Two Steps Backward



2 Kings 12:17-21
17 At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem,
18 Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred gifts that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred gifts, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent these to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.
19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
20 His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.
21 It was Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Today, I have provided a companion reading from 2 Chronicles. 1 & 2 Chronicles are a repeat of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings. So quite often there are details of a story that don’t appear in Samuel or Kings.

2 Chronicles 24:14–22
14 And when they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the Lord, both for the service and for the burnt offerings, and dishes for incense and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord regularly all the days of Jehoiada.
15 But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died. He was 130 years old at his death.
16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them.
18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”
21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord.
22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”

The spiritual heart of the people, Jehoiada the priest, lives to 130 years old and dies. Once his voice is silent, the people slip back into the apostasy that came with Ahab and Jezebel, and the other kings who did not follow God. Because of their disobedience, God sends an old enemy, Hazael, to ravage the people of Israel and Judah. Rather than face a war, Joash pillages the national treasury and the temple and pays Hazael to go away. While he does leave the country in peace, the people are quick to return to idol worship. What we do not see here is Joash asking God to protect his people from Hazael. God is not given a thought. In fact, His temple is ransacked as Joash strives to protect himself without God’s help. Why must we always try to solve our problems without God?

The reading for today causes me to wonder what “treasuries” I’ve ransacked in order to solve my own problems. Where have I surrendered that which was given to me by God in order to stave off an attack or deal with a problem without first asking God what to do? My natural tendency is to use a sharp tongue and a powerful will in order to manipulate people and situations rather than turn first to God and ask His divine providence to over-ride my troubles. Then, relationships are damaged and the end results are never great because I first relied on myself.

God brings all the powers of the universe under His control, so He is completely trustworthy to handle any and all situations in my life. The sooner I give over that control to Him, the better for me and everyone around me.

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