2Chronicles 22-24
Wednesday Evening Bible Study
Introduction
There have been some huge upheavals in the little kingdom
of Judah
2Chronicles 22
:1-9 Ahaziah made king, is killed
:1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem
Ahaziah – ‘Achazyah – “Jehovah holds (possesses)”. His name has another form with the parts of his name switched around: “Jehoahaz”
The reason that the youngest son is made king is because all of the other sons had been killed earlier by the Philistines and Arabians, as a judgment from God on Jehoram:
(2 Chr
21:16-17 KJV) Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the
Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: {17} And they
came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that
was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there
was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.
:2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign
Apparently a copyist error. Hebrew numbers are easy to make mistakes with. He was 22 years old.
(2 Ki 8:26 KJV) Two and twenty
years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem
:2 Athaliah the daughter of Omri.
Omri was Athaliah’s grandfather. Her father and mother were Ahab and Jezebel.
:4 he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counselors
Ahaziah is young. He knows he needs help. But he’s looking to the wrong people for advice.
Lesson
The right counselors
It’s a good thing to have counsel
(Prov 12:15 KJV) The way of a fool
is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto
counsel is wise.
There are good counselors and bad counselors.
There are a few examples of bad counselors in the Bible:
Balaam gave evil counsel
(Num 31:16 KJV) Behold, these caused the children
of
His counsel led people into sin.
Ahithophel was a very powerful and smart counsellor, but he wasn’t always a good man
(2 Sam
He was smart. He was ungodly.
There are a few examples of good counsel:
Moses got good counsel from his father-in-law
(Exo
David asked the Lord for counsel
(Psa 16:7 KJV) I will bless the LORD, who hath
given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
The Psalmist says God’s Word is a counselor
(Psa 119:24 KJV) Thy testimonies also are my
delight and my counsellors.
It’s good to have many counsellors
(Prov 11:14 KJV) Where no counsel is, the people
fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
Just be sure to pay attention to the right counselor.
Rehoboam made a big mistake because he didn’t listen to the counsel of the old men
(1 Ki 12:8 KJV) But he
forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted
with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:
Joshua made a big mistake because he neglected to ask God for counsel
(Josh
:5 to war against Hazael king of Syria
Ramothgilead – This is that city on the eastern side of the Jordan
river that is often fought over and traded between the Syrians and
Israel
NOTE: “Jehoram the son of Ahab”
– this can get kind of confusing. There were two guys named Jehoram. One was
the son of Jehoshaphat, who had his bowels fall out. The other was the son of
Ahab, and this is the guy that invites Ahaziah to the war.
Ahaziah’s grandfather, Jehoshaphat, had been in an earlier battle at Ramothgilead (2Chron. 18) with Jehoram’s father, Ahab (who was also Ahaziah’s other grandfather). In that battle, Ahab died and Jehoshaphat barely escaped with his life.
This time, the king of Israel
:6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel
Jezreel – sort of a
“summer palace” for the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel
:7 And the destruction of Ahaziah …Jehu the son of Nimshi
This is an abbreviated version of the story. A fuller version is found in 2Kings 9-10.
Elisha sent one of his disciples out to the latest war at Ramothgilead. The
main captain of the army of Israel Israel
Jehu got in his chariot and rode from Ramothgilead to Jezreel, where Joram was recuperating from wounds he had received in battle.
When the watchman saw Jehu coming, both kings (Jehoram and Ahaziah) rode out to meet with Jehu. Jehu then took his bow and killed them.
:8 the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
Later, Jehu met a group of men who were on their way from Jerusalem Samaria 10:12 -14)
:9 in Samaria
Samaria
Because Ahaziah was the grandson of Jehoshaphat, they gave him the dignity of burying his body. They still killed him, but they at least gave him a decent burial, unlike the descendants of Ahab.
Jehu allowed Ahaziah’s servants to take Ahaziah’s body back to Jerusalem
(2 Ki 9:28 KJV) And his servants
carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem David
:10-12 Athaliah takes over
:10 Athaliah …arose and destroyed all the seed
royal of the house of Judah
Athaliah – ‘Athalyah – “afflicted of the Lord”
Word comes from the north of Ahaziah’s death. I would imagine that it’s very possible that Athaliah has also heard of how Jehu has put to death all of her relatives, the descendants of Ahab.
