Religious Reforms – SS2 Christian Religious Studies Lesson Note (Third Term)

Josiah’s religious reform was the effort of King Josiah of Judah to end idolatry and restore the true worship of God. Crowned at eight years old, he repaired the temple, removed foreign gods and their priests, restored the Passover and renewed his covenant with God after the book of the law was found.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• describe the background of King Josiah;
• state the aspects of Josiah’s religious reforms;
• explain how Josiah reconstructed the temple and how he reacted to the book of the law;
• state the significance of Josiah’s reforms;
• state the lessons we can learn from Josiah’s reforms.

Who was Josiah and what reform did he carry out? (II Kings 22)

Josiah was the grandson of King Manasseh of Judah, who was notorious for introducing many other religious beliefs and doctrines into the orthodox mode of worship. Manasseh was succeeded by his son Amon, who walked in the ways of his father by serving idols. After Amon’s death, his eight-year-old son, Josiah, was crowned king.

Unlike his father, Josiah is rated one of the best kings of Judah, as he served God and put away the gods of his father and grandfather. He reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. In the twelfth year of his reign, he began to purge Judah of idolatry. When he was twenty-six years old, he began to repair the temple, so as to put the true worship of God in better focus.

The book of the law was found by Hilkiah, the high priest, and was read to the king. The prophetess Huldah told him that God would surely bring judgment upon the land because of the sin of idolatry.

After this was revealed to him, Josiah summoned all the people. He renewed his covenant with God, promising to be faithful, and all the people joined him in pledging their readiness to serve God.

What were the aspects of Josiah’s reforms?

1. He ordered the removal and burning of all vessels and ritual objects installed by his forefather, King Manasseh.
2. Priests of all the foreign gods were demoted, their idols destroyed and their altars pulled down.
3. The houses of cult prostitutes were destroyed.
4. Josiah restored the feast of Passover, which had been abandoned before his time.
5. He abolished witchcraft, sorcery, soothsaying and divination, and banished their practitioners.
6. He extended his reform to the Northern kingdom. In Samaria and Bethel, he destroyed the shrines built by Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and slaughtered their priests.
7. He brought out the Asherah from the temple and burnt it.

How did Josiah reconstruct the temple?

The repair of the temple was part of the religious reforms carried out by Josiah. Its aim was to put the true worship of God in better focus. He had already begun to purge Judah of idolatry. Later, when Hilkiah, the high priest, found the book of the law in the temple, Josiah carried out other reforms.

The book was read to the king. When he heard its content, he rent his clothes as a sign of repentance, because he knew the people had transgressed. His reforms aimed to make the true way of worshipping God clear and to remove distortions from it.

Because the king had repented, he would not see the punishment. He would die peacefully and be buried in peace.

What was the significance of Josiah’s reforms?

1. Josiah’s reforms brought about spiritual revival in Israel. The temple in Jerusalem was repaired and established as the centre of worship in Israel.
2. The reforms made the people rededicate themselves to God.
3. The ordinances and the statutes were made clearer to the people.

What lessons can we learn from Josiah’s reforms?

1. We should endeavour to obey God’s laws and words no matter how hard it may seem.
2. We need to change our ways and cleanse our hearts so that we can worship God in purity.

Evaluation

1. Who were Josiah’s father and grandfather?
2. State four aspects of Josiah’s reforms.
3. How did Josiah react when the book of the law was read to him?
4. State two lessons we can learn from Josiah’s reforms.

Assignment

1. How old was Josiah when he began to rule?
   A. 8 years
   B. 9 years
   C. 10 years
   D. 7 years
2. The high priest in the temple who found the book of the law was ____.
   A. Ahikam
   B. Acbar
   C. Hilkiah
   D. Jehu
3. The prophetess through whom God delivered his message to Judah during the reign of Josiah was ____.
   A. Huldah
   B. Deborah
   C. Jael
   D. Nasra
4. Which of these was not an aspect of Josiah’s reforms?
   A. Restoration of the Passover festival
   B. Changing of the days of worship
   C. Burning of vessels and ritual objects
   D. Putting away the mediums and the wizards
5. On hearing the contents of the book of the law and learning the extent of Judah’s transgression, Josiah’s immediate reaction was ____.
   A. to summon all the people
   B. to proclaim a fast
   C. to declare a day of mourning
   D. he rent his clothes in anger