“Then the king directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him. The king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him went all the people of Judah, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, keeping his commandments, his decrees, and his statues, with all his heart and all his soul to perform the words of this covenant the were written in this book. All the people joined in the covenant.” 2 Kings 23:1-4

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, he reigned thirty-one years, he did what was right in the site of the LORD, walked in the ways of King David and did not turn aside to the right or the left. (2 Kings 22:1-2) Note Josiah made a covenant before the LORD and all the people joined in the covenant. The covenant Josiah made was an agreement with words of the book of the covenant; a covenant authored by God. Josiah didn’t write a new one then agree to keep it. He read God’s covenant then agreed to follow God, to keep God’s commands, God’s decrees, God’s statutes – with all his heart and soul and to do what was written in the book by God. He did not rewrite rules to suit himself or the people, he did not attempt to validate ongoing sin or change the laws of God. O that the people of earth, who are all the people of God whether they realize it or not, would look to the original covenant, and keep that covenant instead of attempting to make up their own rules! O God I am thine, that I will always follow you is my desire.