F-260 Josiah Renews the Covenant - 2 Kings 23:1-35  How would you dispose of an object if you wanted to make sure that no one would ever recognize it or use it again?  What does each member of your family contribute to the overall tone and personality of the whole?  What is satisfying about conquering a tough cleanup job?  To whom did Josiah the king read the recently discovered book of God’s law? (23:1-2)  What did the king and the people do in response to the words they heard? (23:3)  What did Josiah do with the objects, buildings, and priests associated with pagan worship in Judah? (23:4-7)  How did Josiah treat the high places and shrines where people had worshiped other gods? (23:8)  Prior to Josiah, what privileges did the pagan priests have in Judah? (23:9)  What were some of the gods represented by the altars that Josiah desecrated and made unusable? (23:10-14)  What important, historic symbol of disobedience did Josiah destroy at Bethel? (23:15)  Whose tomb did Josiah happen upon while using human bones to desecrate pagan worship sites? (23:16-18)  What practices of the kings of Israel did Josiah root out of the remnant of God’s people in Judah? (23:19-20)  What did the king order the people to do when his cleansing work had been completed? (23:21)  How long had it been since Israel had celebrated the Passover as commanded by God? (23:22-23)  What abhorrent spiritual practices did Josiah eliminate? (23:24)  How did Josiah compare with other kings? (23:25)  What had provoked God to be angry enough to destroy Judah before Josiah had ever come on the scene? (23:26-27)  How did Josiah’s death and burial fulfill the prophecy that he would not see the judgment that was coming upon Judah? (23:29-30)  How did Jehoahaz compare to his father, Josiah? (23:32)  What foreign king removed Jehoahaz from the throne and replaced him with his brother? (23:33-34)  Why do you suppose Josiah called the whole nation to repentance even though he had already heard the prophecy of doom for Judah?  What did Josiah’s actions do for Judah’s relationship with God?  What did Josiah contribute to the nation of Israel?  For whom do you set an example (whether you intend to or not)?  In what various ways had the temple of God been defiled and compromised?  What foreign influences were represented in the panoply of shrines and worship sites?  Why was it not sufficient for Josiah to halt the pagan worship practices?  Why do you suppose that the presence of human bones was a universally recognized desecration that would prevent worship in that site ever again?  Why do you think people fall out of the habit of observing traditional celebrations, even those with religious significance?  What mood do you suppose prevailed in Judah during Josiah’s reforms?  What opportunities do you have to set a moral example for others this week?  The next time you learn of an area of disobedience to God’s Word in your life, how can you respond to fulfill your desire to obey?  What step of obedience, however small, can you offer to God as a confirmation of His covenant with you?