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after the Lord； and to keep His
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commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all their heart and all their soul； to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book。〃 The response was more hearty than the king had dared hope for： 〃All the people stood to the covenant。〃 Verse 3。
In the reformation that followed； the king turned his attention to the destruction of every vestige of idolatry that remained。 So long had the inhabitants of the land followed the customs of the surrounding nations in bowing down to images of wood and stone； that it seemed almost beyond the power of man to remove every trace of these evils。 But Josiah persevered in his effort to cleanse the land。 Sternly he met idolatry by slaying 〃all the priests of the high places；〃 〃moreover the workers with familiar spirits； and the wizards； and the images； and the idols； and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem； did Josiah put away； that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord。〃 Verses 20； 24。
In the days of the rending of the kingdom； centuries before； when Jeroboam the son of Nebat； in bold defiance of the God whom Israel had served； was endeavoring to turn the hearts of the people away from the services of the temple in Jerusalem to new forms of worship； he had set up an unconsecrated altar at Bethel。 During the dedication of this altar； where many in years to come were to be seduced into idolatrous practices； there had suddenly appeared a man of God from Judea； with words of condemnation for the sacrilegious proceedings。 He had 〃cried against the altar；〃 declaring：
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〃O altar； altar； thus saith the Lord； Behold； a child shall be born unto the house of David； Josiah by name； and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee； and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee。〃 1 Kings 13：2。 This announcement had been accompanied by a sign that the word spoken was of the Lord。
Three centuries had passed。 During the reformation wrought by Josiah； the king found himself in Bethel； where stood this ancient altar。 The prophecy uttered so many years before in the presence of Jeroboam； was now to be literally fulfilled。
〃The altar that was at Bethel； and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat； who made Israel to sin； had made； both that altar and the high place he brake down； and burned the high place； and stamped it small to powder； and burned the grove。
〃And as Josiah turned himself； he spied the sepulchers that were there in the mount； and sent； and took the bones out of the sepulchers； and burned them upon the altar； and polluted it； according to the word of the Lord which the man of God proclaimed； who proclaimed these words。
〃Then he said； What title is that that I see？ And the men of the city told him； It is the sepulcher of the man of God； which came from Judah； and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel。 And he said； Let him alone； let no man move his bones。 So they let his bones alone； with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria。〃 2 Kings 23：15…18。
On the southern slopes of Olivet； opposite the beautiful temple of Jehovah on Mount Moriah； were the shrines and
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images that had been placed there by Solomon to please his idolatrous wives。 See 1 Kings 11：6…8。 For upwards of three centuries the great； misshapen images had stood on the 〃Mount of Offense；〃 mute witnesses to the apostasy of Israel's wisest king。 These； too； were removed and destroyed by Josiah。
The king sought further to establish the faith of Judah in the God of their fathers by holding a great Passover feast； in harmony with the provisions made in the book of the law。 Preparation was made by those having the sacred services in charge； and on the great day of the feast； offerings were freely made。 〃There was not holden such a Passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel； nor in all the days of the kings of Israel； nor of the kings of Judah。〃 2 Kings 23：22。 But the zeal of Josiah； acceptable though it was to God； could not atone for the sins of past generations； nor could the piety displayed by the king's followers effect a change of heart in many who stubbornly refused to turn from idolatry to the worship of the true God。
For more than a decade following the celebration of the Passover； Josiah continued to reign。 At the age of thirty…nine he met death in battle with the forces of Egypt； 〃and was buried in one of the sepulchers of his fathers。〃 〃All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah。 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah： and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day； and made them an ordinance in Israel： and； behold； they are written in the lamentations。〃 2 Chronicles 35：24； 25。 Like unto Josiah 〃was there no king before him；
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that turned to the Lord with all his heart； and with all his soul； and with all his might； according to all the law of Moses； neither after him arose there any like him。 Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of His great wrath； 。 。 。 because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked Him withal。〃 2 Kings 23：25； 26。 The time was rapidly approaching when Jerusalem was to be utterly destroyed and the inhabitants of the land carried captive to Babylon； there to learn the lessons they had refused to learn under circumstances more favorable。
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Chapter 34
Jeremiah
Among those who had hoped for a permanent spiritual revival as the result of the reformation under Josiah was Jeremiah； called of God to the prophetic office while still a youth； in the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign。 A member of the Levitical priesthood； Jeremiah had been trained from childhood for holy service。 In those happy years of preparation he little realized that he had been ordained from birth to be 〃a prophet unto the nations；〃 and when the divine call came； he was overwhelmed with a sense of his unworthiness。 〃Ah； Lord God！〃 he exclaimed； 〃behold； I cannot speak： for I am a child。〃 Jeremiah 1：5； 6。
In the youthful Jeremiah； God saw one who would be true to his trust and who would stand for the right against great opposition。 In childhood he had proved faithful； and now he was to endure hardness； as a good soldier of the cross。 〃Say not； I am a child；〃 the Lord bade His chosen messenger； 〃for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee； and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak。 Be not
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afraid of their faces： for I am with thee to deliver thee。〃 〃Gird up thy loins； and arise； and speak unto them all that I command thee： be not dismayed at their faces； lest I confound thee before them。 For； behold； I have made thee this day a defensed city； and an iron pillar； and brazen walls against the whole land； against the kings of Judah； against