by Walter A. Boyd, N. Ireland
IDENTITY
The Same Names
There were three kings in the southern kingdom of Judah who shared the same name as three kings in the northern kingdom of Israel: Jehoram, Joash, and Jehoahaz. Of the two kings with the name Joash (an abbreviation of Jehoash), one reigned for sixteen years in Israel, 2Kgs.13.10, and the other, the subject of this chapter, reigned for forty years in Judah, 2Kgs.12.1. During the last three years of the reign of our subject, Joash the eighth king of Judah, his counterpart, Joash of Israel, was on the throne in the northern kingdom. The similarity in their names and the convergence of three years of their reigns can lead to some confusion when reading about their activities.
The Different Characters
Even though the name of both means ‘Jehovah has bestowed’, their characters could not have been more different. Joash of Israel “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin” 2Kgs.13.11, whereas Joash of Judah “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him” 2Kgs.12.2.
A basic family tree for Joash of Judah will help to understand who Joash was and identify those who influenced him in various ways. 
INFLUENCE
Influence and its Relationships
Joash of Judah was the grandson of wicked Queen Athaliah, his father was King Ahaziah and his mother was Zibiah of Beersheba. Just like every person, there were strong forces in the relationships of Joash’s life that had an influence upon him. For most of his reign the spiritual influence of the high priest Jehoiada resulted in Joash pleasing the Lord, but when Jehoiada died, the leaders of Judah persuaded Joash to abandon the Temple and introduce idolatry, 2Chr.24.17,18. As well as the spiritual influence of Jehoiada, there were natural and historical influences from Joash’s family that emerged after Jehoiada died, towards the end of his reign. 2Chronicles chapter 24 tells us the prophet Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, told Joash that he had “forsaken the Lord” and that the Lord had “also forsaken” him, to which Joash responded by commanding that the prophet be killed, vv.20,21. It is worth noting that the spiritual influence came through Jehoiada, his uncle by marriage, and the natural resort to violence was akin to that of his grandmother Athaliah, who became known in history as ‘bloody Athaliah’ because of her reign of tyranny and outrageous violence. One of the practical lessons seen in many character studies in the Bible is that we inherit strengths and weaknesses from our forebears and family. We are often deeply influenced by their decisions and the patterns of their lives. Looking back to our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, we can often trace physical features, strengths, and weaknesses that run through the family. In the same way, we can observe spiritual influences that span the generations. While Joash had a Godly heritage through his aunt Jehosheba (Jehoshabeath) that provided a foundation of virtue and faithfulness, 2Chr.22.10-12, the later ruthlessness and bitterness which marred the end of his reign had been seen earlier in his grandmother Athaliah, 2Chr.22.10.
Influence and its Roots
The problems faced by Joash had their roots in the earlier fraternisation of his great-grandfather, King Jehoshaphat, with the Baal-worshipping kings of Israel, which resulted in his grandfather Jehoram marrying the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Jehoshaphat likely never dreamed that his ill-advised friendship with a neighbouring idolatrous king would have serious results for his own and later generations; but for the generation that followed him, the results were disastrous as they developed in the lives of Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Joash. Athaliah wielded considerable influence during the reign of her husband, Jehoram, and then during the reign of her son Ahaziah. This influence took the form of a two-pronged attack against the things of God as she sought firstly to advance the worship of Baal, and secondly, to hinder the worship of Jehovah. That is a common strategy of the enemy even today: rather than stop the preaching of the gospel outright, he will try to push his error to the fore and give it a place alongside the truth of God.
INFANTICIDE
The Plans of a Wicked Woman
The influence of previous generations upon Joash climaxed when he was rescued as an infant of no more than twelve months from the murderous intentions of his grandmother Athaliah. Athaliah was a truly wicked woman who stood in the tradition of her parents, Ahab and Jezebel of Israel. She was married to Jehoram king of Judah, who “wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord” 2Chr.21.6, during his reign of eight years, and likely his greatest evil was when he slew his own brothers, 2Chr.21.4. During Jehoram’s reign Philistines and Arabians raided his kingdom and carried away and eventually killed all his sons except the youngest, Ahaziah, also called Jehoahaz, 2Chr.21.16,17. When Jehoram died, his youngest son, Ahaziah, took the throne and reigned for one year, 2Chr.22.1,2, also doing “evil in the sight of the Lord” 2Chr.22.4. Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, ensured that he not only followed in the footsteps of the family of Ahab, but through her influence he enlisted them as palace advisors, 2Chr.22.4. So, it is no surprise that Ahaziah’s reign did not please the Lord. Like his grandfather, Jehoshaphat, he formed an alliance with the king of Israel, which displeased the Lord, and the result was Ahaziah’s death by the hand of Jehu, 2Chr.22.5-9. Upon the death of her son Ahaziah, Judah was left without a king and Athaliah seized the opportunity with alacrity. Her first action was to destroy “all the seed royal of the house of Judah” 2Chr.22.10, her own grandchildren, so that none of them could take the throne.
