Joash Repairs Solomon’s Temple

What is the difference between commitment and surrender? When you make a commitment, you are still in control, no matter how noble the thing you commit to. One can commit to pray, to study the Bible, to give his money, or to commit to automobile payments, or to lose weight. Whate … More

Surrender

Joash was the youngest king ever to mount the throne of Judah.  He did the Lord’s will as long as his mentor, Jehoiada the priest, lived. However, after Jehoiada died Joash turned away from following the Lord.  He had a lengthy reign of forty years but never did remove the high places, as was true of most of the kings of Judah.

Joash purposed to restore Solomon’s temple which had suffered severe damage during Athaliah’s reign (2 Chron. 24:7). He planned to use the money that was received from the people in the regular course of offerings. However, their plan did not work as the money from these regular sources was not sufficient to support the priests and also pay for the temple repairs. Therefore, Joash ordered Jehoiada to build a collection box (2 Chron. 24:8) and place it beside the altar (vv. 8-9). When the box was full, the money was taken and distributed to the workmen who were repairing the temple (vv. l0-l2). Eventually some of the money was used for replacing gold and silver utensils in the temple (2 Chron. 24:l4).

Jehoiada died at the age of l30 years (2 Chron. 24:l5-l6) and was replaced by his son, Zechariah.  When he sounded a prophetic warning Joash had him stoned to death (2 Chron. 24:20-22). Hazael, king of Aram, sent his army against Jerusalem. To buy Hazael off, Joash gave him many sacred objects and gifts as well as all the gold in the temple and palace treasures (2 Chron. 24:23). Later several of Joash’s officials conspired against him and murdered him in his bed.

Application

Joash did much that was good and right but he did not go far enough in removing sin from the nation. We need to ask ourselves if we have gone far enough in removing sin in our lives.  

II Kings 12:1-21 (English Standard Version)


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