Compare Jehoash's obedience to other kings in 2 Kings. What lessons can we learn? Setting the Stage: A Young King and His Mentor • 2 Kings 12:2: “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” • Rescued from Athaliah’s purge, raised in the temple, and crowned at age seven, Joash (Jehoash) flourished under Jehoiada’s steady, godly counsel. • His reign shows the power of biblical mentorship—but also its limits when personal conviction is missing. Obedience Measured by “High Places” • 2 Kings 12:3: “Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.” • Throughout 2 Kings, the narrator uses high-place removal as a yardstick: wholehearted kings tear them down; half-hearted kings leave them. • Joash repaired the temple (12:4-16) yet left the high places untouched—signaling partial obedience. Righteous Kings: How Joash Stacks Up • Jehu (10:30-31) – Zealous against Baal, but “did not walk in the Law of the LORD with all his heart.” • Jehoash/Joash (12:2-3) – Right in the LORD’s eyes while guided, yet tolerated high places. • Amaziah (14:3-4) – “Did what was right … yet not like his father David … the high places were not taken away.” He mirrors Joash’s pattern. • Azariah/Uzziah (15:3-4) – Same verdict: righteous king, high places remain. • Hezekiah (18:3-6) – Breaks the trend: “He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones,” trusting the LORD “so that there was none like him.” • Josiah (22:2; 23:4-25) – Goes even further: demolishes every idol shrine, renews covenant, celebrates Passover. Progression: partial obedience (Joash) → wholehearted obedience (Hezekiah, Josiah). Compromised Kings: The Other Side of the Ledger • Jehoram (8:18) – Walked in the ways of Ahab; idolatry flourished. • Ahaz (16:2-4) – Even sacrificed his son; closed temple doors. • Manasseh (21:2-9) – Rebuilt pagan altars, filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. • Amon (21:20-22) – Followed Manasseh’s evil. Comparison: Joash’s reign looks bright beside these, yet still falls short of full devotion. Patterns That Surface • Influence Matters: Joash thrives under Jehoiada; after the priest’s death (recorded in 2 Chron 24) he drifts. • Partial Obedience Is Disobedience: Leaving high places signals an unyielded heart. • Revival Often Begins at the Top: Hezekiah and Josiah’s reforms start with personal devotion and spread nationally. • Legacy Is Fragile: One leader’s faithfulness (Jehoiada) can be undone quickly if the next generation lacks its own roots. Life Lessons for Today • Seek godly mentors—and become one. Like Jehoiada, mature believers can anchor younger hearts to truth (2 Timothy 2:2). • Cultivate personal conviction. Borrowed faith will falter when external supports fade (Philippians 2:12-13). • Tear down modern “high places.” Any tolerated sin or cultural idol must be removed, not managed (Romans 13:14). • Aim for wholehearted obedience. The examples of Hezekiah and Josiah prove that total surrender brings blessing (2 Chron 31:20-21; 2 Kings 23:25). • Finish well. Starting right is good; ending faithful is better (2 Timothy 4:7). Joash’s uneven legacy urges perseverance. Scripture’s record is clear: obedience brings life, compromise invites decline. May we learn from Joash’s bright beginnings—and press on to Hezekiah- and Josiah-like completeness in following the LORD. |
    |