The house of Judah stood in the line of promise and had its place in God’s plan for the provision of a Redeemer and the redemption for the world. This appalling atrocity was an attack by the powers of hell upon the promises of the Messiah, made centuries earlier by God to Abraham and renewed to succeeding generations. If it were possible, Athaliah seems almost more wicked than her mother, Jezebel, and in her intention to destroy the royal line we are reminded that evil is not static; if unrestrained it grows and deepens. She was prepared to indulge her lust for power even at the cost of the lives of her innocent grandchildren. By her bloodthirsty determination that no one from the house of David should be his heir and take the throne, the Messianic line had never been in greater danger of extinction. There had been a constant attack on the line of David from which the Messiah would come. Firstly, Jehoram killed all Jehoshaphat’s other sons, his own brothers. Secondly, the marauding Philistines and Arabians killed all Jehoram’s sons except Ahaziah. Thirdly, Jehoram’s youngest and sole surviving son, Ahaziah, took the throne but only lasted for one year and was slain by Jehu, 2Chr.22.8,9. Finally, upon the untimely death of Ahaziah, Athaliah slaughtered his sons so that she could become queen, thinking there were none of the Davidic line left. This fourfold attack by Satan meant that the Messianic line was being steadily whittled down and becoming weaker. However, the bravery of her daughter Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the high priest, thwarted the evil plan when she rescued her infant nephew Joash by hiding him in the Temple. God’s purpose for the nation had survived numerous attacks over centuries. A wicked Pharaoh tried to extinguish the nation by drowning every firstborn male child in Egypt, Ex.1.22, and now a wicked queen tries to extinguish the nation’s hopes by slaughtering all the heirs to the throne. Centuries later, in the post-exilic period a wicked Haman plotted to destroy the Lord’s people. Furthermore, an equally wicked King Herod launched an all-out attack on the Messianic line by ordering the death of every male infant of two years and younger. In all these attacks God preserved His people and maintained His purpose. The earlier actions of Jehoram and Jehu combined with the violence of Athaliah to result in the young infant Joash having no uncles, brothers, or grandfathers left; every adult male in the family had been killed. As with the infants Moses and Christ, a Godly couple played their part in Joash’s preservation, and in each case special attention is due to the foresight and commendable actions of Godly women: Moses’ mother, Joash’s aunt, and Mary the mother of the Lord.
The Preservation by a Good Woman
In our story, Joash was the sole survivor of the Messianic line and had he been slaughtered by Athaliah the genealogical line of the Lord Jesus would have been wiped out. By human reasoning we might think that Joash’s preservation was a ‘near shave’ or ‘close call’ for the nation’s Messianic hopes, but with God everything is perfectly timed and there is never an emergency. The devil had his eye on the coming Messiah, Who, according to Jacob’s prophecy in Gen.49.10, would come through Judah, and from Isaiah chapter 11, would be of the family of David. Thus, at this stage of the history of the nation, the tribe of Judah and the family of David were in the eye of the storm. It may seem that Satan almost won, but God was a step ahead and ensured that Divine purpose was secure, in a way similar to when Herod thought to wipe out every infant boy and so destroy the Messiah Himself, Matt.2.16. God had a good woman in the right place at the right time who had the will to act for His glory; that should be the ambition of every Godly woman. Neither the Messianic line nor the Messiah Himself could be terminated by an evil monarch. How appropriate that for the preservation of the Messianic line God used a woman called Jehosheba, whose name means ‘Jehovah is an oath’. The Messianic promises of a Deliverer from the tribe of Judah and the family of David were as an oath that could never be rescinded. Divine promise and Divine perception worked together when Jehosheba (‘Jehovah is an oath’) and Jehoiada (‘Jehovah knows’) were used in the Divine programme to preserve the young Joash. The Godly aunt who saved the life of the infant was a daughter of King Jehoram, 2Chr.22.11, whose name means ‘Jehovah is exalted’. She had, therefore, as the daughter of Jehoram and the wife of Jehoiada, both kingly and priestly links. The names of these three combine their meanings to tell us of Divine influence in the rescue of the young Joash: ‘Jehovah is an oath’, ‘Jehovah knows’, and ‘Jehovah is exalted’. It might well have been that when Jehosheba took the infant from danger and hid him in the Temple she did not have a definite plan for her next step. But God is faithful to His Word and His promise and, like Jehosheba, we owe Him the honour of trusting Him even when we cannot see the way ahead. In some situations, God will not make His way clear to us until we take the first step in wholehearted obedience to His prompting. Jehosheba never appears again in the pages of Scripture, but by this one courageous action she will be eternally remembered and appreciated for acting to preserve the Davidic line, and hence the Messianic genealogy, which was under immediate threat.
