January 26, 2026
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Reading along with us in 2 Kings, Acts, & Hebrews? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Kings 23 (NIV)
Josiah Renews the Covenant
1 Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets—all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord.……Continue Reading
Next: 2 Kings 24
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Back: Hebrews 3
What a great picture of repentance is found here. Verse after verse shows how Josiah dealt with the sins and wrong practices of the Jews, both in Judah and the Northern kingdom and he removed them and made it hard to return to it. What conviction of the Word reigned in Josiah’s heart, which is the foundation of repentance. It is sad how much had to be addressed and even sadder that Josiah’s son did not follow in his and HIs ways. How tempting it would have been for them to say, well God has rejected us anyway. But that does not change that God is right in His judgements and is to be followed regardless of what results might come. People and circumstances are not the reference point for obedience. God’s word and character are.
It seems clear that while Josiah’s heart was set on repentance and his reign set on reform, the hearts of the people were still sinful. Even his own sons fell back into evil ways despite the extensive reforms made in Judah. Again, God cannot ignore our sin annd while He does forgive there are consequences as well.
This chapter also reminded me that we cannot build faith for our children, it must be their own. Josiah’s passion to do right in the eyes of the Lord was not shared with his children. How importannt to teach our children the ways of God and help them develop a desire for God that is their own.
Psalm 72; 2 Kings 23; Ezekiel 3; Hebrews 3
Here we see Josiah continue to cleanse Judah and even Israel of its idolatry and wickedness. He even fulfills a prophecy from 1 Kings 13 which was all the way back when Israel first split from Judah under Jeroboam.
We can also see how far gone Judah was at this point considering how foreign The Law was to them when it was rediscovered in the temple.
And unfortunately if we read from the prophet Jeremiah which was written around this time, we can see that Josiah’s cleansing didn’t ultimately put an end to the people of Judah’s evil. And they would be wiped off the map just like Israel, only this time it would be Babylon who would attack them. Let us not follow their example and instead work to abide in the Holy Spirit and allow Him to keep us faithful to the word.
Hebrews 3
2 Kings 23
2 Kings 23
2 Kings 23
2 Kings 24
2 kings 23
Josiah clears out all the idols and idolaters.