Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20070506.htm

1 AND 2 CHRONICLES: GAINING DIRECTION OUT OF THE AIMLESSNESS OF APOSTASY
Part V: Gaining Direction From God's Work In The Rest Of Judah's Davidic Dynasty, 2 Chronicles 13-36
H. Heeding Our Godly Forerunners Over Ungodly Colleagues
(2 Chronicles 24:17-27)
  1. Introduction
    1. We often hear of a "need" for believers to have fellowship with members of their own generation.
    2. Actually, spiritual fellowship transcends the generations, for "Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and today, and forever," Hebrews 13:8. This lesson becomes abundantly clear in the latter days of king Joash:
  2. Heeding The Guidance Of Godly Forerunners Over Ungodly Colleagues, 2 Chronicles 24:17-27.
    1. We noted in our last lesson that Joash did right as long as Jehoiada was alive, 2 Chronicles 24:2.
    2. However, following the death of the godly high priest Jehoiada who had marvelously worked to rear Joash from infancy and bring him to the throne, Joash went into sin:
      1. After Jehoiada's death, Judah's officials, Joash's colleagues of his generation, paid him homage, and influenced him to depart from the worship of God to promote pagan idol worship, 2 Chron. 24:17, 18a.
      2. This contrasted with the efforts of forerunner Jehoiada and his wife who had saved Joash in infancy from Athaliah's purge and set him on David's throne and reformed Judah of its idolatry, 22:10-24:16.
    3. Accordingly, God's wrath came against Judah and Jerusalem for this apostasy, 2 Chronicles 24:18b.
    4. However, that wrath did not fall until God had sent prophets to testify of their sin and the king and his subjects would still not repent, 2 Chron. 24:19. One such prophet was the son of the deceased Jehoiada named Zechariah: the Holy Spirit came upon him, moving him to stand above the temple worshipers and condemn them to judgment for turning from God, 24:20. This was a clear attempt by God to urge Joash to recall his need to heed the direction of his godly forerunner, the now deceased Jehoiada!
    5. Rather than repent, Judah's leaders and Joash conspired against Zechariah, and martyred him in the court of the Lord's temple between the altar and the temple, 2 Chronicles 24:21 with Luke 11:51.
    6. 2 Chronicles 24:22a noted the contrast between Joash's killing of Jehoiada's son versus the good Jehoiada had shown Joash. So, as he lay dying, Zechariah said, "May the Lord see and avenge!" (24:22b ESV)
    7. In answer to Zechariah's dying prayer, God's wrath fell in just recompense on all involved, 24:23-27:
      1. First, since the officer colleagues of Joash had led him to depart from God, the Lord let the hosts of Syria invade Judah and Jerusalem, destroying all these leaders and sending the spoil of their goods to Damascus, 2 Chron. 24:23 with 24:17-18. This happened though the Syrians had a small army, for God delivered Judah into their hand in judgment for forsaking Him as their God, 2 Chronicles 24:24.
      2. Second, the Syrians left Joash badly wounded, and he was killed by others as he lay helpless on his bed, 2 Chronicles 24:25a NIV. Recalling Joash had been saved in infancy from Athaliah's purge by being kept safe in "a room where mattresses and couches were stored" (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to 2 Kings 11:2), this murder of Joash on his own bed as a helpless adult was suitable judgment for his failure to respect the work of godly Jehoiada who had saved his life as an infant!
      3. Third, dying as he lay badly injured was a fitting judgment for Joash in accord with the prayer of the dying Zechariah as he lay dying badly injured due to Joash's murder of him, 2 Chron. 24:25a; 24:22b.
      4. Fourth, Joash was buried in the city of David, but not with the kings as was godly Jehoiada, a fitting contrast of the two men due to Joash's failure to stay with Jehoiada's godly guidance, 24:25b, 15-16.
      5. Fifth, Joash's death came by sons of pagan women, a fitting end to a man who failed to honor his own deliverance by Jehoiada's wife from pagan queen Athaliah's purge, 2 Chron. 24:26; 22:10-11; 21:6.
      6. Sixth, Joash's death by the servants of his own palace is a fitting end to a man who dishonored the son of the man Jehoiada who had been a wonderful father figure to him, 2 Chronicles 24:21-22 with 24:26.
      7. Seventh, Joash's death resulted from a conspiracy, a fitting end for a king who had been complicit with a conspiracy against Jehoiada's son, Zechariah, 2 Chronicles 24:25-26 versus 2 Chronicles 24:21!
Lesson: For neglecting the godly kindness and good teaching of forerunner Jehoiada for the godless guidance of his colleagues, Joash and his colleagues were punished by God in just recompense!

Application: God's righteousness is TIMELESS, so God expects us to HEED the godly leading of the forerunners in our dispensation even of former generations versus turning from it to error in our day!