Read: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28; Romans 12:1-21; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 20:8-10
Joash came to the kingdom at the age of seven. His name means “Jehovah has become man”. He was to be a picture of what Jesus would do when he came to earth. He and the priest, Jehoiadah worked hand in hand and restored the temple back to its original design and even stronger. They did it with the generous offerings of the people.
When Jehoiada died, it all went downhill. The people abandoned the temple of the Lord and God and started worshiping the Asherah’s and other idols.
God sent prophets to bring them back to the Lord, but they refused to listen. Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah finally stood before the people and told them that became they had abandoned Him, He had abandoned them. Joash had him stoned to death in the courtyard of the Temple.
God abandoned them which left them open to the enemy and they came in through the Armenean army. They defeated Judah with less men than Judah had. They killed all the leaders of the people, plundered their land and left Joash severely wounded. His own officers conspired against him and finished him off in his bed.
Joash’s son, Amaziah became the king and did what was right, but not with his whole heart. He had his father’s murderers killed but left their sons alive as the law said. He appointed new leaders for the families and drafted more men for his army. He also hired 100,000 warriors from Israel for 100 talents of silver.
After he had done this, God sent a prophet to tell him that these Israelites could not fight with them because they were God’s enemy and God would have to fight against them. The king was upset over the money he had used to pay them and the prophet answered, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”
Amaziah did what was right even though it seemed unwise - he sent the army from Israel home and took the financial loss. The men left dishonored and angry.
He then went to war against the Edomites and won a great victory. The angered Israelites caused havoc on their way home and killed 3,000 people and carried off their goods.
Amaziah fell when he brought back the gods of the Edomites and set them up as his own odds and burned sacrifices to them. God sent him a prophet to ask Amaziah why he would want their gods who couldn’t deliver them. The king had him silenced but not before he told him that God would destroy him for turning to the gods of Edom.
Amaziah set out to prove the prophecy wrong and picked a fight with Israel. Israel tried to warn him but he was blinded by pride. Israel totally defeated him, carried off the ark and much of the temple treasures and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. Amaziah was taken captive and was later killed when he tried to escape.
Paul tells us in Romans to have our mind renewed by the Holy Spirit. Then, we can walk in God’s grace and do what he has made us to do. We have all been given gifts according to the grace given us :prophecy, service, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading and mercy.
We do these with selfless love the kind that lays down it life for another. He gives us great practical advice on how to do this and sums it up with: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” A good reminder in our nation full of hate crimes.
Lord, help us to use the example of these kings to keep walking in righteousness to the very end of our lives. Help us to love with your love.
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