INFANCY
The Temple
Having been rescued as an infant from the murderous intentions of wicked Athaliah, Joash and his nurse were hidden in a bedroom in the Temple, and the sanctuary became his home for the next six years of his childhood. During those years Athaliah ruled as a dictator usurping the throne that had been David’s and Solomon’s, earning the description by the Spirit of God as “that wicked woman” 2Chr.24.7. While she reigned supreme in the nation and it sank deeper under her tyranny, Joash’s adoptive ‘parents’ saw to it that life for him in the Temple was calm and blessed. God had sovereignly supervened in the affairs of the nation. Jehosheba was not of the same character as her wicked mother and her evil brother, Ahaziah, but became the instrument for God’s blessing upon the life of the young boy, and through him, ultimately the life of the nation. Her courage, like that of Miriam and Esther, is one of the thrilling and exciting stories of the Old Testament. There is no telling the blessing a woman can be who is prepared to do what is right before the Lord.
Unlike the home of Ahaziah into which Joash was born, the home provided by Jehoiada and Jehosheba in the Temple was in every respect a true sanctuary, which provided an atmosphere conducive to the spiritual development and progress of the young boy. It seems that Athaliah was oblivious to the safe haven provided for the young Joash, and Jehosheba and Jehoiada, remnant-like, held on to the hope that better days would soon dawn and the child could be brought out of hiding. Every day of those six years was a day of dependence upon God as Jehosheba and Jehoiada relied upon Him to preserve what they had rescued for His glory. In “the land” 2Chr.22.12, wicked Athaliah reigned supreme, and the situation seemed to suggest that even though Joash was safe, evil had triumphed. But God was working silently and secretly behind the scenes “in the house of God” 2Chr.22.12, preparing a young man for His purpose. It ought to be so today; there should be a marked contrast between what pertains ‘in the land’ and ‘in the house of God’.
The Timing
During his six years in the Temple, like Samuel with Eli the priest, the boy lived under the moral and spiritual guidance and influence of the Godly Jehoiada. It seems that those six years were years of anticipation for Jehoiada, for in the seventh year of the reign of Athaliah he decided to act when he “strengthened himself” 2Chr.23.1. While Jehoiada was looking after the safety of the child Joash, he had a longer-term purpose in mind; he was looking to the day when a king from the line of David would sit on the throne. But for that to happen Jehoiada must await the right moment. We are not told how Jehoiada determined the right time; perhaps it was that he would give the child enough time to reach the stage when he could be advised by senior officials of the royal court. He might also have wanted to give Athaliah’s reign long enough to turn the people against her and be ready to accept the young king. Whatever his thinking, it is significant that he waited until Joash was seven years old; seven is the number associated with completeness. That the waiting period had expired and was complete is evidenced by the ready acceptance of the young king by the leaders and the people when the plan to crown him was presented by Jehoiada. A priestly man who was in touch with God and working to advance God’s purpose for the blessing of God’s people was guided in the timing of his plan. Such a man could only have a good influence upon the young Joash, and that influence was seen in the life of the king of Judah while Jehoiada lived.
INCUMBENCY
There is nothing to suggest that when Athaliah reached the seventh year of her reign she felt in any way insecure, and as Jehoiada’s plan for the throne matured she knew nothing at all of it. From the moment Jehoiada summoned the courage to commence his plan, only a short time elapsed until there was a new king upon the throne. This new incumbent would be there legally and in accordance with Divine purpose. His reign would bring a period of peace and prosperity to the kingdom after the turbulent years of Athaliah’s misrule. The story of how that new young king came to the throne and his installation on it is both dramatic and thrilling in equal measure.
The Covenant between Jehoiada and the Leaders – 2Chr.23.1,2
Jehoiada’s first action was to ensure he had the confidence of five captains of the army, and then to enlist their help to implement his plan. It would be a mistake to regard verse 1 as nothing more than a prosaic list of names, for they provide valuable lessons for the thoughtful reader. As was common in Old Testament days, each of these men had a reference to God in his name. However, it appears that the meaning of these names identified their character and marked these men out as suitable for the task Jehoiada was going to give them. There were two with the name Azariah, which means ‘strengthened by Jehovah’ and they can be distinguished by adding the name of their fathers. One was the son of Jeroham, which means ‘he shall find mercy’; the other was the son of Obed, which means ‘serving’. With them was Ishmael, which means ‘God will hear’; Maaseiah, which means ‘a work of Jehovah’; and Elishaphat, which means ‘my God is judge’. Men with an experimental knowledge of God that moulded their character would evince confidence and be worthy of the trust placed in them. No doubt Jehoiada assessed the character of each of the five, while paying regard to the principle that would later be taught by the apostle Paul to “lay hands suddenly on no man” 1Tim.5.22.
