Title: King Joash
Memorize: Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Chronicles 24:1 (Nkjv)
Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:1-18 (Nkjv)
1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
3 And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters.
4 Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the Lord.
5 Then he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you do it quickly.” However the Levites did not do it quickly.
6 So the king called Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the assembly of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?”
7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord to the Baals.
8 Then at the king’s command they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord.
9 And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness.
10 Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given.
11 So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
12 The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the Lord.
13 So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it.
14 When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; they made from it articles for the house of the Lord, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.
15 But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died.
16 And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them.
18 Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.
Message:
Our memory verse for today made it known that Joash became a king at the age of seven, and he ruled Jerusalem for forty years. 2 Chronicles 24:2 says he did what was right in the sight of God.
One lesson to learn from the story of King Joash is that he knew the importance of following God’s command even at a young age.
King Joash was a good king in his youth, but as he grew older, he allowed the wrong people to influence him, and they led him astray (2 Chronicles 24:17-18).
His disobedience resulted in his downfall and defeat (2 Chronicles 24:24).
As a child of God, there is no excuse for failure. You must know that your end is as important as your beginning.
No one expected Joash to end the way he did, having had an encounter with God. Likewise, as a user of this devotional, I don’t expect you to end in hell.
Therefore, you must hold dear your conviction about Jesus till the very end. Never give room for false doctrines and any advice that would make you sin against God.
Reflection:
Your end is as important as your beginning, make sure you end well.
HYMN 6 – MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus Christ, my righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
CHORUS
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
3. His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
In Him, my righteousness, alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Bible In One Year: Numbers 15:17-16:40 Mark 15:1-47
AUTHORS: PASTOR E. A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE