Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes.
II Kings 22:11
Does your heart ache when you sin against God? It is amazing how so many people believe that as long as they don’t feel that something is bad, then it must not be bad. As long as they feel okay about it, they will continue to do it. And as long as God does not deal with them immediately, it must be okay.
Josiah was very young (8 years old) when he became king over Judah. Peace, prosperity, and reform characterized his 31-year reign. At the age of 26, Josiah began the process to repair the temple after it had been desecrated by Manasseh, who built pagan altars and images inside it.
During the renovation, a copy of the Book of Law (possibly the Book of Deuteronomy ) was found. The high priest informed Josiah of the discovery and read from it to him. In response, Josiah became distressed and tore his robe. He was troubled over hearing what God required of His people as he compared that with how far they had departed from His will.
Josiah feared the anger of the Lord and wanted the people of Judah to repent. Such a response was shocking to the people and reveals that they had not consulted the word of God for a very long time. They had fallen away from God and from His commands.
Those who do not fear God will not fear sin. There is a direct relationship between a high view of God and a high view of sin. A low view of God will bring a low view of sin. When there is no fear of God there is no fear of sin.
Pray
Lord, I survey my life and ask You to convict me of any sin that may be unconfessed. Reveal to me Your will and way so that I may know the path of righteousness.