All of her other sons besides Ahaziah had been destroyed earlier by the Arabians. Now with Ahaziah and the other “princes” being destroyed by Jehu, she goes on to destroy her grandchildren as well.
She has done what her husband, Joram, did when he became king. He killed his brothers. She kills all her potential opposition.
Josephus gives us a possible motive as to why Athaliah did this:
… she endeavored that none of the
house of David might be left alive, but that the whole family might be
exterminated, that no king might arise out of it afterward;[1]
Lesson
Wickedness knows no bounds
Sometimes we are amazed at some of the headlines – such as the child abuse case going on in New Jersey where two little boys were found starved to death, and a third child was found dead and stuffed into a box, all in a filthy basement.
The Bible says that man is by nature a sinner.
(Rom 3:10-11 KJV) As it is written, There
is none righteous, no, not one: {11} There is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God.
(Rom 3:23
KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Our society tries to tell us that man is basically good. But ask yourself this question – Which does your children know how to do instinctively – to do good or to do bad? We have to make an effort to teach our children to do good. No one has to teach them how to lie. They do it instinctively. That’s our nature.
We look with abhorrence at what Athaliah has done, yet this same nature is in all of us.
:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash
Jehoshabeath – Y@howshab‘ath – “Jehovah is an oath”. Also known as Jehosheba.
She is the sister of Ahaziah. That means that Jehoram was her dad and Athaliah was her mom.
Joash – Yow’ash – “given by the Lord”
Josephus records,
She went into the king’s palace, and
found Jehoash, for that was the little child’s name, who was not above a year
old, among those that were slain, but concealed with his nurse; so she took him
with her into a secret bed chamber, and shut him up there; and she and her
husband Jehoiada brought him up privately in the temple six years…[2]
It sounds as if the nurse had been hiding the baby, and when Jehoshabeath found the gal and the baby, she rescued them.
The Bible records that Joash was among those “that were slain”. It would seem that whoever the executioner was, they thought that the baby was dead. This would explain why there’s not mention of Athaliah sending out search parties to find and kill the child.
:11 so that she slew him not.
Athaliah was not able to get her hands on this little baby.
Lesson
God is not finished yet.
The enemy may win a few battles, but he’ll lose the war!
Even back at the beginning, it was promised that it would be this way:
(Gen 3:15 KJV) And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt
bruise his heel.
Ultimately, we know that it would be fulfilled by Satan bruising the heel of Jesus by nailing Him to the cross, but Jesus smashed Satan’s head by rising from the dead.
It works that way in our lives as well.
In describing his own ministry, Paul writes how he has become known,
(2 Cor 6:8-10 KJV) By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers,
and yet true; {9} As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we
live; as chastened, and not killed; {10} As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Paul understood what it was to be under attack.
To the Romans, Paul promised:
(Rom
It may look bleak at times, but God has a plan, and He’ll pull it off! In the end, God wins!
Think of the story of Joseph. Things looked bad when Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. But they got worse – he was then put into prison for something he didn’t do. Then things got worse, and his friends forgot him. And then God came through.
Hang in there!
:12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years
Joash wasn’t hidden in the “holy of holies”, but simply in one of the “chambers” built in the temple complex, one of the chambers reserved for the use of the priests or Levites.
Joash will spend the first six years of his life hiding out in the Temple
And it’s a safe bet that Athaliah would never accidentally stumble across
this child in the Temple of Yahweh
This was certainly a very dark time in Judah
2Chronicles 23
:1-11 Joash made king
:1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds …
It seems that Jehoiada keeps the baby a secret for six years. Finally he takes some choice men into his confidence.
These are not military men from the nation at large, but are priests and Levites that have duties in the temple, as well as those Levites that had been charged with guarding little Joash.
The temple itself had its own police/military guard. These were the men that Jehoiada, as high priest, actually had command over.
:4 porters of the doors;
The first third of these men would be guarding the quarters where little king Joash was living.
:5 And a third part shall be at the king's house;
This apparently was not the king’s palace, but the place inside the temple where Joash was being raised. In 2Kings it reads:
(2 Ki 11:6 KJV) And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur
This is the gate on the eastern side of the temple.
