King Josiah was regarded as a defender of Jewish religion because
Answer Details
King Josiah was regarded as a defender of the Jewish religion because he reformed the corrupt religious practices that had crept into the nation of Judah under the reign of his predecessors. The people had turned away from the worship of the true God and had begun to worship idols and other false gods, which had resulted in moral decay and social unrest.
To address this issue, Josiah initiated religious reforms that involved purging the land of idols and false gods, destroying their altars, and restoring the worship of the true God. For example, he brought down Jeroboam's altar from Bethel to Jerusalem and rededicated houses that were previously dedicated to the sun god to the Lord. He also reinstituted the Passover celebration and repaired the temple, which had fallen into disrepair.
One of the most significant actions that Josiah took in his efforts to defend the Jewish religion was the destruction of the priests and altars of the false god Baal. This was a symbolic act that demonstrated his commitment to the true God and his rejection of false worship.
In summary, Josiah was regarded as a defender of the Jewish religion because he reformed the corrupt religious practices that had taken hold in Judah, restored the worship of the true God, and destroyed the altars of false gods like Baal.