As all the sons of Jehoram lay dead in a heap, their sister Jehoiada went to the pile and saw a small baby laying under his brothers, with life still in that little body. She took that baby home and with her husband Jehoiada, the chief priest at the Temple, raised that infant. For seven years they kept it a closed secret as to who this child was, for the sake of keeping him alive, and out of the sight of Queen Athaliah. This little child's name was Joash, and he was raised under the laws of God in the Temple, and under the direction of the chief priest.

Remember that the bloodlines of the kings of Israel and Judah mixed through the forced marriages between the children of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel, and Jehoshaphat of Judah. Ahab, the son of Omri, was forced to marry Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Tyre, of the Kenites. Queen Athaliah was the granddaughter of king Ethbaal, and the ways of Ethbaal were her ways. She was a Baal worshippers who sought to kill off the prophets and God, and stop the worship in the Temple. She was a murderer and her ways were the ways of Satan.

So with this in mind lets start the chapter.

II Chronicles 24:1 "Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beer-sheba."

Notice that this verse establishes that fact that Joash's right to rule was though Jehoram was his father. Joash's mother was not of the Kenites from Ahab and Jezebel, but a woman of Judah of the lineage of David. Joash came to the throne of Judah as a small child during the twenty first year of Jehu's reign over Israel. Joash reigned through last seven years of the reign of Jehu. He was on the throne of Judah all seventeen years of Jehoahaz reign, and sixteen years of Jehoash reign over Israel.

II Chronicles 24:2 "And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest."

Joash was raised by Jehoiada, and Joash knew the laws of God. He was brought up to understand what is right in the sight of the Lord. As long as Jehoiada was there to guide him, Jehoiada saw to it that Joash had good counsel and followed the ways of the Lord.

II Chronicles 24:3 "And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters."

Remember that the bloodline of David was almost extinct because of the murderous actions of Queen Athaliah. She murdered all those sons that were part of that bloodline. Jehoiada saw to it that Joash would have sons, many sons, and this would build up that bloodline again.

II Chronicles 24:4 "And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord."

Joash grew up with the temple his home. He knew the condition of the structure even as a child, for his father overseeing him was the high priest Jehoiada. "Joash was minded", meaning he was fully aware of those things that needed to be attented to.

II Chronicles 24:5 "And he gathered together the priests and Levites, and said to them, "Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter." Howbeit the Levites hastened it not."

Many years had passed since the building of the Temple, and it was in a run down state. This Temple of the Lord was the only house that Joash had know as he was growing up. It was more than a church, but his house, his play area, and he knew all areas of this structure. So what is strange about what happened here is that it was Joash the king, not the high priest that is asking for the restoration of the Temple, the house of the Lord.

II Kings 12:4, 5 "And Jehoash [Joash] said to the priests, "All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh int any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord," [4] "Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found."  [5]

The Temple had become old and falling apart, and even the mortar and stones needed attention. Remember that the priests of Baal built their own altars and places of worship, and completely left the house of the Lord alone, and unattended. Many of the vessels and furniture from the temple was either missing or broken, and Joash knew the entire condition that the house of the Lord had fallen into. The "breaches" were actual holes in the walls of the structure. This was Joash's early home, and he wanted it fixed.

II Chronicles 24:6 "And the king called for Jehoiada the chief and said unto him, "Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?"

Jehoiada knew the condition of the Temple, the house of the Lord, but it was something common to him, sort of like how we let things happen to our houses that we are living in, when problems develop right before our eyes. Now the king of Judah is calling the High priest Jehoiada before him, and telling Jehoiada outright to collect the money and get the job done. Fix those things that needed to be fixed, and replace those things that are missing.

II Chronicles 24:7 "For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim."

These sons of Queen Athaliah that ruled Judah for six years kill all the sons of the king. However they overlooked Joash, that little year old baby that lay in the bottom of the heap of his dead brothers. It was these Baal worshippers that broke into the house of God and tore things up and brought the things of God to the temple of Baal, after there mother Athaliah had been killed out behind the horse gate.

II Chronicles 24:8 "And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the house of the Lord."

Notice that the king ordered this chest to be made, and placed outside of the house of the Lord. This chest would be for the people who wanted the house of the Lord to be rebuild to contribute what God laid on their hearts.

II Chronicles 24:9 "And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness."

After the money chest was in place in front of the Temple, the king then made the proclamation of what the chest was for, and where it was located. This was the same order that Moses made to the children of Israel when they were in the wilderness. Moses had the plans in hand for the construction of the Tabernacle, the furniture and vessels to be used within the Tabernacle.

