Thursday 11th April
Read 2 Chronicles 34:29-33
“Then the king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 30 He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites – 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. 31 The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord – to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.
32 Then he made everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 33 Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he made all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors.” (NIVUK)
What an amazing shepherd of God’s people. The Chronicler writes this narrative emphasising just how much the people’s fate depended on the faithfulness of their shepherd. Josiah bought them all to the temple. Josiah read out the words the covenant. Josiah renewed the covenant with all his heart and all his soul. Josiah made everyone pledge themselves to it. Josiah made everyone serve Yahweh and he held them to it as long as he lived. It is a stunning episode in the history of God’s people. Josiah embodied what Jesus said was required to fulfil the law.
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ 29 ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” 31 The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’” (Mark 12:28-31) (NIVUK)
