Joash Repairs the Temple

GOLDEN TEXT: “Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated yourselves unto the Lord, come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings; … and as many as were of a free heart burnt offerings.” —II Chronicles 29:31

II CHRONICLES 24:4, 8-14

JOASH was only seven years old when he began to reign. He came to the throne under very unusual circumstances. The former rightful ruler of Judah was Ahaziah. He was unfaithful to the Lord, and by divine providence was slain. Then his mother, a wicked, conspiring woman, instigated the slaughter “of all the seed royal of the house of Judah”; at least she attempted to destroy all the royal seed. However, a sister of the slain king, Ahaziah, kidnapped his infant son, then a year old, and secreted him and his nurse in the house of God, thus saving his life. He remained in seclusion for six years.

Meanwhile Athaliah, the mother of the slain king, usurped the throne, and reigned with a high and wicked hand for six years. Then Jehoiada, the high priest, with the assistance of the Levites, succeeded in bringing forth the youth Joash, and having him acclaimed king by the people. Athaliah raised a cry of “Treason, treason,” but it was too late. She was deposed as queen and slain, and Joash was king.

At such a tender age he naturally took the advice of Jehoiada, the priest, and when he was old enough to assume authority for himself he displayed a commendable zeal for the Lord and for righteousness. The record is that he “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” (II Chron. 24:2) Perhaps at the priest’s suggestion he set about to “repair the house of the Lord.”—vs. 4

The king gathered together the priests and the Levites, and instructed them to go out among the people to collect funds for repairing the house of the Lord. But they hesitated to obey his orders. Then he called for Jehoiada, and asked why he had not seen to it that the other priests and the Levites had not carried out the orders given to them.

While the account does not so indicate, evidently Jehoiada told the king that he was not proceeding correctly, for the king then gave instructions that a chest be provided and placed “at the gate of the house of the Lord.” (vs. 8) Then a proclamation was made throughout the land inviting the people to bring their donations and put them in this chest.

In other words, the work of repairing the house of the Lord was to be entirely on a voluntary basis. The people were not to be visited and personally asked to donate, but given an opportunity to respond to a general invitation. This was the arrangement followed when material was needed for the construction of the tabernacle in the wilderness.

And the results were the same as those experienced by Moses in connection with the tabernacle. Every day for some time, apparently, the chest was filled with money. It was used to hire workmen to do the repair work, and when it was finished there were sufficient funds to supply needed “spoons, and vessels of gold and silver.”—vs. 14

With the house of the Lord repaired, and necessary vessels provided for use therein, services were restored, and “they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.” (vs. 14) Thus, at the advice of Jehoiada, and with his support, Joash accomplished a good work.

One commentator on this lesson writes, “It is so easy to let God’s ‘house’ become shabby and its furniture worn. The church, which should be the neatest, most attractive building in the community is sometimes the most unattractive.” This is true, but we think the lesson has a far deeper significance than that church buildings should be kept in repair.

Peter wrote, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (I Pet. 2:5) Paul wrote, “Ye are the temple of the living God.” (II Cor. 6:16) In other words, Solomon’s temple was intended to be a type of Christ and his church, which, during the thousand years of the messianic kingdom, will be the meeting place between God and man.

Each individual member of the church, during the present age when the spiritual “temple” is being prepared, is a “living stone” being shaped and polished for a place in the finished structure. So, in a more intimate sense each follower of the Master may be considered a “temple.” Paul indicates this when he says, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”—I Cor. 3:16,17

QUESTIONS

Explain the circumstances under which Joash came to the throne of Judah.

Who was Jehoiada, and in what way did he influence Joash?

Explain how funds were collected to repair the temple.

What is the lesson in this narrative for Christians of the Gospel age?

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