Joash had a remarkable start to life. As an infant, he was miraculously rescued by his aunt Jehosheba and hidden in the temple of the Lord for 6 years.
• His grandmother Athaliah had seized power and killed all the royal princes in his family. Joash was literally plucked from the fire.
• He was the sole survivor in the lineage of David’s family, providentially protected by God. We see the hand of God is his rescue and protection.
Jehosheba (Ahaziah’s sister) and her husband, the priest Jehoiada raised Joash up secretly for 6 years, until it was time for him to be the King.
• Jehoiada prepared the ground, rallied the commanders and Levites, and brought Joash out eventually and made him the King.
• Athaliah came to the coronation celebration and was surprised to see Joash. She was seized and put to death.
2 Kings 11:17-18 “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. 18All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.”
• It looks like the beginning of a revival. Let’s read 2 Kings 12:1-16.
Joash started well. He began by restoring the temple which had been desecrated by Athaliah (cf. 2 Chron 24:7).
• He raised the funds but the repair works were not carried out, for a long time.
• Joash reproved the priests for the delay and pushed them to get it done. It was completed eventually.
What we have just read, however, was the only good thing that he did. And sadly, it didn’t last. Verse 2 gave us a hint that something wasn’t right.
• 12:2 “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”
• 2 Chron 24:17-18 tells us more: 17After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. 18They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Joash did what was right, for a specific period of time, ONLY as long as his mentor Jehoiada the priest lived.
• With the passing of Jehoiada, we see the passing of his ‘faith’ as well!
• Or was there truly faith in God in his heart, in the first place? Did he really understand the will of God and the covenant that Jehoiada re-established?
• Apparently, Joash did not know God personally. He has no conviction of his own. He did not understand God’s will himself.
And this wasn’t because he had a bad start to his life. God rescued him and kept him alive for 6 years.
• God provided him a nurse, Jehosheba and Jehoiada, the priest, who helped re-establish the covenant with God.
• He was well instructed, because the author says, “Joash did what was right ALL THE YEARS Jehoiada instructed him.”
We see God’s grace, we see God’s protection and provision for his life, and we see God’s instructions!
• Even the initial task of restoring the temple of the Lord, we see God providing the funds. They had more than enough.
And this is so sad, because after reading all the hard work they put in to restore the temple of God, we are going to see Joash giving them up to his enemy.
• 2 Kings 12:17-18 17About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers-Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah-and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the LORD and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.
• The Arameans came up against Jerusalem and Joash stripped the temple of all of its treasures and gave them as tribute to the King of Aram.
• Why? To buy his favour. But that held him off only for a year or so, because Aram returned to attack them again (2 Chron 24) and plundered them.
Joash failed to treasure the privileges God has given him.
• He did not know God personally. He has no personal faith in God. He has no conviction that God’s Word is right.
• All we read about is the faith of Jehoiada. All the good that happened, happens only because Jehoiada was around.
• 2 Chron 24:14b “As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord.”
• 2 Chron 24:15-16 “15Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. 16He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.
It’s all about Jehoiada’s faith and conviction, nothing of Joash.
• The work that Joash did for the temple was just outward show.
• He has no faith and conviction that God is to be honoured and worshipped.
• The moment Jehoiada was removed from the scene, Joash was swayed by whoever filled that gap.
• His officials came and he listened to them, and re-introduced idolatry back into Judah. This is what happens when we do not have a personal faith in God.
Do you believe God? Do you trust Him, personally? Is Jesus your Lord? Do you know Him? Are you convinced that His Word is true? Are these your own convictions?
There can be no proxy faith. God has no grandchildren, only children.
• We’ve got to know Him personally and trust Him individually. That faith and conviction cannot be borrowed.
• It’s good that our parents are Christians who honours God, but what about you? It’s good that we have mentors who follow Christ faithfully, but what about you?
• Jesus asked the disciples (Matt 16:13-16), "Who do people say I am?" and then followed up by “Who do you say I am?”
Joash knows Jehoiada, but not the God of Jehoiada. See what happens next.
2 Chron 24:18-19 18They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem. 19Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to Him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.
• This was not an occasional lapse of judgement, but a stubborn unbelief. They chose not to listen, not to believe.
• And see God’s first response: NOT to judge but redeem, NOT to condemn but save.
24:20-22 20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: `Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.'"
21But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD's temple. 22King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah's father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, "May the LORD see this and call you to account."
Remember King of Aram, who was given the treasures of the temple? He came back.
24:23-25 23At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. 24Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.
25When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
That was an end he has chosen. Don’t blame God.
• God saved his life and provided all that he needed to reign, and to have a good and godly reign, through the instructions that He has given through Jehoiada.
• Joash has chosen to reject God and not to follow His ways. His unbelief led him to this end. It wasn’t an end God has in mind; it was an end he has chosen.
Don’t make that same mistake today. Don’t take for granted God’s grace in your life. A good start does not guarantee a good end.
• Put our trust in God, personally. He has been gracious and good. We keep faith with Him throughout our walk with Him.
• Be convinced that His Word is true and His ways are good.
We want to share Paul’s conviction. Paul preached Christ faithfully even in the midst of many persecutions, and this was his faith:
• 2 Tim 1:11-12 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.
• We know WHOM we have believed, and we serve Him faithfully, trusting that the ONE we trust can take care of everything, until the day of His return.
• No matter how difficult the journey, we are not going to betray Him. That’s our faith and conviction.
Let's close with this hymn - I Know Whom I Have Believed | Daniel W. Whittle
1. I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
But “I know Whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”
2. I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.
3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
4. I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.
