God Honors • 2 Kings 12:4-16
By Emily Beth Crews
At the age of seven, Jehoash became king over Judah and reigned for forty years. We read that Jehoash “did what the Lord approved all his days when Johoiada the priest taught him” (v.2). This verse implies while Johoiada taught Jehoash, he remained in good favor with the Lord (vv.1-3), but after the priest died Jehoash fell away from the ways of the Lord.
We read later in 2 Chronicles 24 a more detailed version of King Jehoash’s life, one wrought with following the advice of other officials in Judah and ultimately rejecting the temple he sought to restore in today’s passage, murdering the son of Johoiada, and being murdered by his own servants because of what he had done to Johoiada’s son.
King Jehoash’s reign began hopefully as he set out to restore the Lord’s temple under the guidance of Johoiada. This priest “had accomplished good in Israel and for God and his temple” (2 Chron. 24:16), but when he died, Jehoash was led away by his advisors and in turn led Judah and Jerusalem into 100
Jehoash kept the high places where idol worship was maintained (v.3), all while he sought to restore the temple of the Lord. Jehoash’s life is a reminder that each of us is capable of deception by the company we keep. We are encouraged in Scripture, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’ (1 Cor. 15:33).”
Today we will concentrate on the years Jehoash maintained favor with the Lord while restoring His temple.
Problem (2 Kings 12:4-8). King Jehoash gave detailed instructions to the priests about how to use the different streams of money received to fund the temple restoration. There were three channels of funds available for the priests to use:
First, each man’s census money (Ex. 30: 14-15). Secondly, each man’s assessment money (Lev. 27:2). Lastly, “the money that a man’s heart prompts him to bring into the house of the Lord” (v.4, ESV).
This last description of money is also referenced in Exodus 35:5 as Moses was speaking to the Israelites, “Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord” (NET). This focus on the heart is also noted in the New Testament, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart” (2 Cor. 9:7).
The precise amount for giving was not determined, but simply that each person should give what their hearts prompted them.
Twenty-three years went by and the temple was still not restored, despite Jehoash’s decree. “In what year Jehoash gave the orders for these repairs, we cannot tell; but the account here plainly intimates that they had been long given, and that nothing was done, merely through the inactivity and negligence of the priests” (Clarke, Enduring Word; emphasis mine).
The king called upon the priests again, questioned their delay, and urged them to no longer take any of the treasure from the temple unless it was for the repairs. “King Jehoash got to the heart of the problem — the building project was plagued by poor administration and financial mismanagement” (Enduring Word).
The priests agreed and “relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs” (v.8).
Solution (2 Kings 12:9-12). The priest Johoiada fashioned a chest and “placed it on the right side of the altar near the entrance of the Lord’s temple” (v.9; emphasis mine). All the silver received would go into this chest and be given directly to “the construction foreman assigned to the Lord’s temple” (v. 11) and for the materials needed.
Interesting to note is the correlation between the placement of the chest and Jesus saying in the New Testament, “But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matt. 6:3-4; emphasis mine).
The people began to give “gladly” toward the temple restoration after this change in leadership (2 Chron. 24:10). Perhaps the people gave gladly once the priests were no longer in charge of the temple restoration because, “Worshipers do not react well when their gifts are misused” (Lifeway).
Action (2 Kings 12:13-16). The laborers were faithful to restore the temple of the Lord (2 Chron. 24:13) and the surplus of giving was returned to the temple to make items needed for burnt sacrifices (2 Chron. 24:14). “Just as the people were dedicated in giving, the laborers were faithful in doing” (Lifeway).
Despite all the dedication given to the temple’s restoration, Jehoash failed to remain personally faithful to the Lord. He led the people of Judah to “abandon the temple of the Lord God… and worship the Asherah poles and idols” (2 Chron. 24:18).
Zechariah, the son of Johoiada, prophesied to the people that they would not be prosperous and would be rejected by the Lord because they had rejected Him. Later, the Syrian army would attack Judah. Even though the Syrians were “relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah’s very large army” because they had abandoned the Lord (2 Chron. 24:24) and Jehoash “got what he deserved.”
May we be found faithful.
Emily Beth Crews currently resides in Montana but was born and raised in Mississippi. She is the daughter of regular contributor, Laura Lee Leathers.