:5 a third part at the gate of the foundation:
The writer of Kings calls this
(2 Ki 11:6 KJV) …a third part at the gate
behind the guard
This is the southern gate of the temple.
:7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand
The first Secret Service detail. I wonder if these Levites wore dark glasses and had little coiled wires coming out of their ears…
:8 for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.
On the Sabbath, the priests would change with the next “course” or “shift” of priests coming in.
The new priests would be moving into position, while the old priests usually went home until the same time next year.
But here Jehoiada is asking that these guys hang around to add further protection to the little king.
The way he’s setting things up, the casual observer isn’t going to think anything of all the movement, and just think that things are going on as usual.
:9 spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David's
These are weapons taken by David in battle about 200 years earlier, from his enemies, and dedicated to the Lord.
:11 gave him the testimony
the testimony – a copy of the Law of Moses
Lesson
Rule with the Word
They gave little king Joash a copy of the Law of Moses, which was what a king was supposed to have, according to the Law:
(Deu 17:18-20 KJV) And it shall be, when he sitteth
upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a
book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: {19} And it shall be
with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn
to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes,
to do them: {20} That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that
he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to
the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in
the midst of Israel.
A king was to have his own handwritten copy of the Word.
The king was to read this book every day of his life.
He was to learn to fear the Lord and obey the Word.
This would keep his heart from becoming proud.
Obeying the Word would bring blessing.
This is one of the few instances where we see one of the kings actually paying attention to God’s Word.
It seems that during Joash’s life, that uncle Jehoida made him do more than just carry the Law. Later we’ll read (2Chr. 24:6-7) how Joash seems to know the Word and is making decisions based on the Word.
(2 Chr
24:6-7 KJV) And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why
hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah Jerusalem Israel
I think there’s a sense in which we’re “kings” in our own lives. We need help in ruling our lives. We need a “guidebook” to show us how to live. God’s Word.
:11 Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.
anointed – mashach – to smear, anoint, spread a liquid
The term “Messiah” means “anointed one”.
The Jewish writers say that the son of a king was not to be anointed, because he already had the right to the throne.
But the anointing of a man to be king came only when a new dynasty was started.
Saul, the first king, was anointed.
David, not from Saul’s family, had to be anointed.
Solomon, though David’s son, was anointed, but because his older brother Adonijah had already made a claim to the throne and had already made himself king.
In the northern kingdom, just Jehu was anointed king, to take the place of the dynasty of Ahab.
Here Joash is anointed because Athaliah has usurped the throne, and he’s now being placed on it in her place.
:12-15 Athaliah’s end
:12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king …
Apparently she wasn’t invited to the event!
Josephus records:
When Athaliah unexpectedly heard the
tumult and the acclamations, she was greatly disturbed in her mind, and
suddenly issued out of the royal palace with her own army; and when she was
come to the temple, the priests received her, but as for those that stood round
about the temple, as they were ordered by the high priest to do, they hindered
the armed men that followed her from going in. [3]
:13 the king stood at his pillar at the entering in
Apparently there was a pillar that the kings used to stand by, and when Athaliah saw this little boy standing there, where a king should be, she knew there was trouble!
Lesson
Being a pillar
Jesus said to the church in Philadelphia
(Rev 3:12
KJV) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the
temple of my God…
I love the idea that the king stood by the “pillar”. God wants
to make you one of His pillars. He wants to “stand by you”.
:13 …also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise.
The account in 2Kings 11 doesn’t mention the singers.
I wonder if it’s possible that some of these singers might be some of the same singers that same praise to the Lord back in 2Chronicles 20 – when Jehoshaphat sent the singers out in front of the army to praise the Lord for His promised victory. It’s been 14 years since Jehoshaphat has died.
:13 Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.
Actually, Jehoiada wasn’t committing treason. Joash was the rightful heir to the throne of David. Athaliah was the one who was out of line. She was not a descendant of David.
:14 Have her forth of the ranges
the ranges – bayith – house; (TWOT) temple. Take her out of the Temple
:16-21 Jehoiada’s reforms
:16 Jehoiada made a covenant …that they should be the LORD'S people.
covenant – b@riyth – covenant, alliance, pledge
Lesson
Renewal requires a commitment to one
The language that is used reminds me of the things that Elijah had spoken a few years earlier.
