Themes From The Old Testament (a) Recount Josiah's response to the discovery of the Book of the Law in the temple. (b) Identify three ways in which the reli...

Answer Details

(a) When the Book of the Law was discovered in the temple during Josiah's reign, he tore his clothes and sent his officials to inquire of the Lord about the words written in the book. Upon hearing the words of the book, he realized how far the people of Judah had strayed from the Lord's commands and he initiated a series of reforms to turn the people back to God. He removed all the idols and pagan altars from the temple and throughout Judah, reinstituted the Passover celebration, and abolished all forms of idolatry. (b) Today, similar to Josiah's days, many people have strayed from God's commands and have turned to various forms of idolatry such as materialism, consumerism, and individualism. In addition, many have neglected the importance of reading and obeying the Bible, just as the Book of the Law was neglected in Josiah's day. Finally, like Josiah, there is a need for reforms in our society and in the church to turn people back to God and to renew our commitment to follow His commands.