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“The Reign Of Joash” • 8.13.17 • Calvary Christian
Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- A few
chapters back, we learned of King Jehu's annointing to be King. He began a
furious ride toward Jezreel, where he assassinated both his predecessor and the
King of Judah.
- We've been
studying what has transpired in the north since then. The author returns our
gaze to the South in chapter 11.
Let's pick it up in verse 1.
Text
• II Kings 11:1-3 : "When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah
saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs." : With the vaccum of power left by her son's death, Athaliah
recognizes her opportunity to rule over the south.
- To secure her position, she in slaughtered
all of the royal "seed," which were, in effect, her own grandchildren!
It's not surprising when you consider that she was Omri's granddaughter!
- Beyond the sheer evil of this woman's action
lies the true significance of her crime. The word "seed" is the clue.
This takes us back to Genesis 3 and
the woman's seed that would destroy Satan.
- That seed would come through the line of
Abraham, through the tribe of Judah, and through the family of David. God had
promised David that one of his seed would sit on the throne forever.
- Athaliah stood up and gave her best effort to
oppose God's plan and almost succeeded!
• II Kings 11:2,3 : "But Jehosheba, the daughter of King
Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away
from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his
nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. So he was hidden with her in the
house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah
reigned over the land." : When people ask about the
problem of evil, it's a shame that they aren't at church when we answer it!
- Athaliah had her plans. Did God reach down
with a lightning bolt to stop her? No. He just allowed Jehosheba to counteract
her! Ironically, Jehosheba's name means "God has sworn!"
- Evil rises everywhere because men are fallen and
are given to an evil disposition. But because "God has sworn," evil
is set back and fails to reach it's intended goal!
- For all intents and purposes, this woman
should not have been Athaliah's counter. She was wicked King Joram's daughter
and sister to wicked King Ahaziah.
- We'll find out that she was also the High
Priest's wife and Joash's Aunt! She and her husband rose just in time to save David's sole heir to the throne!
- She hid him in plain sight, where Athaliah
would fail to look: In the Temple of God! Verse 4.
• II Kings
11:4-8 : "In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of
hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of
the Lord to him. And he made a covenant
with them and took an oath from them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. Then he commanded them, saying,
'This is what you shall do: one-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath
shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, one-third shall be at the gate of
Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of
the house, lest it be broken down. The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall
keep the watch of the house of the Lord for the king. But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his
weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death.
You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.'" : Jehoiada, whose name means "God knows," gathered a
contingent of troops to guard the King.
- Jehoiada knew that these men had to be the
most honorable, most trusted men in the Kingdom, so he made a covenant with
them in the house of the Lord!
- He knows that if word leaks out, the Queen
will tear the house of the Lord down to get to the young King. For 6 years, he
hid him well. It's their job to protect him! Verse 9.
• II Kings
11:9-12 : "So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that
Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty
on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to
Jehoiada the priest. And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and
shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of the Lord. Then the escorts stood, every man
with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the
temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. And he brought out the king’s son,
put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king
and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, 'Long live the king!'" : The captains were delighted to protect a legitimate Davidic
heir to the throne! They had been serving this wicked Queen for 6 years!
- The only reason they did that was because
they didn't believe there was a viable alternative!
- We can't imagine the pride and the excitement
that these men experienced when Jehoiada presented Joash and gave out the royal
armor! His quick coronation was a sight to behold!
- Jehoiada put the crown on him and gave him
"the Testimony." In Deuteronomy
17, Moses relayed God's command for the Kings of Israel.
- The Kings were to write their own copy of
God's law, taken from the one that belonged to the Levites. As early as Joash
could write, he was writing his own copy of the Pentateuch!
- The Priests proclaimed him King and annointed
him. Their announcement was one of great joy for the people and a complete
surprise to Athaliah. Verse 13.
•
II Kings 11:13-16 : "Now when Athaliah heard the noise
of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. When she looked, there was the king
standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters
were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing
trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, 'Treason! Treason!' And Jehoiada the priest commanded
the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, 'Take
her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.' For the
priest had said, 'Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.' So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’
entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed." : Athaliah is taken by surprise as she hears the sound of a
coronation service taking place.
-
It's not a sad time, as all the people were rejoicing and blowing trumpets!
When wickedness reigns for any period of time, it's end brings great
celebration! All the Queen could do was protest!
