Bible Reading: 2 Chro.24; 2 Thess 2:1-9
“For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.” – 2 Chronicles 24:24 (KJV)
In 2 Chronicles 24, we learnt Joash was the only surviving son of Ahaziah as all other children had been slain by their grand mother, Athaliah. Joash was saved by the wife of Jehoiada, the priest (2 Chron. 22:11), who kept him in the church for seven years without the knowledge of Athaliah.
When he was seven years old, the Priest, Jehoiada ensured he was made King ( 2 Chron. 23:11). He did what was right in the sight of God while Jehoiada was alive. Jehoiada taught him the ways of God and ensured he walked in the ways of God while alive. However upon the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah that served the grandmother of the king were able to gain access to Joash and he mixed with them. 2 Chronicles 24:17 (KJV) says: “Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.”
Subsequently, he forgot how he was saved by the wife of Jehoiada and how Jehoiada risked his life to enthrone him as king of Judah. He ordered the death of their son because he prophesied against the wrong doings of the people of Judah. This arose primarily because of the bad company that Joash kept after the death of Jehoiada. But God who says in Romans 12:19 (KJV): “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” avenged the death of Jehoiada’s son. 2 Chronicles 24:24 (KJV) says: “For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.” And subsequently Joash servants conspired to kill him and was not given a king’s burial.
The company that you keep will determine your destination. The bad company that Joash kept in his latter years led him astray and caused him to die uncelebrated and also to end up in hell. You need to examine yourself and ask whether you have backslided since you gave your life to Christ. What type of company are you keeping now? Do they glorify God? If not, you need to change them urgently, repent of your sins and rededicate your life to Christ.
Action point: Father help me to go back to my first love for Christ so that I can end this Christian race well in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero