The Bible presents various accounts to us that we may learn from them. One such account tells us of the story of a king named Joash. Who is he and what can we learn from him?
Before proceeding, however, it will be good for us to know that we will specifically talk about King Joash of Judah, not King Joash of Israel. These two are different from each other. We'll focus on the former, not the latter.
Who is King Joash?
Joash, king of Judah, was the youngest king in Biblical human history. He was the surviving son of Ahaziah and became king when he was seven years old (see 2 Kings 11:2).
He merely "survived" because at the time a wicked queen mother, Athaliah (who is actually the mother of Ahaziah), was killing all the possible heirs to the throne. He was rescued along with his nurse, was taken to the temple, and was hidden there for six years.
Upon reaching his seventh year, the priest who was in-charge of the temple at the time, Jehoiada, made a covenant with the people to have Joash anointed and installed as king over Judah.
Athaliah became furious at how the people had rejoiced at Joash's anointing as king over Judah, but her shouting of "treason! Treason!" had an end -- Jehoiada instructed some guards to capture her and slay her.
Joash was indeed very young when he became king, but thankfully he had Jehoiada to guide him. The Bible records that during his reign, while Jehoiada was alive and beside him to counsel him, he did what was right in God's sight:
"In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him." (2 Kings 12:1-2)
2 Kings 12 tells us of Joash's most remarkable achievement during his reign: he rebuilt the temple. He gathered money from the people so that the temple could rebuilt, but the Levites did not rebuild the temple as soon as the funds arrive. Joash had to command them to work on it.
While Joash rebuilt the temple, however, he did not tear down all the "high places" where the people worshipped and sacrificed to other gods (see 2 Kings 12:3). These remained as Joash focused on the temple.
Soon Jehoiada grew old and died. Joash used to receive counsel and instruction from Jehoiada, but soon after his death Joash started listening to the wrong people. Their words drew Joash away from God.
"Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass." (2 Chronicles 24:17-18).
Later on we read that Joash would forsake the Lord. This is a very tragic point in his life.
Now what can we learn from Joash? Here are a few.
1) God can call anyone from any age to fulfill His purpose
There's no such thing as an age limit or requirement with God. If He can install a seven-year-old kid to the throne of Israel, then He can use any of us to fulfill His purposes.
2) Godly teachers can only teach us what we want to receive.
At the start of Joash's reign, Jehoiada the priest "made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord's people, and also between the king and the people" (see 2 Kings 11:17). Joash was off to a great start: he had a God-fearing priest teaching and guiding him.
Joash, however, did not grow mature as he should have. While he did what was right in God's sight while Jehoiada was still alive, he did what displeased God soon after Jehoiada's death.
It was as if he had learned nothing from the God-fearing man who was beside him for a long time. God even sent a prophet to warn him of his error, but he wouldn't relent; he even killed Jehoiada's own son (see 2 Chronicles 24:17-22).
Our growth in God is not totally dependent on the mentors that we have. Even if we have the most God-fearing and anointed of pastors or ministers teaching us, we can still make the wrong choices and become a people that we shouldn't be.
3) We must be careful with our company and desires
Joash had good company in Jehoiada, but after the latter's death he had bad company. Sadly, he listened to them and forgot all that Jehoiada had taught him.
We must be careful in choosing who to listen to, who to be friends with. They will always influence us no matter how much we try to say they won't.
