2 CHRONICLES LESSON 24
We will begin this lesson in II Chronicles 24:1 "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 Beer-sheba."
We mentioned, in the previous lesson, that Joash lived in the
temple with Jehoiada, the high priest. He was undoubtedly trained by
him, as well. This is the first mention of his mother. He reigned for
forty years. The interesting thing to me in all of this, is as long as
the high priest was alive, he ruled in righteousness. When Jehoiada
died, he returned to the evil ways of his grandmother.
II Chronicles 24:2 "And Joash did [that which was] right in the
sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest."
Perhaps, his early reign as king was more as a puppet king, and
Jehoiada was actually ruling through the young king.
II Chronicles 24:3 "And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he
begat sons and daughters."
Even in the choosing of Joash's wives, Jehoiada acted as a father
toward him. It was the custom for the father to choose the bride for
his son. Jehoiada would want to be careful in choosing wives for
Joash, to be sure not to get someone like Athaliah. This does not mean
that he married early in his reign. It means that when he got old
enough, he married. It appears, that Jehoida lived several years over
twenty of the reign of Joash.
II Chronicles 24:4 "And it came to pass after this, [that] Joash
was minded to repair the house of the LORD."
The temple had run down tremendously during the reign of
Athaliah. Jehoiada, probably, brought the needs to the attention of
Joash.
II Chronicles 24:5 "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."
This order of Joash for the priests and Levites to go and gather
funds to repair the temple, seemed to not be heeded immediately. They
put it off to a more convenient time.
II Chronicles 24:6 "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?"
Even though Jehoiada was a great influence in the life of king
Joash, he still was required to do whatever the king commanded him to
do. Joash seemed to be a bit disturbed, because of the slackness of
carrying out his order. Joash wanted to get started immediately
improving the condition of the temple and its contents. He could not
understand why Jehoiada would delay.
II Chronicles 24:7 "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."
Now, we see why the temple was in such a run-down condition.
Athaliah had been so evil, that she had taken the holy things of the
temple, and put them in the temple they had built for Baal.
II Chronicles 24:8 "And at the king's commandment they made a
chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the LORD."
This chest was a place to put the offerings of the people, as
they brought them to the temple to help with the repair. The king was
determined this work would go on.
II Chronicles 24:9 "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."
This call for money to repair the temple went out to all of the
cities, and not just to Jerusalem. The chest would be across from the
brasen altar. Everyone was to bring half a shekel of silver, whether
they were rich or poor. If everyone brought a minimum of this amount,
they would have all they needed. They could bring more, if they
desired, but not less.
II Chronicles 24:10 "And all the princes and all the people
rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made
an end."
This meant that everyone was happy about helping with the repair
of the temple. They all gave their fair share.
II Chronicles 24:11 "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."
Every time the chest was full, they brought the money to the king
to care for it. It was filled at least once a day, and much money came
in for the work. The high priest and the scribe were in charge of it
in the temple. They, also, were responsible for carrying it to the
king for safe keeping.
II Chronicles 24:12 "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."
This particular offering was not for the priests. This money was
spent entirely on the materials, and the manpower to repair the temple
and bring it back to its greatness. They hired brick masons,
carpenters, engravers, iron workers, and those who worked with metals
such as brass. This was a big undertaking, and would cost a lot of
money.
II Chronicles 24:13 "So the workmen wrought, and the work was
perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and
strengthened it." II Chronicles 24:14 "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."
They finished the structure first, and then used the money that
was left to buy the utensils and things of service needed in the
temple. It seemed, as long as Jehoiada was alive, the temple worship
went along the way it had been intended. Jehoiada, the high priest,
had great influence over the spiritual activities of the nation of
Judah.
II Chronicles 24:15 "But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of
days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old [was he] when he
died."
Many a modern church has similar problems to this. Sometimes, the
leader that founded a church is very strong, and keeps the church and
its people in right standing with God. Sometimes, when the founder
dies, it falls into unclean hands, and the whole congregation goes
bad. Jehoiada lived a very long life, and died at 130 years of age.
II Chronicles 24:16 "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."
Jehoiada had been a very good high priest. He had actually led
the nation of Judah back to God, through the young king he had raised.
He had done much for Judah, and was buried honorably.
