Stroll through Scripture for November 26, 2023

Commentary on 2 Kings 22:1–10, 14–20; 23:1–3

This passage of Scripture is about Josiah, one of the few “good” kings of Judah, and certainly the last good king that Judah would see. Josiah reigned from 640–609 BCE. And it is this passage of Scripture, specifically verses 14–20, that give us a preview of what is to happen to Judah.

It’s important to keep a few dates in mind to better understand what’s going on. The Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, 80 years before Josiah becomes king at the age of eight. And the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Babylonians will take place in 586 BCE, just a couple of kings after Josiah.

2 Kings 22 has a specific focus and agenda, leaving the reader with many questions that are unanswered. Questions like was Josiah really in charge at the age of eight, or did some else run things until he was older? When the high priest Hilkiah find “the book of the Law” (vs. 8) is that the entire scroll of Deuteronomy or just a section? And how on earth was the law missing from the Temple? Or was it hidden to protect it because of the actions of a previous bad king who was unfaithful to God? We aren’t given any answers to these questions.

The main point of 2 Kings 22 is that the book of the law is found after it had been lost for a long time. In a way, this is exactly what was going on in Judah — the ways of God had been lost, the people and the nation were lost spiritually and morally. Sure, there…