II Chronicles Chapter 24
Please read: II Chronicles 24 –
The little boy who was made king at seven years of age served on the throne for forty years. While the godly man and priest Jehoiada was alive King Joash wanted to serve the Lord and he did what was right, but when Jehoiada died it seems like he was easily influenced by worldly influences because the princes were so influenced. The Bible says that he listened to the princes.
This can be true of Christians today also. We can be serving God, loving Him, and striving to be more like Jesus for many years, but when we become stagnant in our growth, we can become vulnerable to the ways of the world. Often we can be easily enticed by the wiles of the devil.
Let's Reflect
1. What great project did King Joash work on while in his younger years as king?
2. The king was so serious about this project that he became upset with Jehoiada for not collecting the needed monies to fund his project. Perhaps the people had been taxed heavily already, and he was not too keen on asking them for more. Or perhaps it was because he was getting up in years and simply moving slower. It was a big project. Is there an answer recorded that Jehoiada gave to the king when asked why he and the Levites had not collected the funds needed?
3. Why was the temple in need of this project?
4. What was the king’s solution to get the people to give to the project?
5. The people actually gave happily. I think they were happy to see that their temple was going to be taken care of. The people gave generously and the project was completed. There was even money left over. What did they do with the extra funds?
6. Verses 18-19 tell of a sad turn of events after Jehoiada the priest had passed away. The princes came to the king and told of a different way of life rather than serving God at the temple. They had been enticed by the world into serving the gods of the ungodly, Asherim and other idols. The Bible tells us that the wrath of God came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their infidelity (worship of other gods). Yet God in His great mercy tried to warn them. How did he try to warn them?
7. They people even went so far as to stone Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada. What had this man done that they wanted him dead?
8. God’s judgement came upon Judah and King Joash in the form of an attack. The princes were killed and Joash was wounded. There is indication that he might have recovered but didn’t because what happened? How old would he have been when he was killed?