II Chronicles 24:17 "Now after the death of Jehoiada came the
princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king
hearkened unto them."
Joash is somewhere around 30 years of age at this time. He had
depended heavily on Jehoiada for the decisions he had made. At the
death of Jehoiada, he was, possibly, a little unsure of himself. He
listened to the princes, instead of checking with God.
II Chronicles 24:18 "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."
Joash let them persuade him to let them worship in the groves,
and worship idols. Not all of the people left the LORD and His temple.
Perhaps, not even the king, but he was responsible for those that did
follow false gods, because he allowed it. God is a jealous God. He
would not allow the worship of false gods. The wrath of God is toward
these evil people of Judah and Jerusalem.
II Chronicles 24:19 "Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them
again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would
not give ear." II Chronicles 24:20 "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."
God tried to warn them through Zechariah. He was priest, because
he was the son of Jehoiada. The words that he spoke to them were not
his own, but the Words the Spirit of the LORD had given him for them.
There has always been a Zechariah, who will endanger his own life to
bring the message of truth to the people. He was trying to cause them
to repent, and return to the LORD. Many a servant of God, like
Zechariah here, has paid with his life to bring the truth. They stoned
Stephen to death for the very same thing.
II Chronicles 24:21 "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."
In this particular case, it is even worse, because Joash, the
king, ordered the stoning. He had forgotten Jehoiada saved his life,
from such a fate. Worse than that, he had forgotten what Jehoiada had
taught him about the LORD. The king had turned his back on God.
II Chronicles 24:22 "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 bad enough to kill any priest, but it was even more
terrible to do this to the son of Jehoiada, who had cared for him and
saved his life. The LORD was seeing all of this, and would require
this life at the hand of Joash.
II Chronicles 24:23 "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."
The punishment was not long in coming. The king of Syria, Hazael,
came against them, and defeated them in a great battle. They took the
great wealth they had accumulated, and killed the princes, as well.
II Chronicles 24:24 "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."
God's wrath was against Joash and his men, so a very small army
from Syria were able to defeat them. They had forsaken God, and He
forsook them.
II Chronicles 24:25 "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."
The Syrians did not bother to take Joash home with them. He was
seriously ill in his own bed, and they just left him. We do not know
what illness he had, or whether it began in the battle, or not. We do
know he was seriously ill. The very people, who had helped make him
king, now killed him, because of what he did to Jehoiada's son. He did
not have an honorable place of burial. He was buried in Jerusalem, but
not with David and those of honor.
II Chronicles 24:26 "And these are they that conspired against
him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of
Shimrith a Moabitess."
It is not important, really, who actually killed Joash. God
killed Joash for his sins.
II Chronicles 24:27 "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."
Some very good things could be said of Joash. He truly did great
things for God. He chose his friends among those who were not of God,
and that was his downfall. The repairing of the temple is written
about in the book of Kings in the Bible. Amaziah was, possibly, his
only son left. He would reign in his father's stead.
2 Chronicles 24 Questions
1. Verse 1 said, Joash was _________, when he began to reign.
2. He reigned __________ years in Jerusalem.
3. Where had Joash lived, until he became king?
4. How long did Joash rule in righteousness?
5. How many wives did Jehoiada take for him?
6. Jehoiada acted as a _________ to Joash.
7. What did Joash tell the priests to do, that they did not do
immediately?
8. Who did Joash call to talk to about this?
9. Who is the wicked woman in verse 7?
10. What had she done with the dedicated things?
11. Where did the king put the chest to take the offerings?
12. What did he want to gather the money for?
13. Where was this offering to come from?
14. How much was each person to bring?
15. How did the people feel about taking up this offering?
16. Who brought the chest to the king?
17. Who came to empty the chest?
18. How often did they have to empty the chest?
19. What did they use the money for?
20. What did they make with the gold and silver?
21. How old was Jehoiada, when he died?
22. Who did Joash start believing, after the death of Jehoiada?
23. What did they cause Joash to do?
24. He sent ____________ to them to bring them back to Him.
25. Which particular prophet brought them a message from God?
26. What was the message?
27. What did the people do to the prophet?
28. What was the last thing the prophet said?
29. What country did God send against Jerusalem?
30. What happened to Joash?
31. Where else was this recorded?
Home