22:1, 2 In reading the biblical lists of kings, it is rare to find one who obeyed God completely. Josiah was such a person, and he was only eight years old when he began to reign. For 18 years Josiah reigned obediently; then, when he was 26, he began the reforms based on God’s laws. Children are the future leaders of our churches and our world. A person’s major work for God may have to wait until he or she is an adult, but no one is ever too young to take God seriously and obey him. Josiah’s early years laid the base for his later task of reforming Judah. God can use you, regardless of your age.
22:4 The keepers of the door controlled who entered the Temple and supervised the collection of the money.
22:8 This book may have been the entire Pentateuch (Genesis—Deuteronomy) or just the book of Deuteronomy. Because of the long line of evil kings, the record of God’s laws had been lost. Josiah, who was about 26 years old at this time, wanted religious reform throughout the nation. When God’s Word was found, drastic changes had to be made to bring the kingdom in line with God’s commands. Today you have God’s Word at your fingertips. How much change must you make in order to bring your life into line with it?
22:11ff When Josiah heard the law, he tore his clothes in despair. He immediately instituted reforms. With just one reading of God’s law, he changed the course of the nation. Today many people own Bibles, but few are affected by the truths found in God’s Word. The Word of God should cause us, like Josiah, to take action immediately to reform our lives and bring them into harmony with God’s will.
22:14 Huldah was a prophetess, as were Miriam (Exodus 15:20) and Deborah (Judges 4:4). God freely selects his servants to carry out his will—rich or poor, male or female, king or slave (Joel 2:28-30). Huldah was obviously highly regarded by the people of her time.
22:19 When Josiah realized how corrupt his nation had become, he tore his clothes and wept before God. Then God had mercy on him and the nation. Josiah used the customs of his day to show his repentance. Today, we are unlikely to tear our clothes in sorrow for our sin, but weeping, fasting, and making restitution or apologies (if our sin has involved others) demonstrate our sincerity when we repent. The hardest part of repentance is changing the attitudes that originally produced the sinful behavior.