As our nation celebrates the 79th anniversary of our nations liberation, there is a special mission that God has entrusted to us because He has protected our nation. This summer, many of our members have been all over the country preaching the gospel in devotionals and home meetings, and this is that special mission. Thank you to all the churches that have hosted these fellowships at different homes. Todays passage, Joash does something he shouldnt have done, sending all the holy items to avert the threat of an Aramean invasion. Today were going to consider what happens when he sends all the holy things.
First, all the labor is for naught.
Joash repairs the temple, but he cant repair his hearts willingness to go beyond God, and thats when Hazael invades. After Jehoiada dies, Joash trusts to his flatterers, abandons the temple of God, and worships Asherah and idols. Joash commits all sorts of sins in the first year or two of his reigns, and its amazing that he reforms for 39 years without ever truly tasting the kingdom of God. But God doesnt give up on Joash, so he sends Zechariah, the prophet of fire, the son of Jehoiada. However, he doesnt remember Jehoiadas favor and stones him to death in the temple courtyard. Still, God sends Hazael, the king of Aram, as a falcon of love and a whip of life. In a moment of crisis, Joash bribes God with the sacred offerings of his faithful ancestors without even asking. He throws away the holy offerings that had been set apart for God as if they were his own, disrespecting God and making his entire lifes labor in vain. Everything God has given us is a sacred offering, and to divorce or send them away because they are giving me a hard time is like taking scissors and cutting off a caterpillar that is about to become a butterfly. You cant cut off all of that when history has happened so that you can believe in Jesus.
Second, they are judged for their rebellion.
When the Aramean army captured Gath, Joash himself went out to lead the army, but even though his army was larger than the Aramean army, they were unable to win, because God chose to punish Joash through the Aramean army for his sin. At this point, Joash was badly wounded and fled to Jerusalem, and when the Aramean army came to attack Jerusalem, he sent all of the holy items to Hazael. This maneuver saved him for a while, but he didnt know when he would be attacked, so he took refuge in the palace of Milo, the safest underground bunker, where he was killed by two of his most trusted servants. Its a case of treason, of trusting people and having them stab you in the back.
Our problem and sorrow is that we fear people and yet, ironically, we keep trying to trust them. The names of the servants are recorded in the text: Josaphat, the son of Shemaiah, an Ammonite woman, and Jehoshaphat, the son of Sommel, a Moabite woman. So, even though their father is Israel, their mother is an Ammonite and a Moabite woman, who is said to be forever barred from the assembly of the Lord. This is how the effects of Jezebel and unfaithful marriages go down through three generations and bring curses. Taking lightly the things that God has given us in life, especially life, and trying to decide life and death according to our own will are all sins of leaving the holy things. So when we encounter unexpected rebellion, we should not be angry, but rather examine the Word to see if we have left the holy things that we have set apart to God.
Third, God still continues the redemptive story.
Joashs life seems to have been a failure, as he rebelled against his usurper Athaliah and became king, only to be killed for the treason of his vassal. In 1 Chronicles, Joash is buried in the City of David, but not in the royal tombs. However, the book of Kings doesnt tell us all of this, it just says that he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. The sin is great, the judgment is heavy, but God shows grace by covering it up because of His promise to remember the lamp of David, and then just plain stating that his son Amaziah is king. Its not because of Joashs accomplishments, its not because hes pitiful. Salvation is not works, its not merit, its just that the child of promise has this lamp that covers evil. Reformation should be a rejoicing and an end in itself. I shouldnt think that because I read the Bible that others should be changed thats Gods domain. God doesnt take the good parts of me and save me and cut off the ugly parts and send them far away. If I live in blood and stick to the church, He will hold me, keep me, and restore me.
Community confession is the testimony of a loving mother. She is a doctor, and when her son was born with a brain injury and diagnosed with autism, one of the twin boys she had obtained through in vitro fertilization, she quit her job to be a mother and worship in the temple, which had been shattered by community prescriptions. One day, as she waited for her son, who hadnt entered the worship area at the couples ranch, she remembered Sauls words to Samuel and repented that God would be pleased with her obedience to her circumstances, and her son went upstairs. One day, as she meditated on Abrahams offering of Isaac, tears poured down her face as she was persuaded by God to stop hoping her son would get better and instead live for salvation by the example of Isaac. God has since granted me the miracle of seeing my son for who he is. My son, who is very aggressive, often hits me, and whenever he does, my husband grabs him with his strength and I run away, but he must have been insecure about that, because I hugged him and said, 'No matter what, Im going to stay by your side!' and he hasnt hit me since. There are still many things I shouldnt do, but I thank God for calling me righteous and sparing my family just because I set my heart like Daniel. This is how the holy things of the Lord are to be treated.
God continues redemptive history through Joash, despite his scarlet-red sin. There is no way to describe it other than grace, and I pray that you will be one of those people who, in times of great crisis, recognize what is the bottom line of your life and interpret and decide by faith, not by character. May you recognize that you are Gods holy possession and not throw it away in any case.
