The Kings Of Israel And Judah. Day 150, Joash King Of Judah, Part Six

In yesterday's session we studied the completion of the repairs to the temple. The author of 2 Chronicles picks up today's study by saying, "As long as Jehoiada lived, burnt offerings were presented continually in the temple of the Lord. Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple." (2 Chronicles 24:14b-16)

The high priest Jehoiada, uncle by marriage to King Joash of Judah, lives to be a hundred and thirty years old! This is the longest living person we've seen in the Scriptures in a long time and I believe it was because of the grace of God that he lived so long. The Lord gave him an extra long life because he was a good influence on the king and on the people of the nation. The Lord gave him an extra long life because he had risked his life to protect the child Joash and to declare him king and to overthrow the wicked Athaliah. The Lord gave him an extra long life because he was zealous for the house of the Lord and made certain it was restored to its former glory to help the people not to forsake Him. Jehoiada's long life was a blessing to the people and to his nephew Joash. 

But things begin to take a bad turn after Jehoaida goes to be with the Lord. This underscores the danger of putting too much of our confidence in our fellow human beings. There's nothing wrong with looking to a godly person for advice and encouragement as long as we revere the Lord's advice and encouragement more. We have to allow the Lord to have the last word in all things. It appears Joash depended more on Jehoiada than on the Lord and this has made him too weak to resist the counsel of elders, even when it's bad counsel. It has caused him to be a person who is easily led. After his uncle dies he allows himself to be influenced by other elders who do not honor the Lord. 

"After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them." (2 Chronicles 24:17) I believe Jeoiada consulted the Lord before giving Joash any of the advice he ever gave him. Joash probably got into the habit of automatically doing whatever Jehoiada said because he knew Jehoiada always tried his best to operate within the Lord's will. (This doesn't mean Jehoiada was infallible; Joash still had a duty to check everything with the Lord before moving forward on any decision.) Now these elders and top-ranking officials come to him and begin giving him advice---bad advice---and Joash lacks the skills to know how to tell his elders "no". 

We were told that the temple project finally got underway during his twenty-third year as king, so he was thirty years old in our last study session and is likely several years older than that by now. He is no longer a child and therefore he is responsible for every decision he makes, whether that decision is right or whether it is wrong.

The officials who come to see the king don't revere the Lord like Jehoiada did. "They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to Him, and although they testified against them, they would not listen." (2 Chronicles 24:18-19) 

Joash is responsible for his poor choices. These top officials are responsible for their poor choices too. Not only are they guilty of sinning against the Lord themselves but they are guilty of influencing the people of Judah into idolatry. These leaders are in a position of authority which makes them somewhat responsible for the sins of others. While it's true that the adults of the land who fall into idolatry are guilty of sinning against the Lord, they likely would not have taken this dark path without the influence of the king and the elders. The king and the elders are influencing people by their example and they may even be influencing them in other ways, such as requiring the people to recognize false gods either by enforcing penalties for not acknowledging the false deities or by offering incentives to bow to heathen gods.

Our eyes should always be on the Lord. We should always allow Him to have the last word. It's good to have godly mentors in the faith but we still need to compare their advice with the word of God to make sure it lines up with what the Lord has said. We should still pray to the Lord about all our major decisions and be led by what He says, even if what He says conflicts with what an authority figure in the church has said.