Sermon Outline

Sermon Outline February 13, 2006

INTRODUCTION
Joash’s story is an ironic tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions. His reign begins well, with a dramatic and surprising renewal of the Davidic line, and he pays his dues by repairing the temple. Before the end of his life, he loots the very temple he has repaired.

THE TEXT
“In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba . . . . ” (2 Kings 12:1-21).


NEW SOLOMON
Like Solomon, Joash works on the temple; the word “house” appears in nearly every verse of this chapter. The craftsmen hired to work on temple repairs are similar to the workmen hired by Solomon for the original construction (1 Kings 5:13-28, 6:7; 2 Kings 12:11-12), though both Joash and Solomon are criticized for tolerating high places (1 Kings 3:2; 2 Kings 12:3). Yet, Joash is no Solomon, or he is Solomon both in his faithfulness and in his defection. Joash keeps to the ways of Yahweh only so long as Jehoiada is there to guide him (12:2; 2 Chronicles 24:2). While Solomon’s wisdom is displayed in his smooth administration of the temple building project, Joash has difficulty getting the priests to do their work (v. 7). Solomon’s temple was full of gold and silver, but Joash’s workmen make nothing of silver or gold (v. 13). Solomon prayed that Yahweh would deliver when His people pray toward the temple (1 Kings 8), but when he’s threatened by the Arameans Joash buys relief by plundering the temple rather than praying toward the temple’s Lord.

SACRED THINGS FOR THE HOUSE
The text gives a great deal of attention to the sources of funding for the temple repair. The word “silver” (“money”) is used 14 times in the chapter. The money is raised from “sacred things,” that is, everything donated to the priesthood and temple. This would include money used to redeem first-born animals (Exodus 13:1ff), the “levy” that Moses imposed (2 Chronicles 24:6; Exodus 30:11-16), donated property and persons (Leviticus 27), and freewill offerings (Exodus 35:2, 22, 29; 1 Chronicles 29:1-9). The emphasis on gathering material suggests parallels with Moses (who assembled the materials for the tabernacle) and David (who gathered the raw materials for the temple). Joash gathers little. He makes nothing of gold and silver (v. 13), which means that he is not restoring the temple to its pristine glory. The problem is that the priests are unfaithful and incompetent (vv. 6-7), and Joash has to go searching for men who will actually carry out the work (v. 15). Something more than mismanagement and incompetence was to blame. The workmen are faithful, but the priests (like those of Jesus’ day) are greedy graspers.

CONSPIRACY
The latter part of Joash’s reign becomes so intolerable that his own people conspire against him and overthrow him. 2 Chronicles 24 fills in the picture, showing a Joash who has become a paranoid Solomon, an Ahab, a Herod (vv. 15-22), who persecutes prophets. The Davidic house is restored, but the Davidic house is still heading for disaster. Soon, Gentiles will plunder the house more thoroughly than Joash does.


Browse Our Archives