Elijah and the showdown on Carmel
A few years earlier in the northern kingdom, the people were under the
reign of Athaliah’s dad, Ahab. Ahab was a confusing guy. There were times when
he actually seemed to be a little “soft” towards the things of God. At one time
he was rebuked by Elijah the prophet for killing an innocent man and taking his
property, and after being rebuked, Ahab actually humbled himself for awhile
(1Ki. 21:27 -29).
But he also lived a life where he tolerated great wickedness.
This confused life was reflected in the nation as well.
(1 Ki
18:21
KJV) And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long
halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then
follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
The people didn’t know what to say. It doesn’t seem that they were particularly hateful towards the Lord, but they kind of liked to have the Baal stuff around as well.
Elijah proposed to have a “showdown” between the “gods”. Each side would present their offering and the “god” that answered by sending fire from heaven would be declared the winner. Elijah allowed the prophets of Baal to go first, and they spent the day making a lot of noise, but nothing happened. When it was Elijah’s turn, he set up his altar, laid out the sacrifice, and then just to rub it in he poured a couple of barrels of water over the sacrifice.
(1 Ki
18:36-40 KJV) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of
Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in
Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy
word. {37} Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people
may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back
again. {38} Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice,
and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in
the trench. {39} And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and
they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. {40} And Elijah
said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they
took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon,
and slew them there.
The whole point is that you have to make a choice.
Sometimes we tend to follow Groucho Marx’s philosophy: “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them … well, I have others”
You will be happiest when you learn to only serve One. One set of principles.
Jesus said,
(Mat 6:24
KJV) No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.
The problem with many of us is that we try to serve two masters.
But we end up having too much of the world to enjoy the
Lord and too much of the Lord to enjoy the world.
:17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down
Though Jehu destroyed Baal worship completely out of the northern kingdom six years earlier, it had flourished in the southern kingdom under the rule of Athaliah.
They have now made a new commitment to Yahweh, but it’s not just a matter of words, but is followed by action.
Lesson
Renewal requires going farther
It wasn’t enough that they killed Athaliah and set up a new king.
It wasn’t enough just to make a promise to serve only Yahweh.
They needed to get rid of Baal worship as well.
They got rid of the altars.
They got rid of the images.
They even killed the high priest of Baal.
There will be things going on in the Temple
It will take some time, but eventually they’re going to start work at
rebuilding and restoring the Temple
You’re going to find that when you come to Jesus, God isn’t going to want to stop there.
He’s going to want to make a whole lot of other changes.
There are things that will need to go.
There will need to be things that are added.
:18 Jehoiada appointed the offices … to offer …as it is written
Lesson
Renewal requires worship
There were two kinds of worship that Jehoiada got going again: Burnt offerings and praise. We too are to have these kinds of worship.
(Rom 12:1-2 KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is
that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This is our “burnt offering”. We no longer can get away with just barbecuing a lamb. We need to get our own selves up on the altar and give our whole bodies to the Lord. And we don’t even get the luxury of dying, we have to be “living” sacrifices. We need to be alive but totally dedicated to the Lord.
(Heb 13:15
KJV) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
A husband ought to tell his wife often that he loves her. Just telling her on the day you got married isn’t enough.
We need to be letting the Lord know how much we love Him. We do this by telling Him. Often.
Lesson
Renewal requires obeying the Word
The things that Jehoiada restored were things that had been written down in
the Word. He restored the sacrifices written down by Moses. He restored the Temple
It’s not just a matter of having God’s Word, but doing the things inside the Word that counts.
Jesus had been up on a mountain with Peter, James, and John. While He was gone, the other disciples were having a tough time. A scribe had brought his son to the disciples and had asked them to cast a demon out of his boy. The other disciples had not been able to do this. When Jesus returned and heard about this,
(Mark 9:19
KJV) He answereth him, and saith, O faithless
generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring
him unto me.
At times I think that Jesus was probably saying this to the man, especially since He will be challenging the man to believe. But sometimes I wonder if Jesus wasn’t intending this to spill over a little to the disciples as well. I wonder if they weren’t a little “faithless”.
