2 Kings 13:10-13 Jehoash’s Reign
This Jehoash/Joash is king of Israel. We see him begin his reign while Joash/Jehoash king of Judah is in his 37th year.
Names are swimming about in my head like a bowl full of worms. The double names reminds me of instances where co-workers had to figure out how to deal with too many ‘Daves’. Here we have too many Jehoash’s. This overlap would last for three years at which time Jehoash of Judah would be assassinated by his servants.
This Jehoash of Israel continued in the sins of all the kings before him. The sin that they all held fast to was the substitution of the bulls Jeroboam made and set up in place of the Lord. Even the king of Israel who was closest to the Lord didn’t remove this sin from the people and the land. Baal came and went several times but the bulls remained until the bitter end.
We don’t get to see much of his acts in our reading today but we will see more tomorrow. For today we get the brief ‘once over’ of his reign. He was not a godly king. He worshiped the false gods, including the golden calves. But he is put in this place of leadership by the hand of the Lord. The Lord uses him as the savior he promised to Jehoahaz. God is ALWAYS faithful.
I honestly have nothing more interesting to say about this Joash/Jehoash without spoiling what lies ahead. I’m going to leave us here, poised for what lies between the bookend verses of his life; “He became king” and “He was buried with his fathers.”
Father God, help me keep the ‘characters’ straight. Help me also be patient and stay with the pace and pattern You have set. For today it is nice because of all the activity that came earlier in the day. I need the rest. But don’t let me gloss over areas that look like a synopsis. ALL scripture is profitable.
