LIVING WITH COURAGE
Week 8: Courage to Build for the Future
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 Beersheba. And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and daughters. And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and the 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. 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? 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. And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord. 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. And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. 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. 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. So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it. 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.
INTRODUCTION
“But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the
son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain;
and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah,
so that he was not slain. 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord
six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.” (2 Kings 11:2-3)
1. A
“And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of
the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 24:4)
A. Gives
“Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of
him that sent me, and to finish his work. 35 Say not ye, There
are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say
unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are
white already to harvest.” (John 4:34-35)
B. Involves the
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
“And he gathered together the priests and the 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 se
that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.”
(2 Chronicles 24:5)
“It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to
send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” (Acts 15:25-26)
2. A
A. It was a
“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be
received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And
sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into
a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they
did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go
to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51-53)
JOASH CONFRONTED THE LEADERS
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?”
(2 Chronicles 24:6)
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
JOASH CONSTRUCTED A METHOD
“And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it
without at the gate of the house of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 24:8)
Quote: “The throwing of money into a chest, through a hole
in the lid of it, was a way that had not been used before, and
perhaps the very novelty of the thing made it a successful
expedient for the raising of money.” — Matthew Henry
Quote: “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If
you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
B. It was a
“And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem,
to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant o
God laid upon Israel in the wilderness.” (2 Chronicles 24:9
“And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of
Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of
the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children
of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.”
(Exodus 30:16)
3. A
“And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough
for the service of the work, which the Lord commanded to make. 6 And Moses
gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the
camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the
offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing. 7 For
the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.”
(Exodus 36:5-7)
A. The
“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted
by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the
body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16)
B. The
“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. 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.”
(2 Chronicles 24:12-13)
“And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the money
efore the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for th
ouse of the Lord, even vessels to minister, and to offer witha
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.” (2 Chronicles 24:14)
“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)