II Kings 11:17-12:8
“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. 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.” (II Kings 11:17-18)
Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She and her husband Jehoram had promoted the worship of Baal in Judah rather than the worship of God. The people had resisted having Baal worship forced on them, and as Soon as Athaliah was dead, they willingly followed Jehoiada in destroying all the idols and the temple, executing the chief priest right in front of the altar to Baal.
Under Jehoram and Ahaziah, worshippers of God had been persecuted and may of the practices had been corrupted or forgotten. Jehoida revived the old customs and offices according to the covenant with God.
“Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.” (II Chronicles 23:18-19)
“And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.” (II Kings 11:19)
Not all Athaliah’s supporters and worshippers of Baal had been killed, so Jehoida placed a large force of guards to escort Joash to the palace and protect him. They placed Joash on the throne as ruler.
“And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.” (II Kings 11:20-21)
Throughout Jehoram and Ahaziah’s reigns there had been constant conflict between the worshippers of Baal and those who worshipped God. In addition, both Jehoram and Ahaziah had repeatedly involved Judah in Israel’s battles to help Ahab’s family, at Athaliah’s insistence. Her death and the destruction of the temple of Baal would allow the conflict to end, and because of her murdering her own family, no one questioned the justice of her execution.
“In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.” (II Kings 12:1-3)
Joash was only seven years old when he became king, and would reign forty years. Jehoiada the priest would serve as regent during his early years, advising and directing him in everything including who he should marry. II Chronicles 24:3 declares, “And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.”
As long as Jehoiada was there to guide him Joash served the Lord and Israel largely followed the covenant with God, although the high places were not destroyed, and many people still practiced the ancient nature worship as well as their worship of God.
“And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD. 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.” (II Chronicles 24:4-5a)
“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.” (II Chronicles 24:7)
Under Jehoram and Ahaziah, Athaliah and her sons had destroyed the temple and taken the things that had been dedicated to God to the temple of Baal. Joash(Jehoash) saw the state of the temple and decided to repair and restore it. He instructed the priests and Levites to collect money throughout the land to use for the repairs, instructing them to get it done as soon as possible.
“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.” (II Kings 12:4-5)
The Jews regularly brought offerings for special utensils to be used in the temple. In addition there was a nominal fee of a half shekel every Jewish man was to pay for maintenance of the temple, as described in Exodus 30:12-16. Joash directed the priests to use all that money for repairing the temple, as well as any voluntary offerings anyone might choose to give.
“Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.” (II Chronicles 24:5b)
“But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.” (II Kings 12:6-7
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?” (II Chronicles 24:6)
“And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.” (II Kings 12:8)
The Levites did not consider the command to repair the temple urgent. Twenty three years after Joash became king, the repairs still hadn’t been made, and when he inquired, Joash learned that while the money had been collected, it had not been used for it’s intended purpose, or even put into a special account. He ordered them to quit collecting the money and to forget about doing the work themselves. Obviously they weren’t concerned enough about the temple to do the extra work needed.
It is unethical to collect money for one purpose and not use it for that purpose, but over the years I have seen a lot of churches, and missionaries do so. As king, Joash was in a position to stop it.
“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. 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.” (II Kings 11:17-18)
Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She and her husband Jehoram had promoted the worship of Baal in Judah rather than the worship of God. The people had resisted having Baal worship forced on them, and as Soon as Athaliah was dead, they willingly followed Jehoiada in destroying all the idols and the temple, executing the chief priest right in front of the altar to Baal.
Under Jehoram and Ahaziah, worshippers of God had been persecuted and may of the practices had been corrupted or forgotten. Jehoida revived the old customs and offices according to the covenant with God.
“Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.” (II Chronicles 23:18-19)
“And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.” (II Kings 11:19)
Not all Athaliah’s supporters and worshippers of Baal had been killed, so Jehoida placed a large force of guards to escort Joash to the palace and protect him. They placed Joash on the throne as ruler.
“And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.” (II Kings 11:20-21)
Throughout Jehoram and Ahaziah’s reigns there had been constant conflict between the worshippers of Baal and those who worshipped God. In addition, both Jehoram and Ahaziah had repeatedly involved Judah in Israel’s battles to help Ahab’s family, at Athaliah’s insistence. Her death and the destruction of the temple of Baal would allow the conflict to end, and because of her murdering her own family, no one questioned the justice of her execution.
“In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.” (II Kings 12:1-3)
Joash was only seven years old when he became king, and would reign forty years. Jehoiada the priest would serve as regent during his early years, advising and directing him in everything including who he should marry. II Chronicles 24:3 declares, “And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters.”
As long as Jehoiada was there to guide him Joash served the Lord and Israel largely followed the covenant with God, although the high places were not destroyed, and many people still practiced the ancient nature worship as well as their worship of God.
“And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the LORD. 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.” (II Chronicles 24:4-5a)
“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.” (II Chronicles 24:7)
Under Jehoram and Ahaziah, Athaliah and her sons had destroyed the temple and taken the things that had been dedicated to God to the temple of Baal. Joash(Jehoash) saw the state of the temple and decided to repair and restore it. He instructed the priests and Levites to collect money throughout the land to use for the repairs, instructing them to get it done as soon as possible.
“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.” (II Kings 12:4-5)
The Jews regularly brought offerings for special utensils to be used in the temple. In addition there was a nominal fee of a half shekel every Jewish man was to pay for maintenance of the temple, as described in Exodus 30:12-16. Joash directed the priests to use all that money for repairing the temple, as well as any voluntary offerings anyone might choose to give.
“Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.” (II Chronicles 24:5b)
“But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.” (II Kings 12:6-7
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?” (II Chronicles 24:6)
“And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.” (II Kings 12:8)
The Levites did not consider the command to repair the temple urgent. Twenty three years after Joash became king, the repairs still hadn’t been made, and when he inquired, Joash learned that while the money had been collected, it had not been used for it’s intended purpose, or even put into a special account. He ordered them to quit collecting the money and to forget about doing the work themselves. Obviously they weren’t concerned enough about the temple to do the extra work needed.
It is unethical to collect money for one purpose and not use it for that purpose, but over the years I have seen a lot of churches, and missionaries do so. As king, Joash was in a position to stop it.
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