A broad overview of the Kingdom of Israel in the Old Testament.

  Israel's first three Kings:  Saul (1050-1010 BC)

          David (1010-970 BC)

          Solomon (970-930 BC)

  Kingdom splits (930 BC - Solomon's sons divide it)

Israel (Northern Kingdom)	Judah (Southern Kingdom)
Jeroboam I (930 - 909 BC)	Rehoboam (930-913 BC)
↓	↓
Hoshea (732-722 BC)	Zedekiah (597 - 586 BC)
* Assyria conquers - 722 BC	* Babylon conquers - 586 BC

* Most of the OT kings are evil, wicked, and desert the LORD.

The Unlikely Hero: Josiah (640-609 BC)

1. Becomes king at age 8.

2. His father and grandfather are 2 of Israel's most wicked kings. (Manasseh and Amon)

3. In the 8th year of his reign (age 16) he purges Israel of ALL idolatry. (altars to Baal, Asherah poles, idols, all false worship)

4. He finds the Bible (book of the law) and has it publicly read...all of it. How bad must it have gotten?

5. He holds a proper Passover meal for the 1st time in years. (Chap 35)

6. He calls for God's people to recommit themselves to the LORD, whom they have forsaken.

Josiah calls the people to repentance & re-committal to the LORD

The king stood by his pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD-- to follow the LORD and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book. Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
2 Chronicles 34:31-32

3400 years later...what reformation needs to happen in your life?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness...He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
1 John 1:9, 2:2-3