These five men travelled secretly throughout the towns and villages of Judah and summoned the Levites and civic leaders to come to Jerusalem. Undertaking this mission placed these men at grave risk, for Athaliah and her men must not know about Jehoiada’s plan. Danger holds no real threat for men dedicated to a task that will bring glory to God and help to His people. Indeed, risk of personal hurt tests the character in a way that nothing else will, for we all have a very active sense of self-preservation.
The Covenant between the Leaders and the King – 2Chr.23.3
When the Levites and leaders of the people met with Jehoiada and the five captains in the Temple, they were given details of the plan to install Joash, to which they agreed and made a covenant with the young king. If Jehoiada’s plan was going to succeed he needed to have the confidence and agreement of the spiritual and tribal leaders: the Levites and “chief of the fathers” v.2. The five military captains had earlier made a solemn pact with Jehoiada, and now these leaders in the kingdom made a solemn pact with the king himself. Jehoiada is wisely developing his plan in stages and building a solid foundation of trust with those involved at each stage.
The covenant between the leaders and the young king recognised a number of important elements that demonstrate Jehoiada’s thinking. He announced:
A Presentation of the King
“Behold, the king’s son …”: this statement would establish Joash’s right to take the throne; Joash had royal blood, being a natural descendant of the Davidic line. By ignoring the current incumbent, Queen Athaliah, it implied she was not lawfully on the throne. Joash’s link to royalty was through his father, Ahaziah.
A Programme for the King
“The king’s son shall reign”: Jehoiada was saying that the time had come for Joash to reign. The child who had been in hiding for six years was now being revealed because Jehoiada was convinced the time was right. Jehoiada realised the importance of timing, and as a priestly man he was concerned with the Lord’s timing. Many a good plan fails because it is out of step with the Lord’s timing.
A Promise for the King
“As the Lord hath said of the sons of David”: what was being proposed by Jehoiada was according to the mind of the Lord as stated in earlier promises to David, Ps.89.3,4.
The Coronation of the King – 2Chr.23.4-11
To ensure the safety of the young king at his coronation, Jehoiada arranged with commanders of the royal bodyguard to have sufficient manpower in place at the Temple. As a temporary measure, the military commanders took charge of the Levites and porters who arrived for duty at the Temple on the sabbath, and did not stand down the company of Levites and porters who were finishing their seven-day duty. The Levites were to surround the king, each man with his weapon at the ready and “be with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out” v.7. Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and shields that had at one time belonged to David and were stored in the Temple, so that every man had a serviceable weapon, 2Chr.23.9,10. The Levites had a grave responsibility in accompanying the king, but what a privilege to accompany him wherever he went. Having retained enough manpower and requisitioned armaments he then stationed these armed guards on the inside perimeter of the Temple and around the altar. No doubt Jehoiada knew the propensity to violence that marked Athaliah, and he was going to ensure the safety of the king. With these resources securely in place, there are critical arrangements to notice in Jehoiada’s planning. For the coronation to succeed, Jehoiada ensured that all the following fell into place: the sanctuary, the sabbath, a crown, the testimony, and anointing oil. When these converged on that great day, rightful rule was established and the people acquiesced by acclaiming, “God save the king” 2Chr.23.11.
The Sanctuary
Jehoiada is going to ensure that the covenant and coronation are carried out in connection with “the house of God” 2Chr.23.2,3. God’s house is holy, and its sanctifying influence had been the daily atmosphere of Joash’s six-year concealment. The influences he had known in private are now openly and publicly associated with his coronation. Had Jehoiada’s plan been contrary to the mind of God, the last place he would want to be was the sanctuary that spoke of holiness.
The earlier coronation of Solomon, in the atmosphere of rivalry by Adonijah, was connected to the house of God, 1Kgs.1.39, and here, the later coronation of Joash in the atmosphere of a rival monarch, Athaliah, was also connected to the house of God. In every dispensation the house of God is linked to the outworking of Divine purpose upon earth.
The Sabbath
After six years of the turmoil of Athaliah’s despotic rule and reign of terror, the new king will be crowned on the sabbath, and that will introduce a period of sabbath-like rest for the nation. Jehoiada may also have had a very pragmatic reason for revealing the young king on the sabbath. On a sabbath day in the Temple there would have been a large number of worshippers, making the circumstances very suitable for the task in hand, since there would be nothing unusual to arouse the suspicions of Athaliah and her minions. In addition, Jehoiada needed a strong contingent of trusted men to provide security for the event, and he had an available force of Levites and attendants in the Temple. Jehoiada used them wisely by retaining the course of priests and Levites that would normally have terminated their seven-day tour of duty on the sabbath. The Levites and porters who were due to return home, when combined with the fresh contingent starting their seven-day stint in the Temple, doubled the manpower available. All these were available to provide protection for the new king. Jehoiada displays the wisdom and strategic thinking necessary for the work of God as he prepares for possible contingencies; spirituality is not enhanced by carelessness or lack of preparation.
