CONTENTS We are brought acquainted in this chapter with Josiah, the good king. Many of his pious deeds are recounted. The book of the law is found by Hilkiah. Shaphan reads in it before the king. Josiah's pious weeping in the rehearsal. He sendeth with humbleness to inquire of the Lord. The Lord's... [ Continue Reading ]
The most interesting circumstances for a gospel Reader to mark in those verses are the wonderful properties of grace. Josiah could derive nothing from his wicked father, either in precept or example, but what was evil. And yet we find in his early days tokens of grace. Oh! Reader! how sure and certa... [ Continue Reading ]
If the Reader will read the parallel history of this pious king, as it is more largely recorded in the book of the Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 34:1. he will there find that in the eighth year of his reign, which was the sixteenth of his life, he began to seek after the God of David his Father. Oh! how... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a most interesting verse. It should seem very plain that during the long period that idolatry had prevailed in the land, not only the temple had been suffered to fall into ruins; but the very word of God had been so disregarded, that not a copy of it was among the people. It was God's comman... [ Continue Reading ]
What an interesting account this is! What a wonderful effect must have been wrought upon the minds of all the people, in the discovery of this inestimable treasure? How lovely a representation is given of Josiah? Surely all the people must have followed his example. Oh! Lord! what cause is there now... [ Continue Reading ]
How gracious an enquiry. Josiah compared the threatenings of God's law with the magnitude of the sins of the people, and he felt the dreaded punishment as already at the door. These are sure signs of a work of grace, when the inquiry goes forth in earnestness, What must I do to be saved! And when th... [ Continue Reading ]
According to the dates of the prophets, Jeremiah had been preaching his sermons for five years before this event took place; and Zephaniah ministered much about the same time; yet Huldah, like another Deborah, was chosen of the Lord to be his servant on this business. And what a solemn strain is her... [ Continue Reading ]
How delightful are personal mercies, when the Lord separates between the precious and the vile; when the word of the gospel comes with distinguishing direction like a letter, to you is the word of this salvation sent. Josiah must have felt peculiar pleasure in this, to allay the grief, of his mind,... [ Continue Reading ]
REFLECTIONS READER! are you young in years! behold the loveliness of early piety. What can afford a more interesting sight than to see our youths in the first days of their strength, asking the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, to join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant which c... [ Continue Reading ]