Jesus goes on cast the demon out of the boy.
(Mark 9:28-29 KJV) And when he was come into the house, his
disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out? {29} And he said
unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Some of the modern translations omit the word “fasting”.
Whether the other disciples had not been “fasting” or not isn’t really the issue. They at least had not been praying. They had been unable to handle the situation.
I wonder how I would have done if I was one of those disciples. I certainly am aware that I often am unable to respond correctly to some of the situations I face. Sometimes it’s because I’m not spiritually prepared. I haven’t been doing the things that I’m supposed to be doing.
:19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.
porter – show‘er – gatekeeper, porter. Think of a big burley security guard.
In the Temple Jerusalem Temple Temple
About heaven:
(Rev 21:27
NLT) Nothing evil will be allowed to enter--no one who practices shameful
idolatry and dishonesty--but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's
Book of Life.
(Rev 21:8 NLT) But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers,
and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice
witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars--their doom is in the lake that
burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."
How to apply this:
Lesson
Renewal requires a guard
Jehoiada put guards at the Temple
We’ve talked before about how our bodies are a “temple” of the Holy Spirit
(1Cor. 6:19 ).
I think we ought to consider putting guards on the gates of our eyes and ears to keep unclean things away.
There’s some pretty nasty stuff that wants to get into your “temple”.
The Eyegate: I think of how nasty the Internet can be. At times the Internet seems like we’ve won a shopping spree in a Candy Store, but once you get in the door and take a bite, you find that it’s not a Candy Store, it’s a sewer. And you shouldn’t take a bit in a sewer.
I think we ought to think of putting “guards” on the Internet. I think filtering software is good. I think we need to think about making ourselves accountable as well. I think we ought to have people who will check on us. People who will ask questions. People who can peek over our shoulder.
I think a person who goes Internet surfing without any
accountability is like a guy trying to climb up
I am very concerned about those of us who get to thinking
that we don’t need to ask another person for help. We usually do this because
we don’t want to risk the embarrassment of admitting our sin to another person.
Yet Jesus said that if our hand offends us, we ought to cut it off (Mark
What are other ways that the “unclean” might try to get
into the
How not to apply this:
Lesson
Unclean things at church
Should we ask the ushers to make sure that “unclean” people don’t come into the church? No.
This is one sense in which the church is not like the Temple
This is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints
Unclean people need to come to church because that’s one place where you should be able to become “clean”.
Illustration
One mom writes, “I asked my two-year-old to take his dirty clothes and put them into the hamper. He looked
puzzled, and I explained, “You know; it’s the place where we put our dirty clothes before
they’re washed.” My son picked up his things, ran into my bedroom, and threw his clothes on the floor...on
his dad’s side of the bed.”
That’s not a bad line. Bring those “dirty clothes” to the Father’s side of the bed. Not to be thrown on the floor, but to be cleaned.
The church is kind of like a Laundromat. You go to a Laundromat because you’ve got dirty clothes that you want to get clean. You don’t go to a Laundromat with your dirty clothes, hang out, and then leave with your dirty clothes, do you?
(Rev 22:14-15 NLT) Blessed
are those who wash their robes so
they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of
life. {15} Outside the city are the dogs--the sorcerers, the sexually immoral,
the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
The only way you become “clean” is to wash your robe.
Church ought to be a place where you get clean.
How do we become clean at church?
(1 John
1:5-9 KJV) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. {6} If we say
that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the
truth: {7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. {8} If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {9} If we confess our
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.
We walk in the “light”. We find ourselves exposed to a light that penetrates us and shows us our problems.
We don’t ignore the sin. We don’t make excuses for the
sin. We turn from it. We admit it. And when we ask God for forgiveness, He
forgives us.
:20-21 …set the king upon the throne …and all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet
Lesson
What king sits on your throne?
When Jesus sits on the throne of your life, you will experience His peace.
2Chronicles 24
:1-3 Joash begins to reign
:1 His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba
Zibiah – Tsibyah – “roe”. This is the gal that was married to Ahaziah.
:2 Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada
Jehoiada was Joash’ uncle as well as being the high priest.
Jehoiada will be like a father to Joash, but there is quite an age difference. When Jehoiada dies, he’s 130 years old.
