Sermon Outline, Seventh Sunday of Easter

INTRODUCTION
Hezekiah is a new David, Manasseh an idolatrous Solomon. Josiah reverses the sins of Jeroboam by bringing an end to Jeroboam’s liturgical experiments. Great as he is, he cannot save Judah from destruction. Huldah prophesies that Jerusalem, Judah, and the temple are doomed (22:16-20), and the narrator confirms that all his reforming efforts have not turned away Yahweh’s wrath against Manasseh (23:26ff.). From a Pauline perspective, this story shows that there is no redemption for Israel through the law, no matter how faithfully obeyed or enforced (Romans 8:1-4). As Habakkuk said, the law has “become impotent” (1:4).

STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY
The author describes Josiah in terms that show he is comparable to the great heroes in Kings and the entire OT. He is another Hezekiah, who also walks as David walked (v. 2). He is like Joash in his devotion to maintaining the temple (22:4-7; cf. 12:6-16). Like Joash, Josiah is a boy king, who is eight when he ascends to the throne (22:1). In his 18th year, again following the example of Joash he begins to repair the temple, reversing the damage done by Manasseh. During the repairs, the priest Hilkiah finds a copy of the “book of the law,” perhaps a copy of Deuteronomy (22:8).

Josiah is also a Moses, who conforms to the law of Moses (23:25), proclaims the law, and destroys golden calves. He is also Joshua, who refuses to turn to the right or left (23:6; cf. Deuteronomy 5:32; Joshua 1:7) and reverses the Canaanitization program of Israel’s kings and completes the conquest. Between Joshua and 2 Kings there are only two Passover celebrations – Joshua’s (Joshua 5) and Josiah’s (2 Kings 23).

Josiah’s story covers two chapters, and the whole is chiastically organized:
1. Opening, 22:1-2: Josiah does not turn to right or left (Deuteronomic)
2. 22:3-20: book of the Torah found
3. 23:1-3: Renew covenant acording to “book of the covenant”
4. 23:4-20: Reforms of Josiah
3’. 23:21-23: Passover according to the “book of the covenant”
2’. 23:24: all the word of the “torah”
1’. 23:25: did law of Moses: turned to Lord with heart, soul, might (Deuteronomic)

BOOK OF THE LAW
Even before he finds the book of the law, Josiah is busy purging the temple. The description of his activities is closely parallel to Joash, but unlike Joash he does not run into problems with the priests. Josiah’s reaction to the reading of the book shows that it contained curses, and the reformation that follows suggests that he is responding to the laws in Deuteronomy (cf. phrase “book of the covenant” in Exodus 24:7; cf. Deuteronomy 29:21; 31:10-12). Josiah is the ideal king, who does what the Shema demands: He “hears” the word of Yahweh with a “tender heart” (v. 19).

The prophetess Huldah delivers an oracle against Judah and Jerusalem (vv. 16-17), and another directly to Josiah (vv. 18-20). The prophecy begins and ends with references to wrath, a wrath that will not be appeased. Josiah can save himself, but he cannot save the land or the temple. Though Josiah knows that judgment is coming, he does not simply resign himself to the prophecy. He responds by leading the people in renewing covenant (23:1-3) and then embarks on a large-scale reformation and cleansing.