"And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (vs. 2). The story of Joash, king of Judah, is an object lesson we all need to take to heart. When Joash's father, the king, died prematurely, his father's mother usurped the throne. She had all of the royal family killed, but Joash, the infant heir to the throne, was concealed in the temple for six years by his aunt and uncle, Jehoida, the high priest. Jehoida led a coup to restore the throne to the house of David and install the rightful heir, Joash, as king. In the first part of Joash's reign while Jehoida was alive, Joash was devoted to the restoration of the temple and adherence to God's law. After Jehoida, the high priest, died Joash succumbed to the evil counsel of certain leaders in Judah who identified with the evil ways of Ahab, the former king of Israel and so Joash established idolatrous practices in Judah. Joash even commanded that the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Jehoida, be put to death because he spoke against the king. In a battle with the Syrians Joash was severely wounded and brought to Jerusalem where he was killed by his own officials in revenge for Zechariah's death. King Joash's faith was dependent upon Jehoida and once Jehoida was gone, so was Joash's faith. Furthermore, Joash listened to bad advice from the wrong spiritual advisors. Joash couldn't handle dissent--everyone around him had to agree with him. The lessons we can learn from Joash are to always guard your faith; don't let your faith be based on the faith of someone else; be careful who you listen to for spiritual advice and then be careful of the spiritual advice that others give; and don't dissociate yourself from those who disagree with you because God may be using them to reprove and discipline you! Your faith requires continual maintenance--is it time for tune-up?
Thursday, November 25
Time for a Tune-Up? - 2 Chronicles 23-24
"And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (vs. 2). The story of Joash, king of Judah, is an object lesson we all need to take to heart. When Joash's father, the king, died prematurely, his father's mother usurped the throne. She had all of the royal family killed, but Joash, the infant heir to the throne, was concealed in the temple for six years by his aunt and uncle, Jehoida, the high priest. Jehoida led a coup to restore the throne to the house of David and install the rightful heir, Joash, as king. In the first part of Joash's reign while Jehoida was alive, Joash was devoted to the restoration of the temple and adherence to God's law. After Jehoida, the high priest, died Joash succumbed to the evil counsel of certain leaders in Judah who identified with the evil ways of Ahab, the former king of Israel and so Joash established idolatrous practices in Judah. Joash even commanded that the prophet Zechariah, who was the son of Jehoida, be put to death because he spoke against the king. In a battle with the Syrians Joash was severely wounded and brought to Jerusalem where he was killed by his own officials in revenge for Zechariah's death. King Joash's faith was dependent upon Jehoida and once Jehoida was gone, so was Joash's faith. Furthermore, Joash listened to bad advice from the wrong spiritual advisors. Joash couldn't handle dissent--everyone around him had to agree with him. The lessons we can learn from Joash are to always guard your faith; don't let your faith be based on the faith of someone else; be careful who you listen to for spiritual advice and then be careful of the spiritual advice that others give; and don't dissociate yourself from those who disagree with you because God may be using them to reprove and discipline you! Your faith requires continual maintenance--is it time for tune-up?
