“But after Jehoiada’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!” Then the leaders plotted to kill Zechariah, and King Joash ordered that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. That was how King Joash repaid Jehoiada for his loyalty—by killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died were, “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!” In the spring of the year the Aramean army marched against Joash. They invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the nation. Then they sent all the plunder back to their king in Damascus. Although the Arameans attacked with only a small army, the Lord helped them conquer the much larger army of Judah. The people of Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, so judgment was carried out against Joash. The Arameans withdrew, leaving Joash severely wounded. But his own officials plotted to kill him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest. They assassinated him as he lay in bed. Then he was buried in the City of David, but not in the royal cemetery. The assassins were Jozacar, the son of an Ammonite woman named Shimeath, and Jehozabad, the son of a Moabite woman named Shomer. The account of the sons of Joash, the prophecies about him, and the record of his restoration of the Temple of God are written in The Commentary on the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became the next king.”
2 Chronicles 24:17-27 NLT
We do not know what cements godly men away from being ungodly. In the case of Joash, it seems that the death of Jehoida was some catalyst that he could not overcome. Perhaps he was grief-stricken? Perhaps he was without an anchor, and this is why he was so quickly led astray? What we do know is that two things are true. The first is that a godly man without his eyes upon God is one bad day away from becoming unfaithful. No matter how committed or genuine he may have been, he is a human, finite being. Humans are easily swayed. Adam was swayed out of a perfect state into sin. So might we be if we don’t keep our eyes on God. Secondly, God gave him the prophet Zechariah. God did not simply abandon him to his unfaithfulness. Instead, he warned him to turn back to him, but Joash refused. Though man is finite, God is consistent. It is ultimately an unfortunate and cautionary tale for ministry and legacy. What was once so strong can easily be torn down so quickly. All we can do is continue to teach those in our care to keep their eyes on God. Even when we are gone, we must demand and encourage them to stay faithful until their time is also over, lest they too become a sad end to a beautiful life.
Importance of Godly Influence: The death of Jehoida, a godly influence, led Joash astray, highlighting the impact of mentorship and guidance.
Human Susceptibility to Sin: Even committed individuals are vulnerable to unfaithfulness if they lose focus on God, emphasizing the need for continuous spiritual vigilance.
God’s Faithfulness and Human Responsibility: God consistently warns and guides, as seen with the prophet Zechariah, but individuals must choose to obey and remain faithful.
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