The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 418

Vera. 1-14.-Josiah's great reformation. The narrative of Josiah's reforms con- tained in this chapter incorporates several particulars which, if the Book of Chronicles is to be regarded as giving the true chronology, belong to an earlier period. It is next to incredible that, after Jehovah's worship had been regularly established, such scandals as the prostitution alluded to in ver. 7, and the horses and chariots of the sun in ver. 11, should have been allowed to continue. The narrative in Kiugs seems specially designed to bring all Josiah's reforms into one view. We have- I. SOLEMN COVENANTING. After the example of Jehoiada in the reign of Joash (2 Chron. xxiii. 16), and the still more ancient example of Moses (Deut. xxix.), Josiah convened the people together to renew the covenant made with them by God at Sinai (Exod. xxiv. 1-8). The covenanting took place appropriately in the house of the Lord-another evidence that the worst abominations had by this time been removed from the temple. All classes were assembled, high and low, priests, prophets, and people. In propJsing to them to enter on this solemn engagement, in which he set them the example: 1. The king asked them to do a right thing. It was Israel's distinction among the peoples of the earth that they stood in covenant with God. God bad cho~en them as a people for himself, th&t they should serve him alone in the land he h&d given them, If they had failed to do this, &nd now repente,l of their  468 THE SECOND BOOK OF 'l'HE KINGS. [cu. xxm. 1-37. ----------·------------------ disobedience, it was meet that they should acknowledge their transgressions, and anew pledge themse1'-es to be the Lord's. This was what Josia.h desired Judah anQ Jerusalem-" the remnant of God's inherita.nce"-to do. Standing on a raised platform he set them the example of covenant. It is a good thing when na.tione have leader; who are themselves conspicuous examples of godliness, and who point the way in what is right t-0 their people. '£he propriety of national covenants is a question to be settled by the circumstances of each particular age. The individual Christian, at least, is ca)led to frequent renewal of his vows to God, and such an exercise is peculiarly sU1table after seasons of backsliding. 2. He did it on a right basis. The covenant was based on the declarations of " the book of the covenant," the words of which were first read in the hearing of all the people. Then the people, following the example of their monarch, pledged themselves to walk after the Lord, to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and soul, and to perform the words that were written in the book. Their covenant thus rested on the right foundation, ,iz. God's Word. It is God who, in his Word, draws near to us, declares to us his will, holds out his promises, invites us to engagement with himself, and lays d~wn_ the rule of our obedience.. ~ covenant means nothing save as it springs from faith m, acceptance of, and subm1ss1ou to the revealed Word of God. Our covenanting is to be (1) intelligent-based on the study of God's Word, and understanding of its requirements; (2) cordial-with all the heart and soul; and (3) dutiful-in the spirit of obedience, "to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book." 3. Yet the engagement was not si,,cere. It was so in the case of Josiah, but not in the case of the people generally, though it is written," All the people stood to the covenant." In lip they honoured God, but in heart they were far from him (Isa. xxix. 13). This is evident from the descriptions in the prophets. The movement was not a spontaneous one originating in the hearts of the people themselves, but came down to them from above tl,rough the king's command. The formal ceremonies of covenanting were gone through, and some temporary, and perhaps genuine, enthusiasm was awakened. But there was no real heart-change of the people. Their goodness was like the morning cloud and the early dew (Hos. vi. 4). 'l'his is too often the fate of movements originating with kings, princes, and those in high positions, and not springing from the people'8 own initiative. They are popular and fashionable, and draw many after them who have no real sympathy with their aims. But the effects do not endure. Rank, fashion, royalty, the adhesion of the great and mighty and noble of this world (1 Cor, i. 26), do not of themselves make a movement religious, though they may secure for it edat. The Lord looketh on the heart (1 Sam. xvi. 7), and if the essence of religion is wanting, imposing external forms count for little. II. THE TEMPLE CLEANSED. In the covenant they had just made, the people bound themsel,es in the most solemn manner to rid the land of all visible traces of idolatry ( £:xod. xxiii. 24; Deut. xii.1-3). Josiah took this work in hand more systematically than any king who had gone before him (ver. 25). He began with the temple, the thorough purification cf which had probably been left over till tbe repairs above referred to (eh. xxii.) could be overtaken. Similar zeal for the destruction of idols was mani- fested at the conclusion of the previous covenant under Joash (2 Chron. xxiii. 17), 1. .A cleansing away of the traces of Baal,..worship. In the first place, a careful clearing out was made of all the vessels and utensils that had been used in the service of Ilaal, or of the Asherah, or of the host of heaven. These were burned in the valley of Kidron, and the a8hes of them carried to Bethel, as the appropriate source of this idolatry. The sacred tree itself-the Asherah-was then cut down, burned in the same valley, and its ashes sprinkled on the graves of the people, many of whom had shared in the guilt of its worship. Afterwards the altars erected to Baal in the temple courts were broken down, and the dust of them cast also into the valley of Kidron (ver. 12). Possibly the Asherah and these altars had been removed, and treated as described, at an earlier date. 2. .A deansing away of the trace, of Venus-woi·ship. The Asherah was devoted to the licentious Astarte, and rites the most shameless and abominable had been conducted in the temple courts in honour of this goddess. Houses, even, had been reared close to the sacred enclosure for the bands of depraved men and women who took part in these orgies. Doubtless the worship ere this had been stopped, and the filthy actors driven out, but the houses which remaiped 11,& " romiiider of itll existence wer, tm. xxm.1-37.] 'l'HE SECX)ND BOOK OF TH:I!: KINGS.