At the time Josiah began to rule, and for many years before, the truehearted in Judah were questioning whether God's promises to ancient Israel could ever be fulfilled. From a human point of view the divine purpose for the chosen nation seemed almost impossible of accomplishment. The apostasy of former centuries had gathered strength with the passing years; ten of the tribes had been scattered among the heathen; only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained, and even these now seemed on the verge of 385 moral and national ruin. The prophets had begun to foretell the utter destruction of their fair city, where stood the temple built by Solomon, and where all their earthly hopes of national greatness had centered. Could it be that God was about to turn aside from His avowed purpose of bringing deliverance to those who should put their trust in Him? In the face of the long-continued persecution of the righteous, and of the apparent prosperity of the wicked, could those who had remained true to God hope for better days?

Da Josias begyndte at regere, ja, allerede mange år før, spurgte de oprigtige blandt judæerne, om Guds løfter til det gamle Israel nogensinde ville blive opfyldt, Menneskelig set så det ud, som om det næsten var umuligt, at Guds plan med det udvalgte folk kunne gennemføres. Århundreders frafald havde slået dybe rødder. Ti af stammerne var blevet spredt blandt hedningerne. Der var kun Judas og benjamins stamme tilbage, og nu syntes selv disse at være på randen af en moralsk og national katastrofe. Profeterne begyndte at forudsige, at den smukke hovedstad ville blive fuldstændig ødelagt. Her lå det tempel, som Salomo havde bygget, og her var alle folkets forhåbninger om at opnå storhed i denne verden samlet. Var det muligt, at Gud ville ændre sin beslutning om at befri dem, der stolede på ham? Kunne de mennesker, som var forblevet tro imod Gud, gøre sig håb om noget bedre, når man tog i betragtning, at de retfærdige var blevet forfulgt længe og vedholdende, og at det tilsyneladende gik de onde godt?