Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life.

In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Patrick Miller.

There are few passages in the Bible which haunt me quite like 2nd King's 23.

In the previous chapter, we meet the wicked king Manassas' son. His name is Josiah.

And in that chapter, Josiah discovers the book of the covenant. It's probably the same book

that we call Deuteronomy today. Now, this fact on its own, is remarkable. The Bible was lost

for a time. Deuteronomy was lost. It had to be rediscovered. That just tells you about the state of Judah and what's happening inside of the nation. Now, when Josiah finds it, he reads it. And when he reads it, he tears his robes, he repents of his sins and the sins of the people. And inside of Deuteronomy, he actually finds a template

for how to renew the covenant with God after the covenant's been broken. So that's exactly what he does.

He gathers people together for a covenant renewal ceremony. And this happens in 2nd King's 23.

Let's pick up in verse 1. Then the king called altogether the elders of Judah in Jerusalem.

He went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

the priests and the prophets, all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing

the words of the book of the covenant. Again, he reads the book of Deuteronomy out loud,

the king does, to the gathering of basically everyone who lives in Judah. Let's continue.

He read out loud the words of the book of the covenant, which had been found in the temple of the

Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord.

To follow the Lord and keep his commands in the presence of the Lord, to follow the Lord,

and keep his commands, statutes, and decrees with all his heart and all his soul,

thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged

themselves to the covenant. When we read this, we should really just marvel at God's mercy. He allows the people

to repent. He forgives them, for losing the Bible. He forgives them for all of their idolatry.

He renews his covenant with them, and he makes them his own. I think we're also meant to marvel at

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