That's Gratitude For You

2 Chronicles 24:22: "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.'"



As one reads through the 40-year reign of King Joash, one at first is encouraged that a righteous king finally would lead the people of Judah in obedience to God. The sad reality however is that the king's allegiance to the LORD fizzled out in the latter years of his reign. Still more grievous is the way in which he treated the family of the Godly priest, Jehoiada, who had protected him during the king's early years.



Joash was born in an era of instability within the royal family. When his father, King Ahaziah of Judah, was killed by Jehu (commander of the army), Joash's grandmother, Athaliah, attempted to kill the entire royal family so that she could assume control of the throne. Fortunately, a half-sister of King Ahaziah by the name of Jehosheba, rescued Joash and took him secretly to the temple to be protected by the priest, Jehoiada. The righteous Jehoiada was committed to the young prince, rearing him in the ways of the LORD and preparing him for the throne. After seven years of providing protection to Prince Joash, Jehoiada the priest was able to assert Joash as the rightful king of the people of Judah. Queen Athaliah was removed from her throne and executed.



Joash showed himself to be a young man who had learned from his mentor the importance of following the LORD obediently. He ruled with a righteous hand and "did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him" (2 Kings 12:2). The king was instrumental in getting a campaign started to restore the LORD's temple . . . a structure that was showing the wear and tear of over 100 years of existence. Joash knew the importance of keeping the House of the LORD in excellent condition so that the prescribed place of worship of the One True God would be respected.



Yet, after Jehoiada died at the age of 130, the officials of Judah were able to sway the king to abandon exclusive worship of the Lord. The temple, which had once been the grand place of worship of God, was abandoned in favor of pagan shrines and altars. God, in response, sent prophets to declare that the king was perpetrating rebellion against the Lord and that this behavior needed to stop.

Not only did Joash not listen to the prophets, but he began a campaign to execute the prophets, in order that he might silence the critics of his wickedness. When the Lord sent Zechariah, the very son of Jehoiada, to pronounce divine judgment upon the king, Joash ordered that Zechariah be stoned for such "insolence." As Zechariah lay dying, he cried out to the LORD that He see this evil act and call the king to account.



God would see this despicable act and would enact judgment upon the king for his wickedness; within the year, the Lord would send the army of Aram against Joash and the Judeans and defeat them. As the Arameans invaded Jerusalem, they killed the leaders who had convinced the king to turn away from worshipping the LORD; and they plundered the riches of the city, leaving Jerusalem in ruins. As a very demonstrative final act of superiority over the Judeans, the Arameans severely wounded King Joash, and then left him to rule in his weakened condition.



By now the king had lost all credibility. His wickedness had brought his kingdom to ruin; he had lost many of his leaders and certainly had lost the material richness that had been accumulated for so many years. The remaining officials developed a disdain for the king, and they conspired to assassinate him. As Joash lay in his bed recovering from his wounds, the officials entered the royal chamber and murdered the king; they then dishonored him by not burying the king with the other royal monarchs who had ruled before him.



Truly, this is a tragic story. Here is a king, who as a young prince was rescued and protected by the priest, Jehoiada. Yet, when Joash was given the opportunity to rule the people, he treated with contempt the previous acts of kindness of Jehoiada by turning away from the Lord and killing the son of the priest. That's gratitude for you.

God however would not be mocked; He ultimately enacted His Divine judgment against the king. And this judgment would result in the loss of the king's riches, his subjects, and his very life. In the end, he was dishonored and would be seen throughout history as a king that fell short of the mark of righteousness.