyria, believed in 650 B.C. by 2Kings 22-23 Asherbanipal and repented and God allowed him returned to The wickedness of Manasseh was the worst of any Jerusalem. king, yet God in His mercy forgave him and 3)) Manasseh reigned till 642 B.C., restored him and he demonstrated his genuine faith that means he had eight years left in Yahweh. after his captivity, so if he spent two years in captivity, that means But his son Amon did evil before the Lord. Josiah had the benefit of his first six year of his Grand-father’s Now Josiah one of the greatest kings comes to the repentance and reform. 2Chron. throne in 608 B.C. , leaving only four more kings 33:11-20 before the 70 year captivity. 4)) Then from six to eight, his father Amon reigned for two years and 22:1-20 The eighteenth year of Josiah’s did evil before God, not humbling reign. himself before God, as his father Manasseh and was assassinated 22:1-2 The particulars about the reign of after two years. 2Kings 21:19-23, Josiah. 2Chron. 33:22-25 * The parallel passage. 2Chron. 34:1-7 b) He reigned thirty-one years in 1) Josiah was a mere eight years old when Jerusalem. vs. 1b he came to be king of Judah. vs. 1a * 640-608 B.C a) He did not have the advantage of a c) His mother’s name was Jediah. vs. 1c godly home. 1)) Jedidah “y@diydah”, means 1)) Most say for his first eight years beloved, feminine of Solomon. and I also have taught it, but as I 2)) She was the daughter of Adiahah was pondering the text, it struck “Adayah”, meaning “Yahweh has me that from birth to six years of adorned Himself”. age, he lived under his Grand- father Manasseh, who repented. 3 4 3)) She was from Bozkath, a city in 22:3-7 The particular command of Josiah. the low lands of Judah, towards the * 2Chron. 34:8-13 Philistines, Ekron. 1) Josiah gave a commanded to be carried 2) Josiah chose to walk with God, after his out in regards to the Temple. vs. 3a-b Grand-father Manasseh. vs. 2 a) The phrase “Now it came to pass”, a) His commitment was to Yahweh, simply implies after some time. vs. 3a doing what was right in the sight of b) The time is, “the eighteenth year of the LORD.” vs. 2a King Josiah”. vs. 3b b) His high commendation is recorded, 1)) He began to reign at 8 years old, he walked in all the ways of his father 640 B.C. David. vs. 2b 2)) He has reigned 18 years, so he is c) His steadfastness is emphasized, not now 26 years old, 622 B.C. deviating to the right or left. vs. 2c 3)) Eighteen year are passed up in 1)) Think about how the book of silence in the book of Kings, but Kings does not buy into the this was the result of seeking the philosophy of dis-functionalism to Lord, in earlier years. excuse you sinful life-style to 4)) Chronicles gives us clear order of blame your home-life and others, event, telling us that in the 8th year you have a choice on how to live. of his reign, when he was 16 years 2)) Godly Hezekiah had an evil father, old, while he was still young, he Ahaz, evil Manasseh had a godly began to seek the God of his father father, Hezekiah, evil Amon had David, then in the 12th year of his an evil father who repented, reign, when he was 20 years old, Manasseh, and Josiah had a godly he began to purge Judah and repentant Grand-father Manasseh Jerusalem. 2Chron. 34:3 but an evil father Amon. 5)) So the event of our text is six 3)) Do not get tired of hearing this years after the one recorded in important principle, God has gone Second Chronicles, he is now 26 out of His way to record this over years old. and over, so we do not miss it! 2) Josiah sent one of his servants. vs. 3c-f 5 6 a) The king sent Shaphan the scribe. vs. 3c 22:8-10 The High Priest informed Shaphan * Shaphan “shaphan” means rock that he discovered a scroll. badge, coney or the hyrax. * The parallel passage. 2Chron. 34:14-21 b) The son of Azaliah, the son of 1) The communication was first hand Meshullam. vs. 3d-e information, Hilkiah the high priest to 1)) His father’s name is Azaliah, Shaphan the scribe. vs. 8a “Atsalyahuw” meaning Yahweh a) Direct lines of communications are the has reserved or set apart. most expedient and efficient. 