This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&handling) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis through 2Kings are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON (BOOK NAME) to the address above.
2CHRONICLES
1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.
Joash, beginning his reign at seven years of age, ruled for forty years. The Bible is careful to note that he "did right" during the years that Jehoiada was alive (verse 2).
4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD.
5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
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, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.
Jehoiada's influence caused Joash to command that the temple be repaired for the reasons cited in verse 7.
8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD.
9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.
10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.
11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the LORD.
13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
Joash came up with an innovative idea. He put a chest outside the gate of the temple. The chest had a hole in the top so that people could place their donations. This idea encouraged spontaneous giving.
15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.
16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.
When Jehoiada died, he was given great honor and placed in the tombs of the kings. One might say that his epitaph was written in verse 16. "He had done GOOD toward God, and toward God's house."
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.
18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.
19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.
Joash was a man used to listening to advice. He had followed Jehoiada's advice all his life. Now he began to listen to flattering princes.
20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.
It was probably during one of the feast days or some assembly that Zechariah stood up and spoke against what the people were doing. This was the son of Jehoiada.
23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.
24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.
26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.
27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.
Immediately God set into motion the armies of the Syrians against Joash. He was soundly defeated by inferior numbers! Jerusalem was sacked and the princes destroyed. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 24
Joash had a great allegiance to Jehoiada, perhaps because he had acted as a "father." However it is doubtful that his allegiance actually extended to God. Often, men raised of good men will do good things in the name of religion when they have no personal intimacy with God.
Questionable, and commendable at the same time is the action of Jehoiada in taking TWO wives for Joash. We must realize that Jehoiada had been "on board" as counselor to kings for quite some time. He had been exposed to kings having many wives. The fact is that he ONLY took two wives for Joash.
However, the priests and Levites were slack in following this command and it caused Joash to call Jehoiada "on the carpet," so to speak. This perhaps caused a moment of contention between the two, but it was quickly resolved as we see by reading on (verses 15 & 16).
Soon there was enough money to repair the temple and some left over. Sometimes it is good to utilize innovative ideas to encourage giving.
When they temple was repaired, there was yet money left over. So that money was used to replace "vessels" which had been given over to the house of Baal during Athalia's reign.
All Christians should live so that epitaph could be used on their tomb.
They "did obeisance" to him in a showy fashion. Then he willingly followed their advice. the result was they "left" the house of God and began to worship idols.
God sent prophets to tell them they were doing wrong, but no one listened.
It's hard to hear God when we are serving SELF!
He spoke plainly exposing their sin even though he did not "point fingers" at anyone specifically.
Evidently they felt the burning of God's conviction, for they STONED him! And they stoned him at the commandment of the KING!
Joash, perhaps realizing the severity of his sin, said, "The Lord look upon it, and require it." He KNEW that God would require blood for blood when His prophets were killed!
God will not let high-handed sin go unpunished. Neither will He allow His people to long be under the influence of wickedness.
Before Joash had an opportunity to return the attack, he was stricken with diseases. Then his own servants killed him.
No honor was given to Joash - he was NOT buried in the sepulchres of the kings.
David had prophesied before in a song of this kind of action.
"Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, Aha." (Psalm 70:3)
It was perhaps even greater shame that those who conspired against Joash were sons of an Ammonitess and a Moabitess. Those born of heritage with no respect for God had shown greater respect for God than the king!