2 Kings 12.
WHILE Jehoiada lived, Jehoash (or Joash) did what was right in the sight of the Lord, though the old idol high places were not taken away, and the people sacrificed and burned incense there.
Jehoash showed commendable zeal for God in the matter of the repairing of the temple which had suffered a good deal since Solomon’s glorious reign came to an end. But Jehoiada grew old; he lived to be one hundred and thirty (2 Chronicles 24:15), an unusual age in that day as now. Jehoash seems to have been a good follower as long as there was a good leader, and while he had Jehoiada to follow, all was at least outwardly well, but when the faithful old priest was dead, the princes of Judah came, and he followed them in an evil course.
These princes, —captains, or heads of families—left the temple to serve idols, and the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, that he spoke to the people of their evil ways, whereupon they stoned him to death at the command of Jehoash.
These practices, not mentioned in Kings but in Chronicles, were what brought the Syrians as the agents of God’s chastening hand upon Judah, to Gath and to Jerusalem. They had come with a small army, and Jehoash sent “a very great host” against them, but the Lord delivered the large force of Israel into the hands of the small one of Syria, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. The temple was stripped of precious things dedicated to God’s service, in order to satisfy the Syrian army.
Jehoash, with so happy, so auspicious a beginning, ended most miserably. A murderer himself — responsible for the killing of Jehoiada’s son—he was killed by his servants.
Is it not possible that some who may read this little paper have been brought up where Christianity is professed, have called themselves Christians and helped in service for God, perhaps been thought by many to be those genuine, and true sheep of Christ’s, of whom He says in His Word ( John 10:28) “My sheep shall never perish”,— that some of those who read these lines are not true believers at all? Profession does not save; works do not give us merits for entering heaven’s bright glory. The 7th chapter of Matthew contains three very solemn verses we may read with profit:
“Not everyone that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.’” (verses 21-23). No, reader, there is no acceptance with God outside of faith (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 3:22-24; 4:4-8; 5:1).
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.
ML 12/18/1927