3. Now in the eighth year of his reign, when he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his father David. And in the twelfth year after he had begun to reign, he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the sacred groves, and the idols, and the graven images.
2 Chronicles 34 Relates the story of King Josiah, who became king of Judah at the age of eight. During his reign, he made a great religious reform, restoring the temple of the Lord and eliminating idolatry. Here are five verses related to the themes of this chapter:
2 Kings 22:19: "For thy heart was grounded, and humble you before the Lord, when you heard what I said against this place, and against your residents, who would be for the sillow and curse, and tear your garments. And you cried before me, I heard you too, says the Lord. " This verse talks about God's response to Josiah's humility and repentance. Josiah demonstrated a broken heart before the Lord and God heard his prayer.
Deuteronomy 12:4: "You will not do so to the Lord your God." This verse talks about the importance of worshiping God in the right way and avoiding idolatry. Josiah acknowledged the importance of following the laws of God and eliminated all form of idolatry in Judah.
2 Kings 22:8: "Then the High Priest Hilquias said to the Saphã, the registrar: I found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to the safan, and he read it." This verse talks about the discovery of the book of law in the temple. This was a crucial moment in Josiah's religious reform, for the book of law helped guide its reforms.
2 Kings 23:3: "And the king set himself standing by the column, and made a covenant before the Lord, that he would follow the Lord, and keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, of Every heart, and with all the soul, confirming the words of this covenant, which were written in that book; and all the people supported this covenant. " This verse describes how Josiah renewed the covenant with the Lord and pledged to follow his commandments. This was an important step in the religious reform he led in Judah.
2 Kings 23:25: "And before Him there was no king similar to him, who converted to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his strength, according to the whole law of Moses; and After him never stood up the same. " This verse talks about the importance of Josiah's leadership in religious reform in Judah. He was an example of a leader who sought the Lord with all his heart and encouraged the people to do the same.
“Como é belo esperar!” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina
