The Kings Of Israel And Judah. Day 149, Joash King Of Judah, Part Five

In our last study session King Joash came up with a plan for getting the temple repairs done. He had issued orders about it a number of years earlier but the project never seemed to get off to a good start. It appears that the priests and Levites weren't especially skilled at fund-raising or at handyman projects so the king changed his approach to the problem. He commissioned a collection box to be made and issued a proclamation throughout the land for people to bring offerings to this box for use in repairs to the temple. Then it would be used to hire experienced workers to do the repairs. The people responded generously. All the priests and Levites had to do was empty the box each time it got full and turn the money over to the high priest (Joash's uncle Jehoiada) and to the royal secretary who would count the money and add it to the account set aside for the repairs.

Now there is enough money saved up to purchase the materials and to hire skilled workers to perform the repairs. "When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord---the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple." (2 Kings 12:11-12) The author of 2 Chronicles adds the information that they hired skilled metalworkers too. "They hired masons and carpenters to restore the Lord's temple, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the temple." (2 Chronicles 24:12b)

"The men in charge of the work were diligent, and the repairs progressed under them. They rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it." (2 Chronicles 24:13) "The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests." (2 Kings 12:13-16) The people were generous with their money and it is being handled honestly. Only the money donated toward the repair fund is being used for the repairs and none of it is being wasted. There is a spirit of enthusiasm and unity among all the people involved in this worthy project.

They repair the structure before even thinking about the furnishings, which is as it should be. A firm foundation is the first step; there would be no point in having beautiful furnishings if the structure is crumbling. But because the people brought their offerings in a generous attitude, there is enough money left over to fashion articles for the interior of the temple. "When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the Lord's temple: articles for the service and for the burnt offerings, and also dishes and other objects of gold and silver." (2 Chronicles 24:14a)

King David once said, "How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1) When the Lord's people come together to work on a godly goal in a spirit of unity, big things happen!