Josiah was the last godly king in Judah. His predecessors were very wicked and national revival, a turning back to God, was desperately needed. The Temple was used very little and was in need of great repair. The priests had lost the Word of God and idolatrous things accumulated within the structure. In the same way, there are many churches today that still function as a religious building, but the Word of God no longer is recognized as having any authority. Josiah’s ministry, as the King of Judah, fulfilled a prophecy given years before (I Kings 13:1-5). The Word of God was found in the Temple and he obeyed it and led the nation to follow.