Joash - The Boy King

Introduction

I began to name this the ‘Bible Person Study’, but chose to go with the ‘Bible Character Study’. I hesitated to name it that, as I don’t want to diminish the fact that these are real people we’ll be examining. But the reason that it’s named the Bible Character Study is because we’ll be focusing on the person’s character throughout. But don’t forget that these were real people, with real lives that made real choices that had real consequences.

I. Joash’s Nature

((What is their History / Background?)

7th King of Judah

Took the Throne at 7 Years Old

Reigned for 40 years

During the Reigns of Jehu, Jehoahaz and Joash Kings of Israel

I was looking back at my notes today on J. Hugh and realized that I made an error. Somehow I put down that J. Hugh reigned for 12 years. That is not the case. He actually reigned for 28. Secondly, I guess in my haste said that it was during the reigns of Athaliah and Jehoiada. But in fact, Jehoiada wasn't the one technically reigning, it was Joash.

Joash king of Judah's reign would last for apx. 21 years of Jehu, apx. 17 years of Jehoahaz and apx. 3 years of Jehoahaz.

By looking at that, you would say a preacher that's 41, and you would be right. But it's impossible to nail down exactly because it doesn't say what point in the year they took the throne, just that it was in that year. So, there's going to be some variance.

Son of Ahaziah King of Judah

Ahaziah, as you know, would call Ahab his papa. He would only reign one year before Jehu would kill him along with Jehoram king of Israel.

Surviving Grandson of Athaliah

I say surviving grandson because she killed all the others.

By the way, she reigned for six years, but I do not consider her queen, as God never called her that. As far as I'm concerned, God recognized Joash as the heir apparent when he was one year old.

Raised Under Godly Supervision

Two people were greatly responsible for the saving and upbringing of Joash. That would be Jehoshabeath, who rescued him, and her husband Jehoiada, the priest.

Jehoiada was a great man of God, recognized by both God and man. If you look upon his burial, he was buried among the kings in 2 Chronicles 24:16. The Bible as well recognizes that as long as Jehoiada was around, Joash was doing right. He was his spiritual anchor.

While his father was killed and was ungodly, we know not what happened to his mother, but he was raised under godly supervision.

II. Joash’s Notoriety

(What they are known for?)

Becoming King at Age 7 (2Chr. 24:1)

As I may have mentioned, this was the boy king. He was officially crowned at seven years old, but I personally believe in the eyes of God he was recognized as king at one. Therefore God put a man like Jehoiada in his sphere of influence to care for him and watch over him and make sure he made wise decisions.

He's known for becoming king at age 7.

Rebuilding the House of God (2Chr. 24:4-14)

If you look at what is recorded about his life in the Word of God, the largest part of it concerns the rebuilding or restoration of the house of God.

His mamaw we see in 2 Chronicles 24:7 took part in breaking it up and robbing it to give to false gods.

Joash to his credit was very passionate about getting the house of God back in order. Even more so than the Levites and the other priests of that day.

He's known for rebuilding the House of God.

Turning Away from God (2Chr. 24:17-18)

After the death of Jehoiada, he's known for giving ear unto the princes of Judah and turning his back on the God that had blessed him, sustained him, provided for him, and ascended him to the throne.

And of course this was not a light turning away; it was not a gentle backslide. But he went, I would say, the pendulum swung furthest with Joash. He went from being very passionate about the house of God to killing the son of the priest that raised him and stripping the house of God that he had put so much time and effort into to satisfy his enemy.

He's known for violently turning away from God.

Ordering the Murder of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada (2Chr. 24:20-22)

As mentioned just a moment ago, in what would have to be one of the greatest acts of treachery a man could commit:

He took the life of the son of the man who saved his life.

He brought down to death the son of the man who raised him up to the throne.

He's known for ordering the murder of Zacharias, son of Jehoiada.

Suffering Loss and Life for His Sin (1Ki. 12:17-18; 2Chr. 24:23-25)

As we see the words of Daniel-son n come to pass, "What goes around comes around," or as the Bible would say, "You reap what you sow." Joash suffered great loss, that of his riches, the house of God's riches, ultimately his life, because of him turning his back on God. (Read the Text)

He's known for suffering loss and life for his sin.

III. What Makes him Noteworthy

(What Lessons we can Learn from them?)

Investing in God’s House should be Primary (2Ki. 12:4; 2Chr. 24:4)

We see that in the life of Joash, (the part where he cared about the things of God, and that's important), One of his primary focuses was to make sure the House of God was taken care of.

When he was backslid, he didn't care about the things of God, but left it all together. (2Chr. 24:18)

The evidence of our care and support for the House of God should be evident in:

Our Presence

Our Attire

Our Giving

The House of God is a special place, but too often it’s treated just like ‘any old’ place.

Objections to the House of God:

Objection: “But the early Christians didn’t have churches”

Answer: They couldn’t as they were too busy trying to stay alive. But God always put stock in His House throughout Scripture.

(Ill.) Didn’t God commission a House for Him in the Wilderness? (Ill.) Didn’t God command mandatory offerings for the upkeep of the temple? (Ill.) Didn’t God not let David build Him a House because of his defiled hands? (In other words, God had standards) (Ill.) Didn’t Jesus drive out the money changers w/ a whip - TWICE?

