5/14/2011 10:01:02 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Joash—shallow king PT-4(Suffering)
Bible Reading
& Meditation References: 2Kings 12:19-21; 2Chron. 24:23-27
Message of the verses: “19
Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not
written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 20 His servants arose and made a conspiracy and
struck down Joash at the house of Millo as he was going down to Silla. 21 For Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad
the son of Shomer, his servants, struck him and he died; and they buried him
with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son became king in his
place.”
“23 Now it happened at the turn of the year that
the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and
Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and
sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24 Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a
small number of men; yet the LORD delivered a very great army into their hands,
because they had forsaken
the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on
Joash. 25 When they had departed from
him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son
of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and
they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.
26 Now these are those who conspired
against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of
Shimrith the Moabitess. 27 As to his
sons and the many oracles against him and the rebuilding of the house of God,
behold, they are written in the treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah
his son became king in his place.”
There
are a number of noteworthy things that I have found in this text and I have
highlighted some of them in the text above.
Here are some of my thoughts on
these noteworthy items mentioned in the text above: The Lord brought judgment against Joash
because of his murder of Zechariah who was the son of Jehoiada the priest, but
this judgment came also because Joash forsook the Law of the Lord. The Lord sent the king of Syria against Judah
and Joash was wounded and so he was weak from his wounds when two men who were
descendants of Lot through his incestuous relationships with his daughters,
killed the king. It is worth noting that
the king was not buried with the kings of Judah, but Jehoiada was buried with
the kings of Judah.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I believe that the one thing that I have
learned from this story about Joash was that it is good to finish strong, and I
have mentioned this before. Dr. Wiersbe
comments on this section by asking if it was possible that the prophet Ezekiel
was commenting on Joash when he wrote these words in Ezekiel 18:23-32. “23
"Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked," declares
the Lord GOD, "rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
24 "But when a righteous man turns
away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the
abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds
which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has
committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die. 25 "Yet you say, ’The way of the Lord is
not right.’ Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways
that are not right? 26 "When a
righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies
because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die. 27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away
from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and
righteousness, he will save his life. 28
"Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions
which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 "But the house of Israel says, ’The way
of the Lord is not right.’ Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not
your ways that are not right?
30 ¶ "Therefore I will judge
you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord
GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity
may not become a stumbling block to you. 31
"Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have
committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you
die, O house of Israel? 32 "For I
have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies," declares the Lord GOD.
"Therefore, repent and live.’”
My Steps of
Faith for Today:
1.
Give myself to the Lord this day for worship and for
service.
2.
Continue to learn contentment.
3.
Strive to finish strong.
4.
Remember that I am in a spiritual battle and in need
of the spiritual armor.
5.
Seek the Holy Spirit to show me any sins in my life
that need to be confessed.
5/14/2011 10:26:54 AM
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