Restoring the Temple

2 Chronicles 24:1–14 KJV 1900

1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters. 4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. 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. 8 And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord. 9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. 11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. 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.

Introduction

Leadership illustration.

Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. 3-5

We start be getting a brief glimpse into Joash’s early life.

We learn that Joash did right in the eyes of the Lord so long as Jehoiada was alive.

Jehoiada was the high priest.

He was Joash’s uncle by marriage.

He was also the closest thing to a father that Joash had ever had.

Jehoiada would live to be 130 years old.

We also discover the means by which Joash got married.

He allowed Jehoiada pick out his two wives.

A couple of things here...

Notice the submission and trust to allow Jehoiada to choose who he would marry.

Marriage is a big deal.

We could point our fingers at our kids and say “you should have let us counsel you on who to marry.”

We should also point our fingers at ourselves and ask “what are you doing or what did you do to gain their trust?”

Joash only married two wives.

God would have still said that was one too many.

But, it was nowhere close to the exploits of men like David or Solomon.

Good kings of the past had been led astray by too many marriages.

Joash began to build his family by welcoming sons and daughters into the palace.

The line of David that had been whittled down to a single strand was now full again.

David’s house may have been reinvigorated, but God’s house was still in disarray.

Joash calls a meeting of all the priests and Levites.

He directs them to gather an offering.

He acknowledges the repairs that are needed to the building(s) of the Temple.

Joash had grown up in the temple.

He was intimately familiar with damage done by his grandmother.

Joash reasonably directs them to make these repairs gradually over the course of years.

However, he wants them to act in haste.

A lot needs to be accomplished, he understands that, but he doesn’t want them wasting time.

Whatever work may be done without haste, Gods cannot be, and a heavy curse falls on him who 'does the work of the Lord negligently? The runner who keeps well on this side of fatigue, panting, and sweat has little chance of the crown.

-Alexander Maclaren

Joash made some miscalculations in this first meeting.

He assumed that the priests and Levites would be as passionate about repairing the Temple as he was.

He assumed that they would care about the damage that had been caused.

He assumed that they would jump at the opportunity to work with the king’s backing to address this problem.

He was wrong.

The Levites did not make haste.

The repairs were not made.

The Temple continued to suffer from the effects of Athaliah’s reign.

Joash speaks with Jehoiada about the lack of progress. 6-9

This is a tricky situation for Joash.

We’ve already talked about the influence and trust that Jehoiada shared with Joash.

Jehoiada is also responsible for overseeing the priests and Levites.

Joash pointedly asks his mentor why he has not fulfilled the king’s request.

The Levites have not brought the tax that Moses instituted for the upkeep of the Tabernacle.

After bringing this matter to their attention and asking them to make the repairs, Joash is frustrated that the Temple is still in disrepair and the instruments required for worship are still lacking.

Now, Joash didn’t just schedule this meeting with Jehoiada to complain.

Joash comes ready with an idea of what to do.

Not what someone else needed to do.

What he would do to facilitate the advancement of worship in Judah.

Joash commissioned the production of a special offering box that would be set up in the temple to collect free will offerings to be used for the repairs.

He also made a proclamation throughout the nation that the people were to pay the half-shekel “tax” that Moses had instituted.

This is a rare thing that Joash demonstrates.

Plenty of people can see when there is a problem.

Some people can identify possible solutions to the problem.

Few people are willing to engage in the process of fixing the problem.

Joash recognizes the problem then he does everything in his power to help fix the problem.

The people respond to the opportunity to give. 10-11

They rejoiced.

We don’t know why exactly the Levites had been so hesitant to collect the money needed for the repairs.

Some commentators think that it’s because they thought collecting money for building improvements would mean less money for their personal finances.

The people exhibited great readiness to give towards this project.

They wanted to see the Temple restored to its former glory.

They were willing to give towards that end.

They participated in abundance.

Every day they were having to empty the chest because of the offerings brought by the people.

The excitement of fixing up the temple spread throughout the nation.

As the money came in, the king dispensed it to the workers.

The work begins. 12-14

On the temple.

All manner of craftsmen were hired to do the work.

They were paid by the offerings of the people.

I want you to notice a phrase in verse 13, “and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.”

They didn’t just return it to the way it had been.

The Temple was over 100 years old by this time.

Joash took this opportunity to better the temple structures.

After 100 years, better techniques had been learned.

After 100 years there was some updating that needed to take place.

They did all the work on the building, and they discovered that there was still money left over.

They began replacing the furniture and instruments that had been stolen.

They had two needs.

They needed to repair the building.

They needed to replace the equipment that had been lost.

Because of the generosity of the people, they were able to do both.

Joash was not a perfect man.

His life and reign ended in disaster.

But, here we see him giving priority to the house of God.

Because of his motivation and persistence, generations of people were able to continue worshipping God in the Temple.

God consistently proves that He can use the imperfect and the flawed to accomplish his work.

Application

I think it is appropriate to examine our situation in light of what God has preserved for us in this passage.

Whereas the house of God today is no longer material but spiritual, the material is still a very real symbol of the spiritual. When the Church of God in any place in any locality is careless about the material place of assembly, the place of its worship and its work, it is a sign and evidence that its life is at a low ebb.

Church is not something you do, nor is it a place we go.

Church is the assembling of God’s people.

You cannot have church by yourself.

You may have worship, you may have communion with god, but you didn’t have church.

Now, as beings bound by space and time, in order for us to assemble, that requires us to gather in a location at a specific time.

Our church does that at 13300 E 136th St, Collinsville OK 74021.

We gather at that location on Sundays at 10, 11, and 5:30.

We are also there Wednesday nights from 7-8.

This property has been set apart by the members of this church to function as the gathering place for our church.

On this plain Ok dirt, we sing praises to God.

In this metal building we teach and preach the gospel.

We train Christians to live for the Lord.

There is nothing uniquely special about this property apart from the activity that takes place here on a weekly, daily basis.

We must make haste to care for this property in a way that reflects our understanding of what happens here.

Joash faced a situation where the people were ready to participate but the spiritual leaders were holding them back.

It can just as easily happen where the people are unwilling to participate despite the prodding of those in leadership.

Leadership is a reciprocal relationship.

What a beautiful, productive situation when God pares people that want to work and participate with a leader that is driven to move forward to God.

Are things always perfect?

NO.

When God is allowed to have His way in the lives of leaders and followers, it opens the door for God’s power to be displayed among His people.