Do you recall what you were doing at age 7? Imagine being sovereign of the Lord’s own land!
Joash was an infant when put into hiding with his nursemaid in the temple. Six years later, he was crowned king. Thus we read the astonishing fact that “Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem” (2 Chron 24:1). We also discover that “his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.” We aren’t told what influence she had on him, but perhaps she had a part in naming him Joash, meaning “given by the Lord.” We do know that he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” (v 2). That’s both encouraging and a little ominous. It would have been much better if the sentence concluded, “all the days of his life.” But we’re getting way ahead of the story. Let’s enjoy the following: “Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the Lord” (v 4). He then set about, in spite of initial inertia, to raise funds from the people to finance the repair of the temple. Soon “all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given” (v 10). The craftsmen applied their skills, “and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it” (v 13). And it was all under budget! So from the excess “they made…articles for the house of the Lord, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver” (v 14). Again a note of triumph that is just a little off-key: “And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada.” Clearly this is a problem still with us—disciples whose loyalty extends only to men rather than to the Master. Let’s be like John who, in losing all his disciples to Jesus, could say, “Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled” (Jn 3:29).