2 Kings – Bible Lesson 16.
For your thoughts.
2 Kings – Bible Lesson 16.
Joash Who Forgot Gratitude.
To read: 2 Kings Chapter 12.
This chapter should be read together with 2 Chronicles Chapter 24 in order to understand the full account of Joash.
When Joash was a child, he was saved from the murderous plot of his grandmother Athaliah by Jehosheba. She was the sister of Ahaziah, Joash’s father. Jehosheba’s husband was Jehoiada, the priest. It was this couple who killed Athaliah and placed Joash on the throne.
When Joash became king, he was only seven years old. He ruled for forty years. From that young age, Jehoiada mentored him spiritually, gave him counsel to govern the kingdom wisely, and protected the nation. Jehoiada served as his tutor, mentor, and spiritual guide. He even arranged both of Joash's marriages.
As long as Jehoiada was alive, Joash ruled well and walked in the ways pleasing to the Lord.
Joash’s reign remained good while Jehoiada lived.
However, after Jehoiada’s death, Joash listened to his officials, built idol groves, and worshipped idols. Because of this, the Lord sent His servants to warn him, but Joash would not listen.
Finally, the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, and he warned Joash. But the king became enraged and, forgetting the kindness Jehoiada had shown him, ordered Zechariah to be killed. As Zechariah lay dying, he said,
“May the Lord see this and call you to account.” – 2 Chronicles 24:22
Eventually, the same officials whose words Joash had listened to—those responsible for turning him away from God—killed him in his bed.
It is about the death of this Zechariah that our Lord Jesus Christ referred to in His sermon many centuries later. (Luke 11:51)
Lessons we can learn from this event:
1.God’s children should never forget the good others have done for them.
2.A person who is ungrateful to people can never be truly thankful to God.
3. One who forgets the good done to him is equal to a beast.
4. He who kicks away the ladder after climbing it will never be able to fulfill God’s will.
5. We reap what we sow.
When we are ungrateful to others, God allows similar circumstances to arise in our own lives. He who lives by the sword will die by the sword.
6.A good beginning does not guarantee a good ending.
7. Gratitude is one of the noble spiritual virtues. In today’s spiritual world, gratitude is a quality that must be diligently sought and cultivated.
– Ezekiel Shanmugavel