Joash is bringing to the people hearts and minds that it is time to get back to the Lord, just as Moses did back in the wilderness to the Israelites. He is bringing back to the people the ways that God laid out to Moses that He should be approached, and who and where those offerings should be made by and through. Remember back when the Temple was completed by Solomon? All the people came together to make their offerings to the Lord on the altar of God.

I Chronicles 6:49 "But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded."

Joash wanted his people to get back to the ways of the Lord and away from the practices of Baal that were running wild in the land of Judah. We will see later that this action came directly from the counsel of Jehoiada the High priest.

II Chronicles 24:10 "And all the princes and all the People rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end."

When the people heard the king telling this man of God that raised him, the High priest Jehoiada, to stop taking money for themselves and use it to make repairs in the Temple; the people loved it and got behind the rebuilding project. Joash told the people to give that money to the carpenters, mortar mixers, and other repairmen to get the job done. When the chest was there, the money came pouring in.

II Chronicles 24:11 "Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance."

At the end of the day, the chest was brought to the king, emptied and brought back to the front of the Temple for the next day. It was full and day after day the people gave and gave. "Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance." Did you get what is happening here? The people want the Temple worship restored, and they freely gave for the sake of worshipping YHVH and pleasing our heavenly Father.

The Temple today is the many membered body of Christ, each member is a stone neatly fit to make up that Temple. When you look at the condition of the body of Christ today, it is just as that Old Temple of Jerusalem, with its mortar or truths of the Scriptures falling out, stones that once neatly fit to bind up the body of Christ drifting into all sorts of heathen traditions and worldly ways. The shepherds in charge of their flocks have become more concerned about their pockets and pensions or what ever is on their lists, than presenting the Word of God. King Joash is trying to shape his people up and they are listening to the kings proclamations. Paul talked about this body of Christ of the New Testament church in Romans 12.

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Each member of the body of Christ, the "called out ones", or church are called here by Paul to present themselves a holy and living sacrifice, that is acceptable to our Heavenly Father. This is what is expected of you as a Christian. If you claim to be of Christ and a follower of Christ then do those things that Jesus commanded us to do. Remember today that you are one stone in that Temple of today. When stones start coming out of that Temple wall, then breaches come, and the Temple soon falls apart.

Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

There is a start for each stone to be cut and formed to fit into that wall, and in today's Temple it all starts by each Christian transforming his mind and thinking to conform to what the Word of God teaches, not what is acceptable to this world age around us. When we pray and seek the will of God for our lives, then that is what is acceptable to Him.

Romans 12:3 "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."

"Think Soberly, According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Your faith is not the same as mine or even those of your family members. God gives you a measure of faith and that is what you act upon. He gives you a gift that is different than mine and the other members of the body of Christ. You are expected to use those talents that God has given you. The thing that make this Temple of God so perfect is when each person, each stone of the Temple is fit neatly in place. God is the one that deals the faith, gives out the talents, and makes the Temple form as it should, according to God good and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

The rest of this chapter of Romans 12 deals with those gifts that each of us have, and our willingness to use them, and turn our problems over to Him to take care of.

Romans 12:20, 21 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." [20] "Be not overcome with evil but overcome evil with good." [21]

This is the way of our Lord Jesus Christ, and those that are part of the body of Christ.

II Chronicles 24:12 "And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord."

Notice that there is no accounting to where this money went, or how it was spent, for each mason and carpenter did his work. Each craftsman took from the fund exactly what was needed, and no more or less. Each iron and brass worker took his share, and did the work unto the Lord, and the Temple came together as it was before. They were focused to do the work to the praise and the will of God.

In those days, God gave man the process for approaching him, and there were animal sacrifices, and offerings of incense that were made unto the Lord. At the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, those blood ordinances were done away with, for Hebrews 10:1 - 10 gives us in detail each part of the "first"; which was those blood sacrifices of animals; and how they were done away with at the "second", which was when our Lord shed his blood on the cross. Those blood sacrifices of bulls, sheep and goats continued each year, year after year, "for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."

Hebrews 10:9, 10 "Then said He, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second." [9] "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [10]

Once our Lord gave up the Spirit of His fleshly physical body, that need for annual sacrifices of any animals was taken away. That was "the first" spoken of here. "The Second" is the offering of the body of Jesus Christ on the cross, and that offering was made only once. When you come to YHVH Father "in Jesus name", you are stating your faith and claiming the blood of Christ on those sins you have committed. There is no need to go back and hash over those sins any more for they are forgiven in the eyes of God and gone forever. However, today many Christians like to hang on to their sins even after they have been repented, and that is wrong. Don't allow others to mess over your mind with repented sins. Repent of them in Jesus name, and go on with your life.