(2 Chr
24:15 KJV) But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an
hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
Joash will die some time after that, and he will be only 47 when he dies. That means that Jehoiada is at least 70 years older than Joash, old enough to be a great grandfather to the king.
Jehoiada took care of little Jehoash, and raised him in the ways of the Lord.
Lesson
Teach your children to walk with the
Lord.
(Deu 6:4-7 KJV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD
our God is one LORD: {5} And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. {6} And these words,
which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: {7} And thou shalt
teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Illustration
The late J. Edgar Hoover was once asked, “Should I make my child go to Sunday school and church?” His reply was both Scriptural and practical. “Yes,” said the former head of the FBI, “you certainly should, and with no further discussion about the matter. You may be startled by my answer, but what do you say to Junior when he comes to breakfast on Monday morning and announces he isn’t going to school anymore? You know! He goes! How do you answer him when he comes home covered with mud and says, ‘I’m not going to take a bath.’ Junior bathes, doesn’t he? Why all this timidity, then, in the realm of spiritual guidance and growth? You say you’re going to let him wait and decide what church he wants to go to when he is old enough? Quit your kidding! You wouldn’t wait until he’s grown up to choose whether he wishes to be clean or dirty, would you? Do you let him decide for himself whether to take medicine when he’s sick? Do you? How shall we respond, then, when Junior says he doesn’t want to go to Sunday school and church? That’s easy! Just be consistent. Tell him, ‘Son, in our house we ALL go to Sunday school and church, and that includes you!’ Your firmness and example will furnish a bridge over which youthful rebellion will then travel into many rich and satisfying spiritual experiences.”
As parents, we are to take the initiative to raise our children in the Lord.
:3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
Jehoiada takes the role of Joash’s guardian and chooses his wives for him. I wonder if he took two wives so that there was a better chance of having sons, and hence future kings.
:4-14 Temple
Restoration
:4 Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD
It doesn’t say this was Jehoiada’s idea, though I imagine he was pleased with this.
The idea was Joash’s.
:6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection
It’s in the 23rd year of his reign (Joash is 30), Joash calls Jehoiada and asks the question, “Why hasn’t the work begun?” (2Ki. 12:6)
At one point in his reign, Joash had charged Jehoiada to send the priests
and Levites throughout the country to collect money for the Temple
When Joash rebukes the priests for not collecting the money, the priests agree to not be in charge of collecting the money.
(2 Ki 12:8 KJV) And the priests consented
to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the
house.
Lesson
The place of submission
I think it is interesting to see that Jehoiada is yielding to this young man that he installed as king.
He doesn’t respond with “Now listen here young man, I rescued you, I made you king, now don’t be ordering me about!”
Submission is one of those things that doesn’t seem right to us. Perhaps it’s because as “Americans” we’ve been raised not to bow the knee to anyone. Perhaps it’s our generation that’s been a bit spoiled, living for ourselves rather than for others.
Yet submission is one of the important lessons of growing up as a Christian.
submit – hupotasso – to arrange under, to subordinate; to subject, put in subjection; to subject one’s self, obey; to submit to one’s control; to yield to one’s admonition or advice; to obey, be subject; A Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”. In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.
To government
(Rom 13:1 KJV) Let every
soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the
powers that be are ordained of God.
This is command is also
repeated in Tit. 3:1; 1Pet. 2:13 .
Keep in mind, when Paul and Peter are writing their letters, the Roman Emperor’s name was Nero. And yet they teach to submit to the government.
I think that the real test of submission is when the person you ought to submit to is ungodly and wrong. It’s easy to submit if you’re being asked to go to Baskin Robbins and eat a hot fudge sundae. It’s difficult when the person is a jerk and is asking you to eat your brussel sprouts.
To masters
(Titus 2:9 NLT) Slaves must obey their masters and do their best to
please them. They must not talk back
(1 Pet 2:18 NLT) You who are slaves must accept the
authority of your masters. Do whatever they tell you--not only if they are kind
and reasonable, but even if they are harsh.
This is talking about you and your boss at work.
In church
We ought to be submitted to those who are “addicted” (1Cor. 16:15 ) to the ministry.
