Josiah’s Heart for God: Returning to the Word (2 Kings 22:1–23:3)
Have you ever started cleaning out a room and found something really important you forgot you had? That’s a little bit like what happened to King Josiah—and it changed his life and his whole nation.
In 2 Kings 22–23, we meet Josiah, a young king with a heart for God, living in a time when most people had forgotten about God’s commands. But when God’s Word was rediscovered, everything began to change.
Let’s walk through this amazing story.
A Young King with a Big Heart for God
Josiah became king when he was only eight years old. That’s younger than most kids starting middle school! Even though he was young, Josiah chose to do what was right. The Bible says he lived the way King David had lived—following God instead of chasing after idols like so many others did.
Lesson: You’re never too young—or too small—to make a big difference when your heart is set on doing what’s right.
Restoring God’s House
As Josiah grew up, he decided it was time to repair the temple of the Lord, which had fallen into bad shape. He sent workers to fix it, and he trusted them to handle the money and repairs honestly.
Lesson: Respecting God means taking care of the things that honor Him.
Finding What Was Lost
While the workers were cleaning and fixing the temple, the high priest Hilkiah made an incredible discovery: the Book of the Law. It had been lost or forgotten for years! Hilkiah gave the book to the royal secretary, who brought it to Josiah and read it to him.
Imagine hearing God’s commands for the first time in your life—and realizing how far off course you and your whole country had gone!
Lesson: Sometimes God’s truth gets buried under the mess of life. But when we find it again, it brings light and life.
A Broken Heart and a Humble Response
When Josiah heard the words from the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes in sadness and grief. He realized just how badly the people had disobeyed God, and he knew they needed to make things right.
Josiah immediately sent messengers to ask God what they should do next.
Lesson: When we realize we’ve been wrong, the right thing to do is humble ourselves and seek God’s guidance.
God’s Kind Answer Through a Prophetess
God answered Josiah through a woman named Huldah, a prophetess. She told them that because the people had turned away for so long, judgment would eventually come. But because Josiah’s heart was tender and humble, God would delay the disaster until after Josiah’s time.
Lesson: God sees the sincerity of our hearts. When we come to Him humbly, He responds with mercy.
A Nation Turns Back to God
Josiah didn’t waste any time. He gathered everyone together—young and old—and had the Book of the Law read aloud so everyone could hear God’s commands.
Then Josiah made a promise to God, and all the people joined him: they would follow the Lord, obey His commands, and live by His covenant.
Lesson: Real change doesn’t stop with us. When we choose to follow God, we can inspire others to come along too.
Final Thoughts
Josiah’s story reminds us that it’s never too late to return to God. Even if we’ve wandered far away or let God’s truth get buried under the busyness of life, His Word still has the power to bring us back.
All it takes is a heart that is willing to listen, humble enough to change, and brave enough to lead others into a new beginning.
Is there a part of your life where you need to rediscover God’s Word today?
Don’t wait. Start where you are. God is ready to meet you with open arms.
2 Kings 22:1-23:3 (WEB)
22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2 He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and walked in all the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left.3 In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the LORD’s house, saying, 4 “Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may count the money which is brought into the LORD’s house, which the keepers of the threshold have gathered of the people. 5 Let them deliver it into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the LORD’s house; and let them give it to the workers who are in the LORD’s house, to repair the damage to the house, 6 to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house. 7 However, no accounting shall be asked of them for the money delivered into their hand, for they deal faithfully.”8 Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the LORD’s house.” Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and he read it. 9 Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hands of the workmen who have the oversight of the LORD’s house.” 10 Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered a book to me.” Then Shaphan read it before the king.11 When the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12 The king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying, 13 “Go inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is the LORD’s wrath that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.”14 So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her. 15 She said to them, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16 “The LORD says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17 Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched.’ ” 18 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him, “The LORD the God of Israel says, ‘Concerning the words which you have heard, 19 because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,’ says the LORD. 20 ‘Therefore behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.’ ” ’ ” So they brought this message back to the king.23:1 The king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2 The king went up to the LORD’s house, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him—with the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the LORD’s house. 3 The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to walk after the LORD and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to confirm the words of this covenant that were written in this book; and all the people agreed to the covenant.