II Chronicles 24:13 "So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it."

II Chronicles 24:14 "And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the house of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada."

Here was a work project that came to a conclusion, and there was still a lot of money left over after the job. So what did they do with the money? They used it to strengthen their faith, buy those thing necessary to minister to the people. At that time it was spoons, vessels of silver and gold to perform those duties of the Temple. But today it is for the use of whatever is necessary to strengthen the faith of the members of the body of Christ. Notice that as long as Jehoiada, the high priest, the mentor of the king was alive, God was first in the kingdom. The Temple and the worship of God as Moses directed it to be, went forth.

II Chronicles 24:15 "But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died."

When Jehoiada died he was one hundred and thirty [130] years old, and a full generation had grown up under the leadership of Jehoiada the high priest, and their king Joash. Jehoiada was born in Solomon's reign and he saw the Temple in its prime as a boy. This age of Jehoiada was unprecedented since Joshua's day.

II Chronicles 24:16 "And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward His house."

This honor that Jehoiada received was greater than most of the other kings, even than received later by king Joash.

II Chronicles 24:17 "Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them."

Now that Jehoiada was dead and in the tomb, many of these princes of Judah came to king Joash, and pleaded with him to allow the renewal of the idolatry of the past. With all the good that Joash did, Joash listened to them and allowed their idolatry to take place.

II Chronicles 24:18 "And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass."

Like a bunch of hogs running to the slop, there went Judah back into the filth of idolatry. They brought back the sex orgies of the groves of old murderous Queen Athaliah, and the prophets of Baal that had been in hiding for the many years. It seems like Israel, Judah and all the Israelite nation down through history find pleasure in allowing Satan's kids [the Kenites] to tell them what to do, and how to do it. It was never more true than today.

Do you think God is pleased with any nation that likes to turn their back on Him and His ways? Turn your bible to Deuteronomy 28, and start reading from verse 14: for this is God's promise to any nation of those curses He will bring upon them. Stop and look at everything from the climate; to the land; of the sickness brought on the people, to the pestilence that comes our way. Pestilence brings on the need for the chemicals for treatment that are polluting our water systems, and tearing down our immune systems within our bodies. As you spend some time going over the blessings and cursings, remember that this was promised by God to those people and nations that sought to go away from the laws and ways of God. This applies even to our nation today, just as it applied to Joash's day.

II Chronicles 24:19 "Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear."

After the door to these heathen religious practices were opened, God sent his prophets to the people to plead with them, but the people would not listen to them. It doesn't take long to drift away from what is right, and back into the ways of the world.

II Chronicles 24:20 "And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the People, and said unto them, "Thus saith God, `Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath also forsaken you.' "

The Zechariah given here is not the writer of the book of Zechariah, for his father was Berechiah, the son of Iddo also a prophet. Things were starting to fall apart in Judah, and Zechariah, the high priest and prophet of God came to the people and reminded them of God's commandments, laws and what would happen to those that transgressed against those laws. The people were finding pleasure in those ways of the Kenites, of Baal, and the sex orgies of the groves, and they wanted nothing to do with Zechariah, God, or the Temple.

It is important that you remember this, for it is the key to a successful life. "BECAUSE YE HAVE FORSAKEN THE LORD, HE HATH ALSO FORSAKEN YOU." Did you understand that? If you forsake the ways of the Lord, then don't expect the hand of the Lord to protect you in any manner. The people heard these words of Zechariah and the people didn't like what they heard. Just as the people of today don't like to hear the Ten Commandments, that abortion is murder, that the filth of sodomy [homosexual acts] is against all of God's ways and His law. If you practice sodomy, then expect the consequences of that act, we call it Aids, the breaking down of the body immune system and ending in death. You make the choice and God tells you in His Word what the results will be for that choice. There is forgiveness at the cross for all of these sins.

II Chronicles 24:21 "And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king, in the court of the house of the Lord."

The people heard Zechariah and they didn't like it. The people did then just as they are doing today, they are conspiring to come against those that preach the truth from God's Word. Expect it my friend, if you call attention to sin, those doing that sin will want to do to you just what these people of Judah did to Zechariah; stone him to death. How far has Joash fallen since Jehoiada died. King Joash is no longer that sweet little boy that took the throne at the age of seven, that rebuild the Temple and temple worship, and brought the people back to God, but he gave the commandment to stone Zechariah. Remember Joash was raised with Zechariah as his brother, they were brought up both in the Temple under the laws of God, yet Joash now is giving the order to kill Zechariah.

