Ch. 12 you can divide joash’s reign into two parts: before and after jehoiada’s death.

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. 2 And Jehoash did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, all the days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him. v.2 he did not have a personal relationship with the lord, because he went along with his advisor whether it be jehoiada or the princes after jehoiada’s death (II chron. 24:17). he pictures to us the child of christian parents – has life but never the heart or conscience deeply exercized – ultimately a source of heartache. god wants us to mature to where we can stand on our own (Gen. 17:1).

3 Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. v.3 this this wasn’t a full recovery. high place worship is like the “gateway drug” of idolatry (I kings 3:24). it wasn’t enough for hezekiah to remove them – his son brought them back. it wasn’t until josiah that they were permanently destroyed.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the hallowed things that is brought into the house of Jehovah, the money of every one that passes the account, the money at which every man is valued, and all the money that comes into any man’s heart to bring into the house of Jehovah, 5 let the priests take it, every man of his acquaintance; and let them repair the breaches of the house, wherever any breach is found. v.5 How did the breaches get there (II Chron. 24:7)? These represent things that have come in to disrupt the unity in the assembly. And nice exercise (Eph. 4:3) but it must be done in God’s way. It shouldn’t replace faithfulness.

6 And it was so that in the twenty-third year of king Jehoash, the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. vv.6-9 Twenty-three years go by and nothing gets fixed. The problem was v.5. It was left up to individuals and personal friendships. Somehow the time and energy spent never redounded to the building up of the assembly – Collective issues never got solved. What was needed was a specific Collective exercise.

7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the priests, and said to them, Why have ye not repaired the breaches of the house? And now receive no money of your acquaintances, but give it for the breaches of the house. 8 And the priests consented to receive no money of the people, and that they should only repair the breaches of the house. 9 And Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of Jehovah; and the priests that kept the door put into it all the money brought into the house of Jehovah. v.9 we need to make a special effort – purpose of heart.

Step 1 – it is an exercise of priesthood (man toward God) to prepare… Getting our hearts right. see v.11

Step 2 – God’s order is to get the oversight (man toward man) involved to bring to bear god-given wisdom and guidance.

Step 3 – the final step is exercise of gift (God toward man) to carry out the ministry (pastoring, teaching prophesying, helping) which will be for the healing of the assembly.

12 and to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the breaches of the house of Jehovah, and for all that had to be laid out on the house for repairs. 13 However there were not made for the house of Jehovah basons of silver, knives, bowls, trumpets, nor any utensil of gold or utensil of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah; v.13 compare with II Chron. 24:14-17. Seems to be a contradiction, But it’s not… This verse tells us that the overseers would not divide the funds while the breaches still existed…  II Chron. tells us there was money left over which was used for these items would speak of the fine adjustments.

 

14 but they gave that to the workmen, and repaired the house of Jehovah with it. 15 And they did not reckon with the men into whose hand they gave the money to be bestowed on workmen; for they dealt faithfully. v.15 no negotiating or contractual law was needed. There was a high level of trust between the oversight and the ministers… one in aim and purpose, John 17:21.

16 The money of trespass-offerings, and the money of sin-offerings, was not brought into the house of Jehovah: it was for the priests. 17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it. And Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold found in the treasures of the house of Jehovah and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria; and he went away from Jerusalem. v.18 a lack of faith in a day of opposition leads him to “sell the truth” in exchange for peace: not only what he had bought but what he was entrusted to him from his forefathers. “His own hallowed things” – the things that the Lord gives us in our private meditation. “He went away” – This only lasted a short time. Hazael came back the second time and ravaged the land – see II Chron. 24:23-24 in fulfillment of II Kings 8:12.

19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And his servants rose up and made a conspiracy, and smote Joash in the house of Millo, at the descent of Silla. v.20 Jozachar means “Jehovah remembers”,  Shimeath means “a report”, Jozabad means  “Jehovah has bestowed”,  Shomer means “guard”

21 And Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead. v.21 the government of God for murdering Zechariah the son of Jehoiada. “With his fathers” – He lost his honored place in death with the Kings (II Chron. 24:25). Instead that honor was given to the faithful priest Jehoiada (II Chron. 24:16). Let another take his crown; Rev. 3:11.