Changes

Hilkiah gave this scroll to the royal secretary, who read it all the way through. He in turn requested an audience of the king. The scribe began by giving Josiah a progress report on the renovation. He then said, simply, "Hilkiah has given me a book," and proceeded to read it. Josiah seems to have listened, rapt, at the reading. When the reading was concluded, Josiah tore his royal robes. Evidently Josiah had not realized, until then, just how far the people of his kingdom had strayed from God's law.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=9-11|version=KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=16-19|version=KJV}}</ref>

Hilkiah gave this scroll to the royal secretary, who read it all the way through. He in turn requested an audience of the king. The scribe began by giving Josiah a progress report on the renovation. He then said, simply, "Hilkiah has given me a book," and proceeded to read it. Josiah seems to have listened, rapt, at the reading. When the reading was concluded, Josiah tore his royal robes. Evidently Josiah had not realized, until then, just how far the people of his kingdom had strayed from God's law.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=9-11|version=KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=16-19|version=KJV}}</ref>

Josiah's first order was to inquire of a prophet as to the attitude of [[God]] toward his people. His scribe, the priest, and his other advisers found a [[prophet]]ess named [[Huldah]]. She gave a dire warning: that God would indeed bring a dire judgment on the land, on account of the apostasy, the killing of earlier prophets, and all the other many provocations that the people had given God. But because Josiah had expressed such deep sorrow, God granted to him that he would not live to see this calamity.<ref name=CCM/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=12-20|version=KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=20-29|version=KJV}}</ref>

Josiah's first order was to inquire of a prophet as to the attitude of [[God]] toward his people. His scribe, the priest, and his other advisers found a [[prophet]]ess named [[Huldah]]. She gave a dire warning: that God would indeed bring a dire judgment on the land, on account of the apostasy, the killing of earlier prophets, and all the other many provocations that the people had given God, and unlike in the past no amount of repentance would avoid it. But because Josiah had expressed such deep sorrow and willingness to repent, God granted to him that he would not live to see this calamity.<ref name=CCM/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=22|verses=12-20|version=KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=34|verses=20-29|version=KJV}}</ref>

== Continued Reforms ==

== Continued Reforms ==