When Jesus was confronted by the Kenite scribes and Pharisees in Luke 11:47-51, He reminded those Kenites of what their fathers had done to the prophets of old, and called attention to this fact in Luke 11:51; "Form the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation." A Kenite is an offspring of Cain, who was the son of Satan through the womb of Eve. Jesus addressed this fact directly in John 8:44.

John 8:44 "Ye [the Kenite Pharisees and scribes standing before Jesus] are of your father the devil [Satan], and the lusts of your father [Satan] ye [the Kenites scribes and Pharisees] will do. He [Cain] was a murderer from the beginning [Genesis 4:8-12], and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him [Cain]. When he [Cain] speaketh a lie, he [Cain] speaketh of his own [Satan]: for he [Satan] is a liar, and the father of it [lies].

Jesus is telling His people to wake up to who these Kenites are that present themselves as of Judah, when in fact they are not. Do your own studies, and stop allowing them to do your thinking for you. Sure the Kenites were the scribes that wrote these books of Chronicles, but we are attempting to put things in proper focus with the books of Kings and Samuel. Joash allowed the sons of Athaliah [Kenites] to take over his thinking after Jehoiada died, and all sorts of wickedness came back into Judah, just as it is doing today.

II Chronicles 24:22 "Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, "The Lord look upon it, and require it."

As you read through this, remember that Paul warned us in I Corinthins 10:11 that these things we read of in the Scriptures were "ensamples", or warning of how it shall be in the time of the end. Jesus told us in Mark 13:11, 12;

Mark 13:11 "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost [Spirit]"

Like Zechariah, the king allowed him to be brought forth to speak, and Joash did not like those words that Zechariah spoke. Those of the elect that chose to follow the will and way of the Lord will be delivered up to speak. And when you are delivered up, have the faith to know that the Holy Spirit of God will be there to place the words in your mouth and mind that should be spoken. Don't even think about it now, for there is nothing that you can do to prepare yourself for that moment in time of meeting those supernatural powers of Satan.

Mark 13:12 "Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death."

Joash and Zechariah were brothers that claimed the same man as their father. Yet here they are, with one brother planning the death of his brother. Though this is aimed at the spiritual death of the soul, for in these end times, the brother that thinks he is doing right will think Satan is the true Christ. In his mind he will think it is a righteous act to betray his brother to Satan. Satan will be sitting portraying himself as God in Jerusalem with his supernatural powers to deceive you.

Mark 13:13 "And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

In these latter days, it will not be popular to claim the name of Christ; and when people hear you are a Christian, they will not want to hear what you say, or be around you. These are things that we should expect to see.

II Chronicles 24:23 "And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the People from among the People, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus."

Do you think for one moment that God is going to allow Judah and Joash to go unpunished for the murder of His prophet Zechariah? This host of Syrian, led by the king of Damascus are God's army coming against Judah for their great sin of turning their back to His laws and commandments, and killing the prophet that He sent to them. All the blessings that Judah gained by following the Lord under the direction of Jehoiada were lost and taken back to Syria.

II Chronicles 24:24 "For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash."

Remember Joash built a strong army of men, and it took only a small company of men from Syria to defeat them. Don't miss why they lost: "the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their father." What is the first thing you do when you lose a war? You execute your leader, and blame everything but the real cause. This is the Kenite way. Apply this to any war, even what is to happen in these end times.

II Chronicles 24:25 "And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings."

Even the kings servants conspired against Joash for death command he ordered down to his own brother, Zechariah. As Joash lay on his bed in great disease, his servants came in and killed him. They never gave him a burial with the other kings of Judah, but put him out with the remains of the common people.

II Chronicles 24:26 "And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Mobitess."

Though these two were slaves, they were executioners of God judgment on Joash for his wickedness against Jehoiada the priest and his sons.

II Chronicles 24:27 "Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in his stead."

We read of what this king of Syria put upon Judah in II Kings 12:18; "And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers kings of Judah had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem."

Because of the wickedness of Joash, God stripped Jerusalem and Judah of the wealth of their nation, including those items that were dedicated to the Lord. Because of the wickedness going on in our nation, stop and take a look at the wealth being stripped from our land, the borders coming down, and the things once loved and held dear are being mocked and scoffed at. God will judge our land, our leaders, and especially those shepherds of His flock that are turning their backs to His Word, and instructions, and allowing the people to drift back into the ways of Baal.