Jesus is my Salvation

2nd Chronicles 24

Joash was only 7 years old when he began to reign and as a young boy he starts out pretty good. In verse 2 we read that he did was good in the eyes of the Lord. He was surrounded by a godly leader, the priest Jehoiada. The truth is he started out good but took a turn for the worst when he became older. It is sad when you read the story, think of his potential, and then a weak finish. When you read this chapter please take notes.

Joash Starts out Good

We see Joash not only doing what is good in the eyes of the Lord but he also wanted to repair the temple, the place of the Lord. He was reinstating worship of the Lord. It seems as if this king of Judah was doing good. The last one, Ahaziah, did not do so good. He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked as king Ahab walked. We do not know how many years may have passed but we do know things changed for Joash.

In verse 2 we see somewhat of a hint to what will happen. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of priest Jehoiada. In was not in all the days of his life but in the days of another. Jehoiada did good and lived a long time but after he died, Joash stopped serving the Lord. He actually had Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah killed. He went completely the opposite of how he lived before. In verse 17 we see that the king listened to the words of his fellow princes and abandoned the Lord and stopped following after him.

What Happened?

It is sad when I would see young men and women praise the Lord and follow after him when they are younger but somewhere down the road whether they start college or their sphere of influence, they stop and abandon following after the Lord. Many times if they leave their house, they start living for themselves and the world and we see a prodigal son or daughter.

This section shows us that people base their relationship with God because someone else may be saved. Some base it on their parents, or friends; but there it is not individual. Paul told the Philippian church to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. In Philippians 2:12-13- work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. It does not matter who in your family asked God for forgiveness and believes in Jesus for you to get to heaven. You can not grab on to them and follow them into heaven. When you die, you alone will be faced with either you know Jesus as Lord and Savior or you do not! Joash only served God as Jehoiada was alive but when he left he followed after other things. God needs to be out pillar, our rock, and our salvation not someone. When a godly person leaves it should cause us to fan the flame of our salvation (2nd Timothy 1:6) and not turn away.