-
Athaliah yelled out "Treason." Talk about the pot calling the kettle
black! Her outrage didn't last long as she was executed that very day! Verse 17.
•
II Kings 11:17-21 : "Then Jehoiada made a covenant
between the Lord, the king, and the people, that
they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the
king and the people. And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and
tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed
Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers
over the house of the Lord. Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the
escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from
the house of the Lord, and went by way of the gate of
the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. So all the people of the land
rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in
the king’s house. Jehoash was seven years old when he became king." : Notice who makes this covenant. Jehoiada brings the people to a
covenant renewal service.
-
The Lord will be the Lord over the King and over the people of Judah. That was
the promise. How did the people respond? Note their action.
- All of the people went and tore down
the Temple of Baal. They took it's altars and images and broke them to pieces.
They executed the priest of Baal before the altars.
-
When a real work of God breaks out, there is no tolerance for that which
represents wickedness! There is decisive action taken by the person who is
committed to the Lord!
-
Nothing of the past life is left to rear it's head! God is the Lord and there
is no other!
-
After this they brought the King to his rightful place. Look at that result:
All the people of the land rejoiced. Their countenance was brightened!
-
Proverbs 11:10 says "When it goes well with the righteous, the
city rejoices;
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation." They were experiencing this on this night!
And when the wicked perish, there is jubilation." They were experiencing this on this night!
-
Note also that the city was quiet. People are rejoicing, which is normally
loud. But the city is quiet. It's at peace. Literally, it was appeased, settled
and still.
-
Athaliah's death brought a sense of ease over the land that it had not
experienced for the entirety of her reign. The land, we might say, was
breathing a sigh of relief!
-
The people were happy to have a seven year old King, so long as they didn't
have that old witch Athaliah around to torment them any longer! Chapter 12.
• II Kings
12:1-5 : "In the seventh year of
Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Jehoash
did what was right in the sight of the Lord
all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. But
the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned
incense on the high places. And Jehoash said to the priests, 'All the money of the dedicated
gifts that are brought into the house of the Lord—each man’s census money, each
man’s assessment money—and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to
bring into the house of the Lord, let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency;
and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is
found.'" : Jehoash and Joash are the same
person. Jehoash is his full name, similar to Michael.
- As you can see, His reign was marked by the
Holy Spirit as being righteous before him while Jehoiada lived. That
distinction is very important.
- Joash's reign, while predominantly good
during Jehoida's years, was still marred by the people's desire to worship at
the high places. Joash didn't enforce centralized corporate worship.
- For the King's part, his heart was set upon
showing faithfulness to God during these years.
- Baal's religion having been overturned, he
now turns his eyes now toward the temple, his home for 6 years, which had
fallen into disrepair for two reasons.
- First, according to II Chronicles 24:7, Athaliah was responsible for ransacking the
"dedicated things" of the temple and depositing them into Baal's
temple.
- Second, the money which the people were
commanded in the law to bring for it's maintenance, were not coming to the
temple! Joash orders the Priests to address this. Verse 6.
• II Kings
12:6-8 : "Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, that
the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple. So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the
priest and the other priests, and said to them, 'Why have you not repaired the
damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your
constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple.' And the priests agreed that they
would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the
temple." : 16 years have passed between
verses 5 and 6. Sadly, the priests were unable to carry out the King's desire.
- The collected money wasn't enough to carry on
the Temple's operation much less provide for the Temple's renovation. Verse 8 sounds very strange.
- Because the priests weren't able to collect
enough money for the project, it seems that they took on the extra burden of
seeking to make the repairs themselves!
- No wonder there was 16 years without
progress! They were no longer going to attempt to split the funds that came in.
Jehoiada came up with an alternative plan. Verse 9.
• II Kings
12:9-16 : "Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid,
and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of
the Lord; and the priests who kept the door
put there all the money brought into the house of the Lord. So it was, whenever they saw that
there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest
came up and put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house
of the Lord. Then they gave the money, which had
been apportioned, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the
oversight of the house of the Lord; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked
on the house of the Lord, and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn
stone, to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for all that was paid out to
repair the temple. However there were not made for the house of the Lord basins of silver, trimmers, sprinkling-bowls,
trumpets, any articles of gold or articles of silver, from the money brought
into the house of the Lord. But they gave that to the workmen, and they repaired the house
of the Lord with it. Moreover they did not require an
account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to
workmen, for they dealt faithfully. The money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin
offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord. It belonged to the priests." : Jehoiada's offering box allowed people to give at the Temple.
