by Ronica Stromberg based on 2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34

Eight-year-old Josiah sat on the throne, his feet dangling inches above the platform. A man dressed in priestly garments shuffled past the guards into the room.

“Your majesty,” the priest said, “I've brought your crown.”

Josiah nodded. The priest stepped forward, his hands trembling. Jewels gleamed from the crown's shiny, gold surface.

The priest placed the heavy crown on Josiah's head. The young king struggled to keep his head straight under its weight.

“What happened to my father?” Josiah asked, turning to his father's secretary, Shaphan.

“He was buried in the garden of Uzza.”

“And the men who killed him?”

“The people killed them,” Shaphan said. “You need not fear, your majesty. The people want you as their king.”

Eight years later, Shaphan had good news for King Josiah.

“The people are very happy they've chosen you,” Shaphan said.

“People don't choose kings,” Josiah responded. “God does.”

Shaphan cleared his throat. “Which god?”

Josiah thought carefully before answering. Some of his people worshiped the god of the sun and the moon. Others bowed to the false goddesses Asherah and Ashtoreth. But most of the people feared and obeyed the idols Baal and Molech.

Josiah shivered. He was familiar with these gods. His own father, Amon, had bowed to them. But Josiah knew his father's heart was evil. The young king longed to know the good God of his ancestors. Such a God deserves my worship, Josiah thought.

Josiah raised his chin. “The God of our father King David.”

“The invisible God?” Shaphan's eyebrows shot up. “But your grandfather burned the writings about Him long ago. How can He be your God?”

“I will seek Him and do what's right,” Josiah answered. “The God of David will make me the most faithful king my people have ever seen.”

Josiah stood on the balcony of his palace, facing the temple. In his 18 years as king, the young ruler had done his best to rid the land of foreign gods. Josiah had torn down many altars and idols.

If only the writings of the God of David survived, he thought. Then I would know what He wants me to do.

His eyes fell upon the temple — the wooden doors splintered and loose stones littered the ground.

“Shaphan!” Josiah called.

“Yes, your majesty,” Shaphan replied, coming to the balcony.

“The temple is a mess,” Josiah said. “Go to Hilkiah, the high priest, and have him use money collected at the temple to hire workers to repair it.”

“Yes, my king.”

Later that day Shaphan rushed into the throne room.

“I have news,” he said breathlessly, holding out a worn book. “While Hilkiah was searching for money in the temple, he found the Book of the Law — writings about God!”

Shaphan read the book to Josiah, not skipping a single word. The book warned the people not to worship other gods or set up altars. When Josiah heard the warnings, he let out a loud cry. He dropped to his knees and tore his robes.

“My people have been disobeying God, “ he cried. “Surely He is angry with us.”

Josiah gathered the people at the temple and read to them from the Book of the Law.

“We must renew our promise to keep God's commands,” Josiah instructed. The people agreed and made a pledge to obey God.

Josiah and his men marched through the chalky limestone covering the Jerusalem hillside. As he crested the hill, Josiah spotted an altar. Black stones lay scattered on the altar — a sign of Baal worship.

Josiah's stomach churned. A rumor had reached him that people had been sacrificing their children to Baal. A wooden pole carved to look like the goddess Asherah stood beside the altar.

“Give me your ax,” Josiah said to a servant. He took the wooden handle and swung, driving the ax deep into the Asherah pole.

Crack! The pole split in two against the stones.

Blow after blow, Josiah chopped the pole into pieces. When the pieces were too small to chop, he scooped them into a bag. He went to the graves of the people who had worshiped at the altar and scattered the pieces of the Asherah pole.

Then he commanded his men to dig up the bones of the priests who had made the sacrifices, and he burned their bones on the altars. Josiah knew that would make the place unfit for worship. He tore down the altar of Baal, smashing the incense altar to pieces and crushing the black stones to powder.

That night, Josiah's body ached. He knew it would take many days to stop his people from worshiping false gods. But now he knew what God wanted him to do. As long as I live, Josiah thought, my people will worship only the true God.

“Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” —2 Kings 23:25

	Q: Why did the football coach walk into the telephone store? A: He needed a receiver. Jessica S., 10, Texas Clubhouse Jr. Click here to subscribe