While they were cleaning out the Temple, they found a book that nobody
knew--the Book of the Law of Moses--that is, the first five books in
the Bible. All the time of these two bad kings nobody had minded it, or
read it; it had been lost, and everyone had forgotten all about it.
When Josiah knew what it was, and that it was the Law that God had
spoken to Moses, he made the priests read it to him and all his people.
They were very much frightened when they heard it; for they found they
were doing all the very things that God had said He would punish them
for, and turn them out of their good land.
So Josiah sent to a holy prophetess to ask her whether, if they
left off their sins, and were very sorry, and prayed with all their
might, God would still forgive them. But God told her to answer that
the people had done so wrong, and grown so wicked, that now their
punishment must come; but that, as Josiah's heart was tender, and he
loved God, it should not happen in his time, and that he should be
quietly buried with his fathers. And, after years of goodness, Josiah
was killed in a battle, and all his people mourned over him.
But they had not been really good, they only pretended, just to please
him, and went back to their wicked ways, in spite of all the pains he
had taken with them; and his own sons were as bad as the rest. So the
punishment was obliged to come.
[Illustration: THE BOOK OF THE LAW FOUND.--2 Kings 22:10, 11.]
What I wish you to mind to-day is how these people lost their Book of
the Law for want of attending to it. If you have not got a Bible of
your own, I dare say you soon will have one. And then, pray, do not do
like these people of Israel. Do not let it lie by till you forget to
look at it, and forget what is in it, and then forget even where it is.
If you do, you will grow as bad as these people were, and God will be
forced to punish you as He was forced to punish them.