- The people that visited saw it's condition
first hand and were moved to participate in it's renovation. When the box was
full, the money was distributed to the contractors that did the work.
- All the contractors dealt faithfully. They
were honest men that worked in the Temple of God. I'm sure that caused them to
be extra honest!
- Everything seems to be going very well, but
then we come into verse 17.
• II Kings
12:17,18 : "Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took
it; then Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. And Jehoash king of Judah took all
the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings
of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in
the treasuries of the house of the Lord and in the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria.
Then he went away from Jerusalem." : Hazael
defeated the Philistine city of Gath and he set his face, he was resolved to go
up to Jerusalem.
- What does the King do? There isn't any talk
of prayer or sacrifice. He simply takes all of the sacred items and dedicated
things from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and pays off Hazael!
- What gives? The answer comes to us from the
book of Chronicles.
•
II Chronicles 24:15-17 : "But
Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and
thirty years old when he died. And they buried him in the City of David among the kings,
because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house. Now after the death of Jehoiada the
leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to
them." : Jehoiada had been Joash's primary
influence.
- Earlier in verse 2, the author of II Kings made this statement: "Jehoash did what was right in the sight of
the Lord all the days in which Jehoida the priest instructed him."
-
When Jehoiada died, the leaders of Judah came and advised the King and the King
listened to them. He didn't lead them.
-
Jehoiada's influence, while powerful, had remained external! He followed all of
Jehoiada's advice but never took ahold of Jehoiada's beliefs!
-
He had done the right things, but not from his own convictions. When Jehoiada
passed he was willing to take on the next person's opinion. Look at where that
led him. Verse 18.
•
II Chronicles 24:18-20 : "Therefore
they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. Yet He sent prophets to them, to
bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon
Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said
to them, 'Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot
prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’" : For all of the years of prosperity and the faithfulness to God,
Joash chose to see what the other side was like!
-
They abandoned the house of the Lord and again gave themselves up to idolatry! God
sent prophets but they chose not to listen to them!
-
Even Jehoiada's son was unable to get through to the King! It's very possible
that the two men grew up together! How sad for Zechariah to have to deliver
this message.
-
"Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you!" How
did he respond?
•
II Chronicles 24:21,22 : "So they
conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with
stones in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada
his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, 'The Lord look on it, and repay!'" : Joash goes from being rescued from a murder plot to being the
author of one!
-
Zechariah's last words are "The Lord look on it, and repay!" Let's
head back to II Kings.
•
II Kings 12:19-21 : "Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and
all that he did, are they not written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And his servants arose and formed a
conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of the Millo, which goes
down to Silla. For Jozachar the
son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants,
struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of
David. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place." : Joash reaped what he had sown. His own servants rose up and
killed him as he had killed Zechariah.
Conclusion
- What are we supposed to take from this section of scripture? Let me begin by noting the power of Godly Action. When evil sprang up and threatened the plans of God, one woman rose up.
- What are we supposed to take from this section of scripture? Let me begin by noting the power of Godly Action. When evil sprang up and threatened the plans of God, one woman rose up.
- Jehosheba, God has sworn, stood in the gap
and was God's woman for the moment. When you see evil, instead of asking why He
allows it, you might ask what you are supposed to do about it!
- Evil is present. God's people must be present
as well!
- Second, I'd draw your attention to the power
of Godly Influence. It was the influence
of one man that guided a nation. He was not the King, but the High Priest!
- Jehoiada hid Joash for 6 years. He organized
his secret service. He called the nation to repent and draw near to God. His
solution allowed the Temple renovation to succeed.
- For 130 years, he served God's purposes and
led a nation to great revival. Like David, Jehoiada served his own generation
well. Will that be said of you?
- Finally, this section ends with a warning
against Godly Rejection. What do you
mean? Joash listened to Jehoiada. He cooperated with reform. He pushed for the
Temple to be renovated.
- When it came time to stand on his own
beliefs, it was clear that he had never established them! Beware of living on
another man's convictions. Know what you believe and why you believe it!
- Because Joash didn't have his own foundation,
he went from being the Rescued Reformer to the Ruthless Rebel! Imitation can
take you a long way, but it will never take you all the way!
- That's the lesson of Joash that we must
absorb. May it not be our testimony.
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