2 Kings 12

God had preserved the line of David through a devastating trial, the murderous attack of a woman who desired power and was willing to slaughter all of her grandsons to remove them as potential rivals to the throne. Joash (Jehoash), the one grandson who survived and who regained the kingdom through the aid of the faithful priest Jehoiada, would reign over Judah for forty years. Jehoiada would be greatly used by God, not only in preserving the life of the young king, but in guiding him in the way of godliness. There were still problems in Judah, but the generations of the promised line of kings would continue.

The account of Joash's reign is primarily concerned with the efforts of many to see the contributions of the people effectively used for necessary repairs to the temple. Though people were giving and the priests were collecting money, the temple repairs were not moving forward at a reasonable pace. Eventually the words and actions of King Joash, Jehoiada the priest, the workmen, and the worshipers came together in a system of honest giving and hard work toward the good goal of the restoration of the house of the Lord.

Nonetheless the Judah's struggles continued as Joash faced the hostility of the Syrians against Jerusalem. The king used his own gifts that had been dedicated to the Lord, together with the gifts of several previous kings, in order to persuade the Syrians to go away.

The end of Joash's reign was very disappointing, a story that would be told more fully in another place. (2 Chronicles 24:20-22) Here in 2 Kings 12 we learn only that Joash suffered death by the hands of his own servants who conspired against him.

God had shown great mercy in preserving the life of Joash and in overthrowing the evil intentions of his grandmother, Athaliah. Yet this did not mean that Joash's reign would be marked by ease in the battle for faithfulness. Powerful enemies were everywhere. In the movement of history toward the coming of the Messiah, sometimes it was enough just to see the next generation survive. Even the best kings would not be able to establish the resurrection kingdom. Only the Son of God could do that.

When the Messiah King came, He too would face enemies on every side, especially from among the religious rulers in Jerusalem, but even from one who was within His own circle of disciples. Yet this final King who suffered on the cross could not be overcome by evil. He defeated every adversary that stood against Him and secured for us a coming eternal age of glory that will have none of the frustrations that are so much a part of this present fallen world.