Josiah Restores True Worship

II Kings 23:1–20
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Josiah devoted himself to eradicating all forms of idolatry in Judah. He summoned all the elders, priests and prophets and all the people from the least to the greatest to the temple (v, 1). Standing by the pillar in the courtyard he led the people in a rededication of themselves to the Lord (vv. 2-3). Josiah removed everything connected with the worship of false gods that his ancestors had set up (vv. 4-7). He also eradicated the priests who had let the people into these corrupt practices (v. 5).

In addition to the reforms that he led in Judah, Josiah also traveled to Bethel and destroyed the high place that Jeroboam had constructed. In fact he destroyed the pagan places of worship from Geba on Judah’s northern frontier to Beersheba on its southern border. Josiah did more than eliminate idolatry (vv. 8-20). He also re-established the divinely ordained Passover feast. It is stated that there had not been a Passover celebrated in Israel like this since the days of the Judges. The offerings of lambs and goats numbered 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls (2 Chron. 35:7).

All the revival in Josiah’s reign did not dispel the accumulated wrath of God against Judah for her years of rebellion. Neco  ruled Egypt and he moved northward to help the Assyrians. Josiah saw this as a threat to his kingdom. Therefore he engaged Neco in a battle at Megiddo. The result was disastrous as Josiah was killed. After this Judah went into rapid declines.

Application

Josiah’s approach for dealing with sin was threefold:

(1)  He recognized sin. (2) He eliminated sinful practices. (3) He attacked the causes of sin.

This should be my approach for dealing with sin?