19 Feb 2014

King Joash (Jehoash)

Posted by joncooper

How He Became King: After Jehoiada overthrew Joash’s grandmother
When He Began Reigning: 7 years old
Reign Length: 40 years
Ruled Over: Judah
Type of King: Started good, but went bad
Prophet: Joel
Death: Murdered by his own servants
Burial: Buried in Jerusalem

In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest staged a coup and had Athaliah overthrown and executed. Joash was then anointed as king over Judah:

2 Kings 11:12: “And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.”

When Joash was crowned king at the tender age of 7, Jehoiada made a covenant with the people that they should serve the Lord. They destroyed the house of Baal and executed Baal’s priests:

2 Kings 11:17: “And Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people; between the king also and the people.
18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.”

Joash served the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. He told the Levites to repair the Temple, and rebuked them when they failed to do so:

2 Chronicles 24:5: “And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.
6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim.”

The king commanded that they make a chest to receive the offerings. When the people brought money into the chest, the money was used to repair the Temple. The repairs were finally completed, and the Temple furnishings were brought in and dedicated:

2 Chronicles 24:12: “And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord.
13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.
14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.”

Jehoiada the priest lived to be 130 years old, and then he died. After his death Joash stopped serving the Lord. He abandoned the Temple and began serving idols. When God sent Jehoiada’s son Zechariah to rebuke the king for forsaking the Lord, the king had him stoned:

2 Chronicles 24:21: “And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.
22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.”

Later, when Hazael king of Syria attacked him, Joash looted the Temple and bribed him to leave:

2 Kings 12:18: “And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.”

After he did this his own servants rose up against him and murdered him. Joash was then buried in Jerusalem:

2 Kings 12:20: “And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.”

His son Amaziah then reigned in his stead.

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