2)) His grandfather was Meshullam b) Bureaucracy contaminates information “M@shullam”, means “friend”. and slows down efficiency. c) The destination, “to the house of the 2) The scroll found was the Pentateuch, the LORD.” vs. 3f first five books of the Bible, “I have 1)) The original temple Solomon found the Book of the Law.” vs. 8b built. b) The book Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus 2)) The temple was desecrated by Numbers and Deuteronomy, written many, but the worst was by his by Moses. Grandfather Manasseh. 1)) Whether it was the original one 3) Josiah gave specific instructions. vs. 4-7 that was to be kept beside the Ark a) He was to tell the High Priest to count of the covenant or not we can not the money dedicated for the temple by say. Deut. 31:26 the people. vs. 4 * It could have been from the time b) The High Priest then was to deliver of Moses! the money to those in charge of the 2)) This copy was distinct from the temple repairs of all its abuse and king’s copy from it, to read neglect. vs. 5 continuously to rule in the fear of c) He named the particular laborers to God. Deut. 17:18 purchase the materials needed. vs. 6 * Alexander White comments that d) Josiah emphasized the integrity of the for all practical purposes, if it were men doing the work, not needing not for Josiah we would not have accountability, being faithful. vs. 7 the first five books and our bible 7 8 would of begun with the book of Joshua! 22:11-14 The King Josiah was convicted by the 3) The location was in the house of the reading of the scroll. Yahweh, the covenant God. vs. 8b 1) The immediate outward response of a) As they were making preparations to Josiah was grief and anguish tearing his make repairs. clothes. vs. 11 b) Possibly the book of the Law was lost a) The Book of the Law contained a during Manasseh’s reign. portion of God’s cursings and 4) The delivery of the book was to Shaphan, blessing, key to the covenant. “And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, 1)) Josiah most likely read the section and he read it.” vs. 8c-d of cursings and blessings. Lev. 26, a) Shaphan was a scribe “caphar”, the Deut. 27-28 one responsible for the records or 2)) The Book of the Law contained chronicles of history or events. the covenant the people had made b) The were also responsible for the with God. Deut. 29-30 preserving of the Scriptures. making b) The tearing of one’s clothes was an newer copies, the more valuable. outward demonstration of the heart. c) Shaphan the scribe read the book, 1)) What pained God, pained Josiah, understanding how greatly they had demonstrating his brokenness. sinned against God. 2)) He was humbling himself before 5) The communication of Shaphan to Josiah. God, due to his contrition. vs. 9 2) The unhesitant inner response of Josiah a) First, to report he had carried out his was acknowledgment of their sin against command to repair the temple as God. vs. 12-13 order by Josiah. vs. 9 a) Josiah ordered five men to go enquire b) Second, to report the finding of the from God. vs. 12 book of the Law. vs. 10 1)) Hilkiah the priest, probably was 1)) He told Josiah that Hilkiah had the father of Jeremiah. vs. 12a handed him a book. vs. 10a-c 2)) Ahikam the son of Shaphan. vs. 2)) He read from the book aloud, to 12b Josiah. vs. 10d 9 10 3)) Achbor the son of Michaiah. vs. b) The prophetess was the wife of 12c Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of 4)) Shaphan the scribe. vs. 12d Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. vs. 5)) Asaiah a servant of the king. vs. 14e-g 12e 1)) Shallum could also be the door * Some of these men were friends keeper in the Temple. Jer. 35:4 of Jeremiah, who rescued him 2)) Shallum could be the uncle of from the cistern. Jeremiah. Jer. 32:7 b) Josiah words were related to what he * Most favor his uncle. had read in the Book of the Law. vs. c) They spoke to the prophetess, who 13 lived in the city of Jerusalem in the 1)) He was reminded that they were Second Quarter. vs. 14h-i the people of God, Yahweh. vs. 1)) Zepheniah mentions wailing 13a-c coming from there. Zeph. 1:10 2)) He was reminded that they were 2)) The lower city residential area to responsible and accountable to the west of the Temple in the God for the words of the Book.