Read 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chron. 24
Joash comes to throne at the young age of seven. He was a good king who honored God. No doubt he was helped by the priests, but he turned his nation back to the Lord. He told the priests to use the money brought to the temple by the people to be given to repair the holes in the temple. They didn’t do it for years so Joash rebuked the priests. They put a box with a lock on it so only they could open it to keep the unrighteous priests from stealing it. They used this to repair the temple. It said that the people rejoiced when they were asked to give. They gave abundantly. That is how it should be.
In Israel, Jehoahaz, Jehu’s son reigned. He was evil and God delivered them into the hands of the Syrians. Jehoahaz finally wised up and sought the Lord for deliverance. God sent them a savior who delivered them from the oppression of the Syrians but they went back under sin when Jehoash began to reign. He was also evil.
Before Joash died, he went to visit Elisha who was sick. Elisha had him do a prophetic act. He told him to shoot an arrow out of the window. This was to be a picture of God’s deliverance over Syria. Then Elisha told Joash to strike the ground with the rest of the arrows. When he only struck it three times, Elisha rebuked him and said that now they would only beat the Syrians three times.
Elisha died and they threw a man into his sepulcher that had died. The man sprang to life to complete Elisha’s double portion blessing. He needed one more man to double Elijah so his prophecy was completed after he died. This is a great concept to consider. Our prayers and the promises of God don’t fall because we died. God will find someone to fulfill every promise spoken to you whether you are living or asleep in the grave.
Lord, may the prayers of all those that have gone before us be answered according to Your perfect will.
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