(1 Cor 16:16 KJV) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
I think leaders in the church ought to lead. For example, I believe that Greg and Caleb ought to be able to lead their respective youth groups. Those who would like to help them and serve the Lord by working with the youth ought to be willing to submit to their leadership.
To husbands
(Eph 5:22
KJV) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
The command is also
found in Col.
To one another
(Eph 5:21
KJV) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear
of God.
(1 Pet 5:5 KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth
grace to the humble.
There is a sense in which submission leaks out into all aspects of our lives, into all sorts of relationships.
Peter says that the key issue with submission is learning humility.
To God.
(James 4:7 KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you.
A person who won’t submit to God is “carnal”
(Rom 8:7 KJV) Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
We need to submit to God when He chastens us.
(Heb 12:9 NLT) Since we respect our earthly
fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the
discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever?
Even Jesus learned how to submit.
As a child, He submitted to His parents
(Luke
As an adult, He submitted Himself to the Father’s will
(Luke
John teaches us that how we relate to others is a reflection of how we relate to God.
(1 John 4:20 KJV) If a man say,
I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for
he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how
can he love God whom he hath not seen?
It seems to me that if we can’t learn to submit to others who we can see when we ought to, that we’re going to have a hard time submitting to God.
:6 according to the commandment of Moses
This was the poll-tax fixed by Moses, of half a shekel, which was levied on
every man of twenty years old and upwards, as “a ransom for their souls, that
there might be no plague among them.” (Ex 30:12-16)
:7 had broken up the house of God…did they bestow upon Baalim.
Apparently the Temple
:8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest
(2 Ki 12:9 KJV) But Jehoiada the priest
took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar,
on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests
that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of
the LORD.
Some churches follow this practice and call it a “Joash Box”.
Kind of like our Agape Box.
:10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced
Josephus has a suggestion as to why the priests had not collected the money in the first place:
But the high priests did not do this,
as concluding that no one would willingly pay that money;[4]
Yet here we see that the people liked the idea of helping to support the refurbishing
of the Temple
People don’t always respond like you think they will.
:13 they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
Their restoration work was a success. The Temple
:14 the rest of the money …were made vessels for the house
After they finished the renovations, they used the leftover money to make
utensils for the Temple
:15-22 Jehoiada dies, Joash goes
downhill
:16 And they buried him in the city of David
He is the only “non-king” to have had this honor of being buried among the kings.
:17 came the princes of Judah
Lesson
Flattery will get you everywhere
There is a danger in leadership when people begin to “bow” to you tell you that you’re wonderful.
Illustration
Oscar Wilde wrote, “A flatterer is one who extremely exaggerates in his opinion of your qualities, so that it may come nearer to your opinion of them.”
The problem with flattery is that it we might start believing it.
Illustration
Aging Gracefully
Mickey’s wife bought a new line of expensive cosmetics guaranteed to make her look years younger. After a lengthy sitting before the mirror applying the “miracle” products, she asked, “Darling, honestly, what age would you say I am?” Looking over her carefully, Mickey replied, “Judging from your skin, twenty; your hair, eighteen; and your figure, twenty five.” “Oh, you flatterer!” she gushed. “Hey, wait a minute!” Mickey interrupted. “I haven’t added them up yet.”
It appears that these “princes” will have influence upon Joash. I wonder if their influence doesn’t start with their flattery.
(Prov 26:28 NLT) A lying
tongue hates its victims, and flattery causes ruin.
:18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers
At times I get frustrated at how God’s people follow Him one moment, and then turn their back on Him.
But keep in mind, it’s probably been over 25 years since Athaliah reigned. That’s a great stretch of following the Lord.
Now, the people have forgotten what it’s like to live with wickedness.
:19 Yet he sent prophets to them
Lesson
God always gives plenty of warning
If you start getting warnings, pay attention. God has reasons for warning us.
:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest
Zechariah – Z@karyah – “Jehovah remembers”. We might want to jump to the conclusion that this might be the prophet who wrote the book of Zechariah, but that is incorrect. This is a popular name in the Bible. There are 29 different Zechariahs in the Old Testament.
This man is probably the grandson of Jehoiada, not the son. Jesus calls him
(Mat 23:35
KJV) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from
the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between
the temple and the altar.