A Crown
The central insignia of royalty is the crown, and that was provided for the young king. In the large crowd that thronged the Temple in Jerusalem there was one rightful king: the one of God’s choice, and he was easily identified by the crown he was wearing. The usurper, “that wicked woman” Athaliah, was about to be dethroned by the young boy in the Temple who was wearing a crown, and in a day to come a greater King will emerge from the heavenly sanctuary with “many crowns” upon His head, to deal with the armies of the usurper. He will be the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Rev.19.11-16.
The Testimony
As well as the crown placed upon Joash’s head he was presented with “the testimony”, a copy of God’s Law, as directed by Deut.17.18-20. Moses directed that when a king came to the throne, he would write a copy of the Law for himself, to which he would refer throughout his reign. That was done so that he “may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them” Deut.17.19. The Law of God was to be the standard by which he ruled in the fear of the Lord. It would be recorded of a king that he did that which was right in the Lord’s eyes when his decisions and actions were governed by God’s Word. It is likely that Joash, being a boy of seven, was not old enough to write out his own copy as Moses directed, hence it was given to him during the coronation ceremony.
Anointing Oil
The next act of the ceremony was when Jehoiada and his sons anointed Joash with oil. Oil has a universal appeal throughout the Scriptures as emblematic of the Holy Spirit, and is particularly a picture of consecration by the Holy Spirit for a God-given role. Jehoiada and his sons had been anointed with oil upon taking up the priesthood and would know the importance and significance of consecration. If Joash was to rule according to the Law that was put into his hand, it would be by the help of the Spirit of God and to the extent that he was obedient to its precepts. In the future, a greater Son of David will ascend the throne and establish righteous and equitable rule throughout the world. When first manifested to the world He was identified by the Spirit of God descending upon Him like a dove, Matt.3.16, and at various stages of His earthly sojourn He showed Himself to be closely allied to the Spirit of God, Lk.4.18.
Acclamation
As soon as Joash received the crown and the testimony, and was anointed with the holy anointing oil, Jehoiada and his sons acclaimed, “God save the king” 2Chr.23.11, or “Long live the king” J.N.D. It was God Who had made him king, and it would be God alone Who would preserve him as king. There was loud jubilation as “they clapped” 2Kgs.11.12; no doubt this signalled their rejoicing at the end of the evil Athaliah’s reign and that the Davidic line had been preserved. When God’s will is done the people of God rejoice. There likely had been little, if any rejoicing during the previous six years, and by proclaiming, “Long live the king” they expressed their desire that Joash would have a long and prosperous reign.
The Consternation of Athaliah – 2Chr.23.12-15
The jubilation and clapping spread from the immediate coronation party, and very soon the Temple precincts were ablaze with excitement as the crowd was “running and praising the king”. Athaliah had never received such adulation and was immediately alerted by the joyful sound. The devil is never pleased when the people of God are joyful! She hurried to the Temple and was aghast at the sight of the newly crowned king standing in the place of authority at the pillar in the house of God. Athaliah “looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of music, and such as taught to sing praise.” When Athaliah saw the young king standing at his pillar in the Temple with a crown upon his head and a scroll of the Law in his hand, she realised that her rule had come to an abrupt end. In despair she tore her royal robes and cried, “Treason, treason”. There was no one to respond to her cries, not a soldier of any rank to stand by her in her crisis and help defuse the situation she branded as a conspiracy. She had earlier conspired to steal the throne by intending to murder the whole royal blood line, and now she had been outwitted. The denouement was that she was to be taken outside the Temple to the horse gate of the palace by the commanders under Jehoiada’s instructions, and slain. The only queen who reigned alone in the Old Testament, and the last surviving member of the evil house of Omri, a wicked woman who had shed much blood was slain. The coronation was now complete with the safety of the young king and the sanctity of the Temple secured.
The Covenant between Jehoiada, the King, and the People – 2Chr.23.16,17
This is now the final covenant that Jehoiada introduces: previously between himself and the five army commanders, 2Chr.23.1; then between the leaders and Levites and the young king in waiting, 2Chr.23.3; now between himself, the newly crowned king, and the people. The first covenant was a solemn pact to honour their word to Jehoiada as soldiers, the second covenant was to honour their word to Joash as subjects to the king and the third covenant was to honour their word as subjects to the Lord. Entering into a covenant “that they should be the Lord’s people” was a straightforward, yet very solemn pact that the God of heaven alone would have first place in their lives. As we shall see in the verses that follow, this covenant had an immediate and far-reaching effect upon national life in Judah. A dramatic change is only to be expected when the Lord is given first place in life. If the obligations of each of the three covenants were fulfilled, the reign of the new king would be successful, otherwise Joash’s reign would be little better than Athaliah’s. Their pact to be “the Lord’s people” was the pinnacle of commitment, the highest ideal they could strive towards and meet. As in every dispensation, when we honour our obligations to fellow-servants in the kingdom, to the King Himself, and to be the Lord’s alone, we will be different to the world around us and well-pleasing to God.
