Joash was born in the first year that his father, Ahaziah, began his reign as king. His aunt spirited the baby to safety when the dead king’s mother began killing all of the heirs to the throne. Joash was hidden him for 7 years in the temple; protected from his grandmother’s fury. For that time he was probably assumed to be the high priest’s son. But then his true identity was revealed; King of Judah. God’s merciful rescue from death and the upbringing of a righteous priest did not keep Joash from turning to the false idols that the people desired. And the king allowed the culture to change him and lead his away from God. In his self-righteousness he refused correction by the son of his surrogate father and responded with the same fury from which God had rescued him; murdering Zechariah much like his grandmother intended to murder him. Joash chose the way of the world over the Law of God with which he had grown up. All of his early work to cleanse the land of idolatry and restore the temple was forgotten because he wouldn’t remain true to the LORD of Israel. The life a Joash is a sad commentary on the way we people quickly forget all the good that God has done for us.
It took me about 16 minutes to read this passage.
Stuart
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