Correction to a Sermon

I really hate to make mistakes. Even more than that - I hate to admit that I made a mistake. But a few weeks ago, in a sermon on the reforms of King Josiah, I said something that I have since realized was false. I said that when the King was delivered the Book of the Law - that it had likely been missing for hundreds of years - possibly since the day Solomon consecrated the Temple - or even before. I based this on the fact that there is no mention of a Book or a writing or anything like that from Judges 8 to 2 Kings 22.

However, as I have been reading through 1 and 2 Chronicles, I have realized that the book of the Law is present at times, such as 2 Chronicles 17:9, when the priests were sent out by Jehoshaphat to teach the people with the Book of the Law. There are also many other references to the Law in 1 and 2 Chronicles, although it is difficult to determine if it refers to a written law - or to an oral tradition.

That being said, it was still an incredible discovery in Josiah's time - and judging by the way he acted - it had most certainly been lost for some time (although maybe just a generation or two).

Please forgive me for not doing enough research into that statement. My desire is to be truthful in everything I say in worship.