The Cleansing of the Land from Idols – 2Chr.23.17,19
Having crowned Joash king, the first action was to demolish the temple of Baal, tear down its altars and smash its idols. The cleansing from idolatry was more than taking revenge for what the wicked Athaliah had permitted in the kingdom; it was done “as it is written in the law of Moses” v.18. If there had been any other motive for Jehoiada’s removal of Baal worship it would have become nothing more than a distraction, but it was centred upon pleasing God.
Having covenanted themselves to be “the Lord’s people”, the new regime could have no fellowship with darkness. From the time of Israel’s wilderness journey out of Egypt the influence of Baal worship had been the bane of the nation; sometimes it was in outright opposition to the Lord, and at other times it was with more subtle co-existence alongside the worship of God. Jehoiada recognised that there could be no accommodation of Baal worship. Baal was a false god who was regarded by the pagan Canaanites as the controller of the weather (principally sun and storms) and whose worship was mixed with every kind of sexual promiscuity imaginable. The Canaanites denied that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the world; these were attributed to Baal. An echo of that is seen today in the increasing clamour being fuelled by bodies like the United Nations to correct the planet’s ‘climate change’. Its most ardent proponents are atheists who deny the Bible’s account of creation and feel that man himself must ‘save the planet’. The God of the Bible created the universe and will sustain it until His programme says otherwise. Nothing needs to be said about the twenty-first century and increasing sexual promiscuity.
A Christian should have no part in garnering support for these adjuncts of Baalism. We need to return to the uncompromising spirit of Elijah, seen in his confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1Kings chapter 18. The symbol of Baal worship was the bull. Right now, we face a resurgence of the influence of idolatrous worship in the United Kingdom. At the Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, in August 2022, an undeniably idolatrous ritual took place: the centrepiece of the opening ceremony was a ten-metre-tall mechanical bull, complete with staring red eyes and smoking nostrils, that moved around the arena to accompanying hard rock music. Along with the bull was a terrifyingly grotesque figurine pulled by black-clad actors. Troupes of dancers bowed in worship to the bull.
The Consolidation of Temple Worship – 2Chr.23.18,19
After the covenants had been solemnly agreed and entered into, and the land cleansed of Baalish influence, Jehoiada installed the priests and Levites in the Temple. That he had to set these in order suggests their service had fallen into disarray during the rule of Athaliah. There may well have been many matters of state which called for Jehoiada’s attention, but the Temple was his priority; the house of God must come first. As Jehoiada set about establishing the Temple worship, he did so by following the directions for the Temple priests and Levites that were given by David, 1Chronicles chapters 23 and 24. As with every spiritual revival, there was a return to former ways that God had blessed and honoured. He commanded that burnt offerings were offered “as it is written in the law of Moses”; not only was he going back to former practices, but to ones that were according to God’s Law. And since they were in God’s Law they were to be regarded as commands. There is no merit in going back to former ways if those ways do not find their source in the Word of God. He commanded that the burnt offerings be offered “with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David”. Worshipful people are also praising people. The last thing in the consolidation of Temple worship was to station gatekeepers at the gates of “the house of the Lord, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in”. Worshipping people should also be pure people, and Jehoiada realised that anything being built for God would soon become the target of attack by the enemy. The dark influences that had infiltrated the nation’s spiritual life before would very soon appear again unless he took steps to prevent them. The simple solution was men posted at the gate with the singular responsibility to keep anything defiling from entering. Their task was not very complicated, but it was immensely vital; Jehoiada was going to ensure that the idolatry he had driven out of the land would not be allowed back into the Temple. It was against the same danger that Paul warned the elders from the church at Ephesus to guard the flock against “grievous wolves” Acts 20.29. The responsibility placed upon men with this task in our day is onerous and they should be supported by our diligent prayers. It is only a matter of time before some of the activists for present-day Baal-type worship try to infiltrate assembly life; it is hoped there will be diligent gatekeepers stationed at the gates to keep them out. There is a massive drive in evangelical circles today to accommodate those with this demonically motivated lifestyle; there should be zero accommodation for them in a true house of God.
The Concord in the Nation – 2Chr.23.20-24.3
Jehoiada’s reforms of the nation had moved quickly and smoothly, with the covenants ratified, the coronation completed, the Temple and the land cleansed, and the consolidation of worship. With these all set in place, Jehoiada, with his commanders and national leaders, escorted the newly crowned king from the Temple to the royal palace and seated him upon the throne of the kingdom. Joash was back to the palace where life for him commenced, but this time under very different circumstances; there was now no threat upon his life as had been when he was an infant of twelve months. The first stage of Jehoiada’s plan was complete and “all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet”, because Athaliah had been slain, 23.21.
