2 Chronicles 24 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

2 Chronicles 24 Short Summary:

With the help of Jehoiada the priest, Joash became a strong king in Judah. 2 Chronicles 24 documents his restoration of the Temple, and how he collected money from the people to complete the repairs. Unfortunately, after Jehoiada’s death, Joash turned from the Lord. He became so evil that he murdered Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, for rebuking him. God punished Joash and he was assassinated by his own servants.

2 Chronicles 24 Extended Summary

WHEN:

• Joash (Jehoash) was king in Judah for 40 years. His reign probably fits between the years of 880-835 B.C.

KEY CHARACTERS:

• Joash (Jehoash) – Ahaziah’s son who survived the murder of the royal family. He became king of Judah at 7 years old.

• Jehoiada – A priest who protected Joash and introduced him to the people of Judah. He was Joash’s advisor until his death. Jehoiada lived to an incredible 130 years old.

• Zechariah – The son of Jehoiada. Joash killed him for rebuking the evil Joash permitted into Judah.

WHERE:

• Jerusalem – The capital of the Kingdom of Judah and the location of God’s Temple.

OUTLINE:

• JOASH AND JEHOIADA REPAIR THE TEMPLE (24:1-14):

  • Joash became king of Judah when he was 7 years old and reigned 40 years.

  • One day, Joash decided to restore the Temple, evidently it had been neglected. We are told Athaliah’s sons broke into the Temple and took some of the holy items to use in their worship of the false god Baal.

  • Joash told the priests and Levites to go throughout their towns and collect money from the people to complete the repairs.

  • But the priests and Levities didn’t make this task a priority and they were very slow.  

  • So Joash reinstated the tax which Moses had required of the people of Israel (see Exo 30:11-16).

  • He made a box, put it in the Temple, and commanded the people of Judah to come to Jerusalem and give their offering for the upkeep of the Temple.

  • The people came gladly and contributed until an “abundance” of money was collected.

  • The money was used to pay laborers, craftsmen, and masons who “restored the house of God to its proper condition” (24:13).

• JOASH LEAVES THE LORD AFTER JEHOIADA’S DEATH (24:15-22):

  • Jehoiada lived a very long time and advised Joash in the ways of the Lord, but he died when he reached 130 years old.

  • When Joash lost his advisor, he began make some serious missteps. The princes of Judah influenced him negatively, and he left the true God to serve idols.

  • In those days, the Spirit of God filled Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, and he rebuked the nation for abandoning God.

  • The king and the people were angry at Zechariah, and Joash ordered him to be stoned.

  • “Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him…” (24:22).

• JOASH IS ASSASINATED (24:23-27):

  • God allowed a small Syrian army to win a victory over Judah and to plunder its princes.

  • After the battle, which left Joash severely wounded, Joash’s servants conspired against him and assassinated him.

  • Their motive was the blood of Zechariah, which Joash had spilled unjustly.
    

APPLICATION:

• God does not think of death the same way humans tend to think of death.

• To most humans, death is something to be feared and to be avoided as long as possible.

• But to God, it is the gateway to eternal blessing.

• Notice that it was the Spirit of God that led Zechariah to his death. Of course, God knew what was going to happen to Zechariah if he rebuked the king’s actions.

• “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15).

• Death is the pathway to a better world. God is waiting for the faithful on the other side.

• To the best of our ability, we should form our view of death in light of these truths.

• When a person dies well, it’s a beautiful thing!