Reform means to rectify, amend or correct a situation. It seeks to change for the better, a situation which has deviated from the norm. Thus, religious Reform seeks to rectify the deplorable or worsening conditions in the religious lives of the people with regard to the pure worship of God to achieve practical righteous living.
The reform of Josiah was triggered off by the discovery of the law book during the course of repairs in the Jerusalem temple. In the ensuring reform, Josiah carried out far reaching changes in the national life of Israel.
The biblical emphasis on religious Reform is an invitation to us to cry out for reforms in all areas of our national life- religious, political, economic and social. We are to identify all the out-moded customs and traditions that militate against progress, all laws that are retrogressive, and all economic and social policies that hinder our national growth and development. We should try to change them so that we all can live honourable and righteous lives in one society, with justice, unity, peace and progress.
THE DISCOVERY OF THE LAW BOOK
King Josiah sent Shaphan to Jillian to make available to the workers all the monies so far collected for the purpose of repairing the temple of Jerusalem. He ordered the immediate resumption of repairs to the temple. Jillian then informed Shaphan, the king's secretary, that he had discovered the book of the law in the temple during the course of the repairs. The secretary read it. After reading it, he took the book to the king and read it before him. The book dealt with the gross apostasy of the people. As a result of their sins, God was about to punish them.
When Josiah heard about the fate of the nation, he rent his clothes to show that he was disturbed. He immediately sent the secretary and the priest, Hilkiah to Huldah, the prophetess, to enquire about the Lord on behalf of the nation. When they reached there, Huldah told them to inform the king that God would carry out his punishment upon the nation. The nation had become a desolation and a curse, for the people had forsaken the Lord. They had burned incense to other gods and had provoked the Lord to anger. However, since the king has shown penitence and mourned, his eyes would not see the punishment itself, he would die peacefully and would be buried in his grave in peace.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE LAW BOOK
The discovery of the law book and its content exposed the deplorable social and religious situations in the time of king Josiah. There was a total deviation from the terms of the convenant in which the people of Israel were to worship only God and practice righteousness as spelt out in the Ten commandments. But, the people worshipped other gods and practised all forms of unrighteousness.
Through the law book or the Bible, we also can see how far the religious situation in our country today is similar to that in the time of Josiah. Some of us Christians worship other gods in addition to God just as it was in Josiah's time. Some of us consult traditional priests, medicine men and practice magic, JuJu and bad medicine. Some do carry charms and amulets on their bodies even to church. Then, there is the same moral corruption and wickedness in high places. People who lay claim to being Christians and who worship God every Sunday, cheat, defraud and commit all sorts of atrocities. This is the time to take a hard look at the deplorable social and religious situations in our country with a view to doing something about them.
So it's a time to question ourselves, our acts, our actions, our words, our doings, our sayings. It's a time to cross-check thoroughly all that we do and see if it's what we ought to do according to our religion. This is not just a time for change but a time for a positive change which would affect our lives and homes in a special way. So get up and make that positive change which you want to see. Don't depend on any one but Your God. He will see you through.
