And The King Listened To Them

And The King Listened To Them

Joash (Jehoash) was seven years old when he became king. He was nearly killed in the slaughter of the royal heirs of the house of Judah by Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah. Jehoshabeath (Jehosheba) the daughter of Ahaziah rescued Joash hiding him in the bedroom of his nurse. For six years he lived in the house of God while Athaliah reigned over the land (2 Chronicles 22:10-12; 2 Kings 11). Through the courage of Jehoiada, the high priest (and his uncle), Athaliah was killed and Joash was crowned king.

The reign of the boy king would last forty years. He is remembered as one of the good kings of Judah. “Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (2 Chronicles 24:2). He repaired the Temple of God restoring it to “its original condition and reinforced it” (2 Chronicles 24:13). This golden time of Judah was filled with the burnt offerings presented in the house of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

The story of Joash takes a tragic turn when Jehoiada dies at the age of 130 years. Following his death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. Their actions seem to show their lack of honor and respect to Jehoiada the priest. Immediately following the death of Jehoiada Joash decides to following the advice of his leaders in contrast to all Jehoiada had stood for and established throughout the land of Judah. “And the king listened to them. 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” (2 Chronicles 24:17-19).

No one can doubt the influence of Jehoiada as long as he lived. The people honored this priest by burying him in the “City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house” (2 Chronicles 24:16). Sadly it seems the tomb was barely sealed when the people decided to abandon all of the good done by Jehoiada and pursue their fleshly desires. The Lord sent many prophets to the king and the people to turn them back to righteousness but they would not listen. Finally the “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.' 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!’" (2 Chronicles 24:20-22).

By the providential hand of God Joash is rescued as a baby from death and hidden for six years. At the age of seven he is made king and under the tutelage of a great man of God is known for the good he does for the kingdom of God. Almost immediately at the death of his mentor, the king lets loose the passions of the people and murders the son (his cousin) of his best teacher and guide. No explanation is given for this severe change of heart save his willingness to listen to the people rejecting the counsel of Jehoiada.

John the apostle wrote in the Revelation how the example of those who die in the Lord live through their lives imprinted upon those who remain. But the key to that influence is following the right counsel of those who show righteousness in their lives. Jehoiada had a profound impact upon Joash but only while he lived. The Lord blessed the king as long as he followed the righteous counsel of his uncle. At first he listened to the counsel of his leaders and followed their advice. But why would he reject the continued counsel of the prophets sent to him by the Lord? When so many righteous people are advising the king to make better choices would he not listen? Would not the volume of righteous notes of exhortation bend the ear of the king to do the right thing? His frustration seemed to increase when Jehoiada’s son also condemned the king for his unrighteous life. Now the boy king resorts to murder. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

There are many children of Joash today. Those who under the careful guide of parents live a life of righteousness and then leave the Lord when that influence dies. Sadly how often at the death of the parents or grandparents the family deteriorates into moral decay as children leave the Lord, their mates and the example of faithfulness left as a legacy by those who stood for truth.

A lesson is found in Joash about whom to receive advice. He listened to the wrong crowd and the nation suffered for it. “If a ruler pays attention to lies, all his servants become wicked” (Proverbs 29:12). Solomon listened to the wrong crowd (2 Chronicles 10:6-19).  The Chronicles tell of the last days of Joash the king with mournful tones of defeat. “For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; but the Lord delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings” (2 Chronicles 24:24-25).

Who will you listen and seek advice? The advice of men will not bring you happiness. Jesus asked the twelve if they would leave him and Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Only the Lord has words of eternal life and not the counsel of men. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful” (Psalms 1:1). History proves with each generation the wisdom of men brings misery and the knowledge of God brings hope. Godliness is profitable for this life (1 Timothy 4:8) because our Creator has given us the words of real truth.