- Joash was seven years old when he became king.
- Granted, he wasn’t really in charge. A priest takes charge of raising him up as king and helping him make the right decisions.
- But Joash still has to sit as king. He accepts his position and accepts the instruction and guidance of the priest, Jehoiada.
- I don’t know what happens with Joash and Jehoiada. Things seemed to have started off well, but they don’t end as well.
- Joash at some point gets the idea that the priests should fix the Lord’s temple, but it’s not until he’s 30 years old that he stands up for himself since the priests weren’t listening to him.
- The priests seem to have been taking the money that was offered for the temple to be fixed, but they hadn’t been repairing the temple.
- When Joash stands up to the priests, they stop taking the money, but they don’t fix the house. Jehoiada does help organize the new endeavor to repair the temple at that point.
- Joash does follow the Lord all the days of Jehoiada, so this incident of Jehoiada not listening to him but then submitting to the plan doesn’t destroy the relationship.
- Joash, though, will forget about this man who helped raise him. When Jehoiada dies, other advisors are happy to fill the void.
- Joash never really comes into his own.
- Joash follows the evil advisors and they go back to idol worship.
- Joash even gives away all the treasures from the Lord’s house to buy off his enemy instead of turning to the Lord.
- We don’t once see any sign of a relationship with God. There’s no crying out to God for wisdom or help.
- What did the good kings do? They prayed. They acknowledged God. They talked to Him. They praised Him. They thanked Him. They asked for guidance. They trusted Him. They had a relationship with God.
- Jehoiada may have raised Joash for a time in the temple of the Lord, but Joash never learned to walk and talk with his Savior.
