2 Kings 12:1-3 Mostly Blessed?

 “In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He reigned forty years in Jerusalem: This was a long and mostly blessed reign. Jehoash fell short of full commitment and complete godliness, but he did advance the cause of God in the kingdom of Judah.

b. Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him: This implies that when Jehoiada died, Jehoash no longer did what was right in the sight of the LORD. 2 Chronicles 24:15-23 tells us that he turned to idolatry when Jehoiada died, and judgment followed.

i. “After the death of the godly high priest, Jehoash fell into the hands of godless advisors who turned his heart to Canaanite practices.” (Patterson and Austel)

c. The high places were not taken away: This indicates that Jehoash implemented a half-way reformation and not a total reforming of Israel’s worship. He did not take on the more difficult job of removing the high places.

i. “The people were so fondly and strangely addicted to the high places, that the foregoing kings, though men of riper years, and great power and courage, and finally settled in their thrones, could not take them away; and therefore it is not strange if Jehoiada could not now remove them.” (Poole)

(Guzik)

Mostly Blessed?

“This was a long and mostly blessed reign. Jehoash fell short of full commitment and complete godliness”…

When we observe our lives concerning Jesus, are we all in for Him or half heartedly? Are you a good person on Sunday and the rest of the week running with the unfaithful? When He meets us face to face will He say:

“His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Or: “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Would you rather be blessed or mostly blessed? If you read the prayer attached try replacing all the blessings by adding “mostly” blessed and you will understand the difference.

Blessings 

2 Kings 11:18-21 Revival!

 “And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord. Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.” II Kings‬ ‭11‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down: In 2 Kings 10 Jehu supervised the destruction of the temple of Baal in Samaria. Here the temple of Baal in Jerusalem was destroyed, and appropriately destroyed by the people of the land.

i. They didn’t stop at destroying the building itself; they went on to destroy both the sacred objects dedicated to Baal and to kill Mattan the priest of Baal.

ii. One reason the people resented this worship of Baal in Jerusalem so much was because Athaliah had directed that sacred objects from the temple of the LORD be put into the temple of Baal: For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD to the Baals (2 Chronicles 24:7).

b. Then he sat on the throne of the kings: After more than six dark years, the rightful king of Judah once again ruled over his grateful people. (Guzik)

Revival!

The people had a revival and placed the only remaining heir to the throne as king at a remarkable young age of seven years old!

We need a revival too!

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love: According to Barclay, the word we translate conveyed had a special significance in the ancient world. When one empire conquered another, the custom was to take the population of the defeated empire and transfer it completely to the conqueror’s land. It is in this sense that Paul says we have been conveyed into God’s kingdom. Everything we have and everything we are now belongs to Him.

i. The Son of His love is a Hebraic way of saying “God’s dear Son.” (Guzik)

Have you been conveyed into God’s kingdom?

Blessings

2 Kings 11:17 Re-committed!

 “Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭11‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. That they should be the LORD’s people: The covenant was between the LORD and the king and the people. They re-committed themselves to honor, obey, and serve God.

b. And also between the king and the people: This shows that God intends that both kings and citizens have mutual obligations towards the other. Neither have absolute rights over or against the other. (Guzik)

Re-committed!

“They re-committed themselves to honor, obey, and serve God.”

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone re-committed themselves to honor, obey, and serve God? But the problem is many people were never committed themselves in the first place. 

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Which gate have you chosen, the narrow that leads to life or the broad that leads to destruction?

Blessings 

2 Kings 11:15-16 Just Sentence?

 “And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.” So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭11‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her: This was both righteous and prudent. It was a just sentence against this woman who had murdered so many, and prudent precautions were taken so she could not mount a resistance.

b. Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD: As a priest, Jehoiada had a great concern for the sanctity and reputation of the temple. Yet in the place where horses entered the king’s house, and there she was killed.

i. “Thus Athaliah, the most infamous queen of Judah, died at the hands of her executioners, much as did her mother, Jezebel, queen of Israel.” (Patterson and Austel)

(Guzik)

Just Sentence?

Today we seem to have a two tiered legal system, and it also seems that what’s upside down is right side up. 

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

But our God is a just and a righteous God, and He will right all wrongs for the Bible says:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭31‬-‭33‬, ‭41‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The goats will receive a just sentence!

But the question I have for you is this, will you be divided with the goats 🐐 or with the sheep 🐑?

Blessings 

2 Kings 11:13-14 Godly Treason?

 “Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”” II Kings‬ ‭11‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. When she looked, there was the king: For the usurper queen mother this was a horrifying sight. For six years she ruled because she believed there were no legitimate claimants to the throne of David. Now she sees that one son of Ahaziah – Joash, her own grandson – escaped her murderous intent.

b. All the people of the land were rejoicing: They were obviously weary of the wicked reign of Athaliah.

c. Treason! Treason: The charge was not unfounded. This was treason against her government, but it was a well-founded and godly treason against a tyrannical, wicked ruler.

Godly Treason?

We recently watched a movie based on true events, Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.

The movie was good but it troubled me because of his actions with the assassination attempt. With my biblical knowledge it was affront to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

But his resistance to the blasphemous changes in the church by speaking the truth, helping the persecuted Jews and secretly teaching Christianity were courageous!

Saul who became Paul was a roll model for similar circumstances and died for his faith in Jesus Christ. Some believe he was beheaded but the Bible doesn’t specifically mention the method of his death.

Paul said:

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Could Bonhoeffer’s assassin attempt be considered godly treason?

Blessings 

2 Kings 11:12 King’s Son!

 “And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”” II Kings‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He brought out the king’s son: First the king’s son had to be revealed. No one could support him and he could not take his rightful throne until he was brought outbefore the people.

b. Put the crown on him: Next the king’s son had to be crowned. This was the public and official recognition of him as king.

c. And gave him the Testimony: The king’s son had to come with the Word of God. Joash appeared before the people holding the scrolls of God’s Word.

i. Deuteronomy 17:18 says that the king should have his own copy of the Scriptures. “This is the basis for the British custom of presenting the monarch with a copy of the Bible during the coronation service.” (Wiseman)

d. They made him king: The king’s son had to be received. He had the royal right to impose his reign, but he instead allowed his rule to be received.

e. And anointed him: The king’s son could never fulfill his office without a divine anointing.

f. They clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king”: The king’s son received praise once he was recognized as their king.

i. We can and should follow the same pattern in our reception of Jesus Christ, the true king’s son.

ii. “Is not the spiritual condition of too many children of God represented by the condition of the Temple, during the early years of the life of Joash? The king was within its precincts, the rightful heir of the crown and defender of the worship of Jehovah; but as a matter of fact, the crown was on the head of the usurper Athaliah, who was exercising a cruel and sanguinary tyranny. The king was limited to a chamber, and the majority of the priests, with all the people, had not even heard of his existence. There needs to be an anointing, an enthroning, a determination that He shall exercise his power over the entire Temple of our Being.” (Meyer)

(Guzik)

Kings Son!

“We can and should follow the same pattern in our reception of Jesus Christ, the true king’s son.” (Guzik)

“There needs to be an anointing, an enthroning, a determination that He shall exercise his power over the entire Temple of our Being.” (Meyer)

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Have you accepted the true king’s son and allowed Him to exercise his power over the entire Temple of your Being?

Blessings