| If the first opinion is correct, and it seems | | | | temple in the Lord's name. And the throne of |
| to be so because they are stylistically | | | | his kingdom God promises to establish |
| similar, then it is quite possible that all | | | | forever. Abijah King of Judah and the |
| the other 6 books might have been a part of | | | | ancestor of David committed all the sins his |
| Deuteronomy. | | | | father had done before him; he was not as |
| | | | concerned about God as David had been. But |
| One of the most prominent Kings in the | | | | David had done what was right in the eyes of |
| Deuteronomist History is Josiah. The son of | | | | the Lord, so God could not break the promise |
| great king David, Josiah himself became a | | | | given to Abijah's forefather and still made |
| king when he was only 8 years of age. He was | | | | Israel a strong kingdom. |
| very righteous in the eyes of the Lord. After | | | | |
| Hilkiah the high priest discovers the Book of | | | | But later despite of God's promise Judah gets |
| Covenant (2 Kings 22:8), Josiah get rids of | | | | destroyed by the king of Babylon (and the |
| the household gods, the idols, the mediums | | | | temple built by Solomon as well). That |
| and spiritists, pagan priests and temples. He | | | | happens because of Manasseh who sinned |
| listens to the words of the Book of the Law | | | | against God including shedding innocent |
| and gets very upset: neither he nor his | | | | blood. God simply could not forgive him for |
| fathers have obeyed and acted in accordance | | | | filling Israel with the blood of innocent (2 |
| with what's written in that Book. Josiah | | | | Kings 24:2-18, 25:1-26). |
| tears his robe. God is pleased with that. | | | | |
| Although He's still angry, God forgives | | | | Almost forgot to mention Solomon's Covenant |
| Josiah and promises that his eyes won't see | | | | with God. Solomon has been the king of Israel |
| all the disaster that He-God will bring on | | | | for more than forty years, and he built a |
| the place. | | | | temple dedicated to God. God was very nice to |
| | | | inform Solomon though that in case he or his |
| Now Josiah actually is one of the best Kings. | | | | sons turn away from God and stop observing |
| He can be compared to Moses only in his | | | | his commands and decrees, He shall then cut |
| holiness. He's great in comparison to | | | | Israel off the land given by the Lord, reject |
| Solomon, who messed up his relationship with | | | | the temple that has been consecrated in His |
| God by having too many foreign wives. He's | | | | name. Solomon turned out to be an OK king, |
| even greater than David, his father, who also | | | | not as great as David, but still fine, better |
| had spoiled Lord's attitude towards him by | | | | than some of his descendents. |
| messing with Uriah the Levite's wife, and | | | | |
| later sending the soldier to death. Other | | | | The author of the Deuteronomst History series |
| kings were a complete mess. | | | | could be Jeremiah. His father was a high |
| | | | priest (Hilkiah), one of the Moses' |
| Josiah was the one to start a reform in the | | | | descendents (Anathoth priests), and among his |
| government - centralization of religion. He | | | | friends were: Ahikam the son of Josiah's |
| closed all the religious centers around the | | | | secretary and Jeremiahs own secretary Baruch, |
| country and made Jerusalem a Mecca for | | | | who served him as a 'typewriter'. So they |
| religious tourism. The Book of the Law thanks | | | | were quite close to the king. I could be the |
| to him became a part of Old Testament and a | | | | king himself, but that is the version that is |
| part of the Deuteronomy Book. Josiah also | | | | harder to prove. Another assumption may be, |
| changed the celebration of the Passover | | | | that it was Baruch himself, but it would be |
| tradition. It was celebrated by Samuel in a | | | | hard to imagine as Jeremiah only could be the |
| very important religious center, Shiloh | | | | source of information for him. |
| (priests of Moses - perhaps they were the | | | | |
| actual creators of the Code of Law, as it | | | | As the original law was destroyed in fire, |
| cares about them more than of the kings; 1 | | | | Ezra had performed the duty of a final |
| Samuel 1:3-24); by David's family in | | | | redactor. He copied the remaining stuff down |
| Bethlehem. Deuteronomy says you have to | | | | and the rest he claims to have been dictated |
| celebrate Passover in some special, God | | | | to him by the voice from the bush. He claims |
| chosen place. If God hesitates and doesn't | | | | that God visited him and gave him inspiration |
| choose one on time, then the holiday can be | | | | to write it the way it always had been. He |
| celebrated in various places. Josiah is also | | | | rewrote the Jewish tradition two centuries |
| supposed to be the one who fulfilled a three | | | | after the birth of Christ. It's even hard to |
| hundred year old prophecy, so he's a really | | | | believe it. He took all the different sources |
| special one for the Jews. | | | | and compiled them together. He had no right |
| | | | to miss a single source otherwise the book |
| In 2 Samuel 7:1-17, through Nathan the | | | | could be called not real. |
| prophet, God gives David His Promise. He | | | | |
| promises to take care of David's offspring, | | | | He put all the stories together so that the |
| help him establish his kingdom, as David's | | | | difference was not seen. |
| kid is going to be the one who shall build a | | | | |