Category: 2 Chronicles

What a chapter! In this chapter of 2 Chronicles, we get an overview of Joash’s life & reign. A side-bar before we get going in it… His life was summarized by God in 1 chapter and most of the chapter was about how he led God’s people. Are we living our lives for us or for God? Our lives should be focused upward not inward.

But in this overview of his life we see some things we can learn:

Age Does Not Matter To  God (v.1)

God can call anyone to make a difference. Joash was 7 years old when God placed him as King. God put great people around him like Jehoiada (the Chief Priest) to guide him and help him but have no doubt, Joash made a difference (v.4). Because of the investment he had in his life, he led up… he decided to restore the house of the Lord.

We see the same thing in 2 Timothy 4. Timothy was young but God was using him to make a difference. It does not matter what grade we are in, if we are in college if we are in adulthood… as we submit to God, God can use us to make a difference. Where has God given you influence with people? How can you lead out there? 

HINT: We all have influence with people. The question is not IF we have influence but HOW are we influencing.

Our Faith Should Affect Our Giving (v.8-14)

Joash commanded that a chest be made so people could bring offerings to restore the house of the Lord. God did not need some luxurious place to dwell. That is not what this was about. This offering was about faith and worship. God doesn’t want our wallets, he wants our hearts. He already owns everything. Everything is His. But make no mistake, our hearts talk with our wallets. We give to what we believe in. What does your giving say about your faith?

Who You Surround Yourself  With Matters (v.17-22)

The Chief Priest, and Joash’s Chief Advisor, has died. Joash did not surround himself with more Godly counsel. Princes from Judah came and led him with evil counsel. We too need people in our lives that guide us toward God and His Character. This is why discipleship and good counsel is SO important. Who are you surrounding yourself with?

Leaders Are Always Remembered By How They Finish NOT How They Start (v.23-27)

Joash has been killed and they honored him, but not as they would have. He did not bury him among the kings like they did Jehoiada. There are not many things more important in leadership than finishing well. It is what people remember. You can have a shaky start if you finish strong. Are you the kind of leader that finishes strong or weak? Why?

Well, that is 2 Chronicles 24! How did God speak to your heart through His Word? What is God asking you to do as a result of the truth of His Word?

By: Nick Parsons — Pastoral Ministry Associate – College

This chapter shows the rule and reign of King Joash who comes from the lineage of David to bring the messiah to come. We also see him lead his people back to the covenant of the Lord. Or at least it starts out this way (but more on that in future Jumpstarts). We see his rise to the throne through the leadership of Jehoiada who was a priest of the Lord and the consequences of either accepting or rejecting his rightful kingship from others involved. With the rightful reign in place, Priest Jehoiada starts reforming God’s people as they tore down Baal’s temple and started obeying the laws of the Lord once again. 

With the proper King in place, it motivated them to live for the Lord and this is just a shadow of our lives with King Jesus. Often we can’t reform our lives, ministries, or church without King Jesus ruling and reigning over us. He has all authority and Lordship over every area of our life and He’s a good and sovereign King so we can trust His rule and reign. He’s also a victorious King and conqueror so we should not be afraid to make proper reformations in those areas that need to be reformed. 

By: Erik Koliser — West Campus Pastor

At the beginning of chapter 22, we read about the short reign of Ahaziah. His leadership is certainly a negative example for us, which serves as a warning. Look what it says in verses 3-5:

³ He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly. ⁴ He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father they were his counselors, to his undoing. ⁵ He even followed their counsel and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians wounded Joram… (ESV)

It seems that Ahaziah was surrounded by people who gave him bad counsel. This reveals two main things: (1) who you surround yourself with matters. Are the people in your life leading you towards Christ or away from him? Are they marked by wisdom or foolishness? (2) The other thing it reveals is your own heart and level of wisdom. When your life is marked by being around bad people, at a certain point, you are the one that is really to blame. You are the one who is responsible for your decisions and actions, not others. So make sure that you are surrounding yourself with wise, godly people, but also realize that you are the only one to blame for your sin or bad decisions.

We see that in verse 7, his wickedness was the end of him.

⁷ But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. (ESV)

Living contrary to God’s design always has its consequences. Like Ahaziah, you could experience these consequences on earth, but even if you don’t everyone of us will have to stand before God. For those who are in Christ, we can rejoice that our sin is never so great that is beyond the reach of God’s grace. We can stand before God with a confidence found, not in ourselves, but in the finished work of Christ on the cross. For those who don’t truly know Jesus, they will receive the wages of disobedience. My encouragement is to turn to Jesus today!

By: Graham Withers — Pastoral Ministry Associate

The biggest takeaway from this passage is that sin always brings consequences. Jehoram had a great father and grandfather who led the nation of Israel in the right way. They were godly men who did right in the eyes of God, but Jehoram was not like that. We see in our passage that he is greedy and definitely fearful. He killed off all his brothers because he did not want them to overtake his throne. Because of Jehoram’s great wickedness, there are great consequences for him. Elijah prophecies what is going to happen to Jehoram (v. 14-15), and it is not good. And exactly what Elijah prophesies is what comes true. Nations come and take everything and Jehoram dies after suffering for 2 years. Jehoram wanted to be a king and thought he could do it with his own power, only to lose everything he wanted because of his wickedness. 

Sin always brings consequences. They might not be earthly consequences, but it will definitely be spiritual consequences. A famous question is, “Why do the wicked prosper?” And while we do not have the complete answer, we do know that the wicked do not prosper forever. They might achieve earthly gain, but wickedness cannot stand in the presence of God. 

For you, what sin or sins do you need to get rid of? This could be something new or something you have been struggling with for a while. Whatever it is, how can you get it out of your life? 

By: Brice Stockton — Student Ministry Apprentice