The youngest ever king’s reign began when he was seven years old, and as long as he had the counsel of Jehoiada he “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” 24.2. The influence of the Temple until the age of seven had given Joash a good start in life and the continuing influence of Jehoiada gave direction and stability to his reign. Yet, there is a sadness about the fact that he pleased the Lord only as long as he was under the influence of Jehoiada.
The Collection for the Temple – 2Chr.24.4-12
Joash was the first king to repair the Temple structure, and he set about rectifying the neglect caused by Athaliah. Athaliah and her sons had dismantled part of the structure of the Temple and dedicated the Temple treasures to their pagan god Baal, v.7. King Joash directed the priests and Levites to go immediately throughout Judah and collect the annual offerings for the repair of the Temple, v.5.
For some reason they did not act immediately and Jehoiada was called before the king to account for the delay, v.6. We are not told why the funds had not been collected, but whatever the reason the situation was corrected. Joash had a knowledge of the Law of Moses and he reminded Jehoiada that the money to be collected had been levied by Moses back in the days of the Tabernacle. To this day it is the same: one of the first signs of lost spiritual fervour is when saints are reluctant to give to the Lord’s work, and that becomes an undue preoccupation for assembly leaders. By the same token, a work of revival or reformation that does not create financial adjustments is either not a genuine spiritual revival or is only partial. A true work of God in the hearts of His people is evidenced by grace that motivates the whole person, including the possessions he holds dearest to himself.
When the situation was remedied, Joash ordered that a chest be made, with a hole bored in the lid, 2Kgs.12.9, and set outside the gate leading to the house of the Lord. A royal proclamation went throughout Jerusalem and Judah to bring their collection to the Lord. It is most interesting that Scripture emphasises that they were to bring the money “to the Lord” 2Chr.24.9, at the “house of the Lord” v.8. The money was not for Jehoiada and the priests; it was not even for the king; it was to be given to the Lord. The people responded, and as soon as the chest was filled the Levites (plural) brought it to the king’s scribe and an officer of the high priest emptied the chest and took it back to the Temple. The transport of the chest and the counting of the funds were done by a number of men so that everything was transparent and recorded. The same principles were adopted by the apostle Paul when he arranged the contributions from the saints in Macedonia, 2Cor.8.18-22.
The Construction at the Temple – 2Chr.24.13-16
With the finances in order and the resources made available to the workmen, the renovation of the Temple made steady progress, v.13. The workmanship was of the highest order, as it should be in anything done for the Lord, for the work was “perfected”, meaning the Temple was restored according to its original design. It is important that they maintained the original design of the Temple; they did not take liberties to modernise or change the pattern of the house of God. We should take note of the spiritual lesson when seeking to restore things in assembly life; if we change the original pattern of the house of God, however pragmatic or practical the innovations we introduce, we have failed.
The vessels and various articles for Temple worship were made and burnt offerings were sacrificed continually throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada. This remarkable man, who had such a profound and long-lasting influence on king Joash, lived a very full life and died when he was one hundred and thirty years old. Such was the esteem in which he was held that he was buried in the royal cemetery, a distinction that no other high priest was granted.
INDECORUM
It is sad to read of unbecoming behaviour towards the end of Joash’s forty years on the throne; what an inglorious end to such a noble reign! One would have thought that his experience in the earlier years of his own life and reign would have been sufficient to show Joash the danger of spiritual declension. Scripture leaves us in no doubt as to what triggered the lapse: the passing of Jehoiada, who had kept Joash faithful in the ways of God left a void that was soon exploited by Satan. Why was that? There may have been one or two reasons that contributed to Joash’s spiritual fall: first, the close influence of Jehoiada was such that Joash’s walk with God was based upon second-hand trust; and/or Jehoiada’s influence was so strong that it left little room for Joash’s trust in God to develop in its own right. These two reasons might well have worked together in the experience of Joash to create a weakness that was evident only when Jehoiada was no longer there to advise him. Younger believers need to be careful not to depend entirely upon the spiritual walk of another, but should develop their own personal walk with God. In a similar way, older believers should not dominate decisions in the life of a younger believer to the extent that the younger believer does not have a mind of his or her own. Children reared in a Christian home face this danger in a very real way when the time comes round to leave home and head off to further education or employment. The advice of older believers and its acceptance by younger believers should be important, but not vital; they should learn to form their own convictions.
