2nd Chronicles 24 WEAKNESS OF CHARACTER Our expectation when a child is young is that they will learn the lessons we teach them in their youth, and as the years pass, they will make those principles and truths we have taught their own in a personal way. Not every child from a good home and good upbringing, will consider those privileges a good thing. Some will even resent the pressure put on them by loving parents to be hardships because they could not do what they wanted. Some children from very underprivileged and dysfunctional homes, determine in their own mind that they are going to rise above the adversity they experienced and go forward to accomplish some meaningful objective. There really is no way to know which way a young person will go when they mature.
Joash had a good start under a godly man and his godly wife. Jehoiada the high priest, and Jehoshabeath his wife, raised the child from infancy and were able to impart to this orphaned boy high standards, moral principles and a spiritual perspective. It is possible to learn what is right and do what is right when one is young because that is all they have known in a godly home. Because of the faith of parents and the security of the Lord's people as friends, and experiencing the safety of a scriptural assembly, some young people appear to be committed Christians. We find great joy when we see them among us in the assembly, and as they live with us at home. We hope and pray that they will be saved and come into the fellowship of a local assembly, and live their life for God. But we cannot guarantee this, nor can we blame ourselves if we have done what we believe the Lord wanted us to do, and they did not turn out as we had hoped. Each persona has to make their own decisions, choices, and convictions. Then each one has to accept the consequences of their choices.
As he matured and became more responsible for the government of the country over which he was king, Joash did some good things. Not only was he able to raise the money for repairs of the temple without increasing taxes, but he was able to motivate the people to generosity by providing opportunity for free-will offerings. The Levites were slow in getting out among the people to collect what was needed, but when people could give what they wanted, the funds came. Generosity cannot be demanded. That comes from one's own heart. A slow response to a command is really a form of disobedience. When someone says, "I'll do it in my own good time," or "Yeah, I'll get to it when it is convenience for me," or "Don't push me, when I want to, I'll get around to it," that is not only disregarding the person who gave you the task, but when the task has the glory of God in view, that is disregarding God.
Those Levites underestimated the mind of the people and their desire for God. It is incumbent on leaders to know the people well enough to give them the proper motivation for spiritual things. God's people will respond generously and willingly if they know the work is for the right reason. Joash had "a mind to repair the temple." He knew his uncles had taken things from the temple and trashed the house of God to get what they could for the worship of Baal. To know what is right and do it is good. To engage other people in a good work is good. To do what a spiritual mentor advises is good, but none of that will keep you from evil if is not done "as to the Lord." The influence of another does not make truth personal to me. There is a sense in which each person must in faith step out in personal confidence in God with personal convictions.
The funds received for the repair work were more than sufficient to do the repairs. They could also add some things that were useful in the temple. Those men who labored there were trustworthy workmen of honest character. Their integrity was not questioned because the results were obvious. The results were there to be seen. To be trusted with the financial affairs of an assembly, or for any purpose, is a great honor and responsibility. It is a wise person who does what he says, in the best way possible, and is careful lest there be any suggestion of any kind of impropriety when it comes to money.
Jehoiada "had done good in Israel" and all the people knew it. When he was buried, he was buried like a king. He had lived in bad times under bad leadership but had kept focused on that which was right in spite of what others did - and he did right. What a wonderful commendation to have from people, "He had done good." Faithfulness in times of departure; vision in time of complacency; righteousness in times of moral and spiritual decay are honorable qualities of a true servant of God. Unfortunately, "after the death of Jehoiada" it wasn't long until departure set in. "They left the house of the Lord God of their fathers." When things go well spiritually, it is well with the people of God and they are committed to the worship and service of God. But when prosperity comes in, it takes over the minds of the people. Prosperity can be good or bad; a blessing or a curse; as sign of God's grace or of man's covetousness. When we take God's goodness for granted, we can become proud and self-sufficient. Prosperity brings with it potential for spiritual and moral decline.
God is the source of every blessing. To abandon God after His great blessings to us, is evidence of arrogance and alienation from God, and turning to something else as more important. In the case of the people of Judah, they turned to idolatry again. For Joash to go against what he had been taught from his youth, and even practiced at the beginning of his reign, and then go against it all indicates a regrettable moral deficiency, and certainly weakness of his character. He began his downward course by "hearkening" to the wrong advice. Then "they left the house of the Lord God." Next "they would not give ear" to the warnings of the prophets. Then they "forsook the Lord." Poor Joash ended his life when "his own servants conspired against him."
God gives opportunity for repentance and restoration before judgment and punishment. He did not abandon Joash and the nation without a word from Him through His prophets. Zechariah warned him that "those who transgress cannot prosper." The awful crime of murder against the son of his mentor, Jehoiada, sets Joash apart as a despicable man at the end of his reign even though he started out good. When one sins, if they face their sin, if they repent of their sins, acknowledge their guilt, God will still show mercy when we turn to Him and follow Him. The whole nation was repeatedly warned of destruction that was ahead if they continued as they were. But the political and spiritual state became so bad they ignored the warnings and they lost everything. Justice will be served, and even though Zechariah was killed for telling the truth, that did not keep the consequences of sin from coming. Justice and judgment came and the people were so against Joash they wouldn't bury him as a king.