Hello my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends on this Tuesday as we begin the month of July together.
Occasionally we hear reports of a disastrous train wreck, and we see the horrifying pictures of train cars piled up as they went off the tracks. Can we apply that picture to life and ask this question: what does it look like when a PERSON ‘goes off the tracks’ and crashes? Do you know anyone who has?
Come with me again back to Jerusalem in about 800bc. We’ve been following the life story of the child prodigy Joash who was thrust onto the throne of the southern Israel kingdom of Judah at age 7 and reigned as king for 4 decades! (2 Chron. 24:1) You’ll recall the chief priest Jehoiada raised Joash as his own son and mentored him both before and during his kingship, all the way till Jehoiada died at the age of 130. (2 Chron. 24:2,15)
Sadly, not long after the honorable Jehoiada died, there were unscrupulous men who stepped in seeking to take advantage of wise Jehoiada’s absence. The Biblical record describes it like this: “After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols.” (2 Chron. 24:17,18)
This is a disastrous leadership train wreck, do you agree? Somehow these men gained great influence in the heart and mind of King Joash and without Jehoiada to counter their darkness, Joash derailed! Oh my friends, pause right here and let’s look closely at our own lives. Do you have an honorable Jehoiada who helps you stay on track? Can you identify those who are trying to seduce you to derail your life and those your life touches? How are you guarding your heart? Could it be you’re actually in the early stages of derailing and if you don’t fix it, a trainwreck for your life is ahead? (Prov. 4:23)
The record says this behavior aroused God’s anger and He sent prophets to challenge and warn King Joash and these evil advisors, but “they would not listen.” (2 Chron. 24:19) Do we understand the danger of hard hearted rejection of God’s warnings? Listen carefully to what the record tells us next: “Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah, SON of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, ‘This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the LORD’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.” (2 Chron. 24:20)
Hard words to hear, no doubt, and if they had responded with repentance, oh how God would have blessed as He always does in repentance. King Joash must have grown up with Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son. I presume they knew each other well and both respected the years of mentoring they both received from Jehoiada, perhaps sitting side by side.
But brace yourself my friends for you won’t believe what happened next: “But they plotted against Zechariah and by order of King Joash, they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD’s temple!! King Joash did NOT remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, ‘may the LORD see this and call you to account.” (2 Chron. 24:21,22)
King Joash’s life and legacy derailed from the good path Jehoiada has trained him to follow, and a major train wreck resulted…for King Joash, the great city of Jerusalem and the people of Judah. The temple was defiled in a most horrible way… the execution, by stoning, of the prophet Zachariah, son of the chief priest Jehoiada IN the Temple courts!
We need to pause right here and reflect deeply on this disaster. Remember, it was in this very Temple infant Joash was hidden to escape the slaughter of wicked Athaliah when she took control of the throne and slaughtered all the royal princes. (2 Chron. 22:10) For six years Joash was lovingly protected and raised by priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehosheba, spending much of those infant years here in the Temple area.
At age 7 it was here, in the courtyard of the Temple, that young Joash was crowned King of Judah. (2 Chron. 23:11) It was here a great ceremony of consecration was held as the people of Judah and King Joash covenanted themselves to be the people of God, living God honoring lives. (2 Chron. 23:16) We can presume it was here in this great Temple courtyard that King Joash came many, many times to talk with chief priest Jehoiada, seeking the counsel of the LORD as he sought to guide the nation.
And now, look, they are dragging the broken, bleeding body of Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, prophet of God, out of this very same Temple courtyard and king Joash and his advisors are standing by watching. Has there ever been a more terrible trainwreck of a God honoring leader?
Let’s not rush from this scene my friends, for such derailments of good lives are happening all around the world in our day. I think it’s important we pray, asking God to show us if there is even a hint of such derailment in our lives. I have no song today, only deep reflection and prayer and I’ll meet you here tomorrow as we see what happened next in this great, tragic, trainwreck of King Joash!
Today’s Scripture: 2 Chronicles 24:17-22.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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