Advised by the Leaders – 2Chr.24.17
There is a very subtle tone to the actions of the leaders of Judah in this verse; you can almost hear the hiss of the serpent in the words “made obeisance to the king”. The leaders, likely knowing that while Jehoiada lived there was no possibility Joash would succumb to their flatteries, were not slow in advancing their proposal when Jehoiada was gone. They bowed before the king with the utmost respect and persuaded him to listen to their advice. Joash’s second-hand faith with Jehoiada left him susceptible to this approach; for years he had ruled by taking advice from Jehoiada. The devil knew it would have been a default response by Joash to accept the advice of men in a position of influence, and so he wasted no time in presenting the suggestion to abandon the Temple of God and worship idols instead.
Abandoning the Lord – 2Chr.24.18
Sadly, Joash fell for the poison that was hidden within the counsel of the palace advisors; he who had been preserved by the Temple in early life “left the house of the Lord God”. Not only did they abandon the Temple but they turned to worship groves (Asherah poles) and idols instead. The God Who had preserved him as a child and guided him as a king was quickly supplanted and substituted by false gods and idolatry. The cost for Joash and Judah was immense: “wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass”. Surely Joash would have learned through the death of Athaliah that “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” Gal.6.7: evidently not!
Accosted by the Prophets – 2Chr.24.19,20
The response by heaven was clear: Divine anger is real, but even though “wrath came upon” them, God gave them an opportunity to repent. God sent prophets (plural) “to bring them again unto the Lord”, but to no avail. Either more than one prophet was sent with the same message, at the same time, so that God’s message to Joash and the people was established in “the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses” Deut.19.15; or individual prophets were sent on a number of occasions, so that God spoke “once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” Job 33.14. Joash and the people were without excuse, for God had warned them and given time to repent. When the prophets could not persuade Joash to change his ways, “the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest” to challenge their sin. Notice that the prophets, and then Zechariah, spoke on behalf of God to all the people, showing that Joash’s agreement to abandon the Lord brought the whole nation down. How solemn! The enemy was able to affect the heart of one man and spoil a nation.
Assassination of the Prophet – 2Chr.24.21,22
Even though the warnings were clear and serious the people would not listen, but their infamy was not just to ignore the Lord’s voice, it was to kill the Lord’s prophet! One would have thought that Zechariah, the son of the priest who had a long-standing partnership with Joash, would have caused him to resile, but not even the memory of Jehoiada’s lifelong help moved Joash. What a way to requite the man who, humanly speaking, had made Joash the king he was, and indeed, to whom he owed his very life as an infant! This is a reminder that there are no depths to which even a good man will not sink when he sets himself against God. It is almost breathtaking to read that “they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord”. Every element of their wrongdoing should shock a sensitive soul as they escalate in seriousness: “they stoned him” – “at the commandment of” Joash – “in the court of the house of the Lord”.
Zechariah’s message had been plain: they cannot transgress the commandments of the Lord and prosper, and because they have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken them. Those principles hold good in our day: sin causes spiritual poverty; by forsaking the Lord we lose His presence among us. Zechariah’s dying words were poignant: “The Lord look upon it, and require it.” Sin of such a nature and scale can only be left for the Lord’s judgment, and as Zechariah breathed his last he “committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously” 1Pet.2.23.
INVASION
Enemies Without – 2Chr.24.23,24
Joash’s last deed aroused the indignation and revulsion of the people, when under the influence of bad advisors, he went so far as to kill his own cousin, the son of his greatest benefactor. He was to discover that the wheels of God grind slowly but surely, for the Lord did “look upon it, and require it” at the end of that year, when “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.” It required only a small army of Syrians to execute the Lord’s judgment when He delivered Judah into their hand. Had the Lord not forsaken Judah a large army of Syrians could never have touched them.
Avengers Within – 2Chr.24.25,26
With the leaders of Judah slain or taken captive and the Syrians departed, Joash was left alone and severely wounded. Here was a weak and vulnerable man whose sin had brought him to such a state, and in that weakness his officials turned on him for murdering Zechariah the son of Jehoiada. They assassinated him as he lay on his bed, helpless and deserted. Does sin pay? Let Joash supply the answer!
The final end for Joash was to be buried in the city of David; that was his by right as a son of David, but he was not afforded a burial in the cemetery of the kings. His failure was too great to be ignored. Not only did he forfeit a burying place in the cemetery of the kings, but he is one of three kings of the house of David who were not given a place in the genealogy of the Lord Jesus. Was the place of a failed king of Judah given to a faithful Gentile woman? Only eternity will reveal if that is what was in the mind of the Holy Spirit when Matthew and Luke recorded the genealogy of Christ.
CONCLUSION
The lesson for nations today that abandon God’s laws and go after strange gods is salutary. They should not be surprised; indeed, it is inevitable that things will go wrong in national life and that recurrent crises should loom up to disturb their peace. And what is true in national life is just as true for individuals. When a person refuses the truth of the Word of God, or having once known it departs from it, God will bring distress upon distress, misfortune after misfortune upon them. It is an inviolable and constant law that those who flout the Holy Scriptures will surely pay dearly for their folly.