:22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father
Jehoiada his father – Joash’s adopted father
Lesson
Teach your kids to walk on their own before you’re gone.
It’s a good thing to teach your kids to respect you and to respect your advice.
But it seems to me that every once in a while a parent goes a little too far in trying to control their children.
They make all their decisions for them, never letting them learn to think for their own.
They always step in and rescue them, without ever letting them experience the consequence of their actions.
It’s important that we as parents instill in our kids the right values and the ability to make good decisions.
But just teaching them these things isn’t good enough.
Eventually you need to start stepping back and see whether they’ve really learned it or not.
Sometimes you have to learn to just let go and see if anything has sunk in!
Illustration:
When you teach your kids to ride a bike, you can only do so much with training wheels.
After a while, it’s time to try without the training wheels.
But even without the training wheels, you usually have to run alongside them, holding them up, until they get the knack of balancing on two wheels.
But for you to successfully teach them, you eventually have to let go and stop running with them.
When your kids were little and learning to walk, you found that there were times when they fell down. It’s a part of learning. Your kids will fall at times. That’s part of learning to walk.
Lesson
Who do you depend upon?
Are there people that you continually look to for guidance and direction?
Paul told the Philippians that he wanted them to walk in obedience not just while he was with them, but even more when he was gone.
(Phil 2:12-13 KJV) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. {13} For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
God wants us dependent upon Him.
The disciples were much like us.
But they actually had Jesus Himself to depend upon and lean upon.
Yet Jesus was constantly preparing them for the day that He would no longer be with them.
And He had a plan in mind for when He was gone:
(John
14:16-17 KJV) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; {17} Even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
The life of walking under the power of the Holy Spirit isn’t really an option in the Christian life.
:22 And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
There’s two ways Zechariah might be meaning this:
(2 Chr 24:22 ICB) King Joash did not
remember Jehoiada's kindness to him. So Joash killed Zechariah, Jehoiada's son.
Before Zechariah died, he said, "May the Lord see what you are doing and
punish you."
Or, it could be translated in a future sense, as prophetic:
"The Lord will look upon it, and avenge it."
Either way, this is a bit different than what Jesus said when He died:
(Luke 23:34 KJV) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast
lots.
It’s also different than what Stephen said when he died:
(Acts 7:60 KJV) And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said
this, he fell asleep.
:23-27 Judgment against Joash
:23 and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people
These were the same guys that had “made obeisance” to the king, enticing the king to forsake the Lord and start worshipping idols. (2Chr. 24:17).
:24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men …
Apparently the Syrians seemed scarier than they actually were.
This was a fulfillment of what God had told Moses
If the people followed the Lord, then a few of them could chase a large army:
(Lev 26:8 KJV) And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an
hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall
before you by the sword.
If the people should ever turn away from the Lord:
(Lev 26:37 KJV) And they shall fall one upon another, as it were
before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have
no power to stand before your enemies.
:24 So they executed judgment against Joash.
We get some more detail in 2Kings:
(2 Ki 12:17-18 KJV) Then Hazael king of Syria Gath Jerusalem
Gath
This came as part of God’s warning to the people to turn back to Him.
:25 his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest
2Kings tells us:
(2 Ki 12:20 KJV) And his servants
arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
Apparently Joash had been recuperating from his wounds in the “house of Millo” when his servants slew him.
Josephus records it like this:
was set upon by his friends, in order to revenge the death of Zechariah,
the son of Jehoiada. [5]
This is kind of ironic when you think that Jehoash seemed to want to please the people:
(2 Chr
24:17-18 KJV) Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah Judah Jerusalem
Lesson
Respect doesn’t come when you always give in.
We find ourselves doing many things just for the sake of having people like us.
It affects the clothes we wear, the places we go, and the people we hang out with.
You can call it peer pressure.
But the truth is, though you may temporarily have some people to call friends, you’re gaining no one’s respect.
People who will flatter you one moment can very easily stab you in the back the next.
It even works with raising kids.
The parents who never put their foot down, but are always caving in to their children’s demands are also the parents who are never respected by their kids.
Every once in a while you have to say “NO”, and stick to it, maybe even enforce it as well.
You’re teaching them that there are limits.
And you’re not losing their respect.