Objection: “Yeah, but God wants us to just ‘come as we are’”.

Answer: Yes, come as you are - but you should leave different!

When we treat the House of God like we would treat anything else it reveals one of a few things about us:

It’s no better a place than anywhere else (In other words, it’s no more special than the community building)

What is taking place is not special

People dress up for weddings, or when they go to court… but not at the House of God?

Our comfort is more important than honoring God’s House (It’s not worth the hassle or discomfort getting dressed up).

What we wear speaks to others what our thoughts on where we’re at and what we’re doing.

What place or activity do you respect more than the House of God that you are willing to suffer discomfort to speak to others the importance of what is taking place?

While Continuing to Care for the Priests (1Ki. 12:16)

We should care for the House of God while also making sure the man of God is taken care of.

(Uncomfortable subject, but important). (1Cor. 9:1-14)

The pastor is a servant unto the congregation.

His service is to add Spiritual value unto your souls - to help you in your Spiritual walk that you may see things more clearly and be eternally blessed thereby.

IN TURN, the congregation is to support the pastor physically. It is a give and take relationship. One should not be a drain on the other, but done right is a mutually beneficial relationship, ordained of God.

Following God’s Word Fills All Needs (2Chr. 24:6;9-10)

The commandment by Moses that Joash is referring to is from Exodus 30:12-16. It's stated that whenever they were to take a census, they were also to take up a mandatory offering for the upkeep of the house of God.

In other words, Joash was just wanting them to get back to doing things the way God had prescribed for them.

We see that once they did that, people rejoiced, brought in, and the need was met.

I believe that if we just do what God has prescribed for us to do in our giving of offerings and giving of the gospel, all the needs that man has and the church has will be met as well.

We don't need some new thing. We just need to get back to doing it God's way.

Following God's word fills all needs.

Your Rock Must Be Greater than Man (2Chr. 24:2)

Jehoiada was a great man of God, and he was Joash's rock for many, many years. However, that was the problem.

Jehoiada was Joash's rock, and not God.

(Ill.) God has blessed me in this life with wonderful people. I’m blessed to have my parents and my children. But there’s another who has been by my side the better part of 33 years - my wife. I cannot imagine living life without her. But my stability cannot be her - for I know not if I’ll always have her. Life is fragile. My 86 year old mother is on hospice, but we’re burying my 32 year old niece this weekend.

Our hope and stability cannot be in anything that is temporal, but it must be found in what is eternal. And there's only one thing that is eternal, and that is Christ Jesus our Lord!

Your rock must be greater than man.

Compromise Leads to Catastrophe (2Ki. 12:3; 2Chr. 24:18; 24)

Here we see three stages of grief:

The first is found in 2 Kings 12:3: Joash had the power to take these down, but he didn't. And it wasn't a big deal to him because at first, it wasn't affecting him at all.

Now there are some that say that the high places were places where the God of Israel was worshipped. Whether this be true or not, the fact remains that it wasn't a place where God had authorized them to worship. So either way it was compromise.

In the thing about compromise, it's a slippery slope. (Ill.) Often, an affair might end in adultery, but it never begins there. Consider the story of David and Bathsheba. It neither ended nor began with adultery.

Next thing you knew, they had left the house of God and began worshipping in the groves.

Lastly, we see the judgment of God because of it.

People wonder why I'm so dogmatic about certain things, whether it be the Bible or music. The reason is because when you begin to compromise, it's hard to tell where that leads.

Compromise leads to catastrophe.

Repentance is a Choice (2Chr. 24:19)

Repentance (def) to turn / change of mind is a choice.

Repentance of sin is one thing, Repentance unto Salvation is another.

Repentance of sin = to the backslidden church: Revelation 2:15–16 “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Repentance to salvation = to the sinner: Acts 20:21 “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Either way, repentance is a choice.

Men choose to turn onto Christ and be saved or be damned.

Men choose to continue in sin or turn from their sin back into right fellowship with God.

Repentance is a choice.

When Sin Takes Root, the ‘Good’ becomes Ungodly (2Chr. 24:20-21)

When I consider the actions of Joash, I am amazed at how good he went from to how bad he became. To kill Joash, son of Jehoiada, to me is one of the worst acts of betrayal found in scripture.

But sin (unchecked) will lead even good people to do terribly ungodly things.

(Ill.) Consider again the man after God's heart, David, and how he went so far as to send a man his death sentence by his own hand.

Whenever sin begins to creep in our lives, God will graciously send us warnings - As he did with Zachariah. But whether we heed or reject those warnings will determine the outcome.

When sin takes root, the good becomes ungodly.

You can Lead a Horse to Water… (2Chr. 24:17)

Jehoiada did everything he possibly could to lead Joash in a manner that honored God. He secured him, protected him, and brought him up when he didn't have to. He taught him and blessed him in the ways of God and had even given him a mind to care about the things of God.

Yet ultimately it had to be Joash's decision to follow God or not.

So there's that old proverbial saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." This is something I must keep in mind as a pastor and as a father.

I can show you and lead you and do all I can to get you to understand the word of God, but it's up to you on what you do with it.

The same thing goes for my children. I can lead them and show them, but ultimately it's their decision.

You and I are not responsible for the soil, only in sowing the seed.

You can lead a horse to water.

Conclusion