Joash; The Collapse of Borrowed Strength

The Revolutionaries

As a little child in the Junior church of Assemblies of God, I was fascinated by this story……. How can a 7 year old be king? Such a burden and loss of his childhood

The story of King Joash was one that our Sunday school teachers deployed to teach us that you are never too young to be a changemaker.

They placed it side by side with little Samuel being called by God.  Another child forced to grow up under the guidance of a mentor without his parents

Remember that royal massacre ordered by Athaliah yesterday? Recall, I mentioned that an infant grandson escaped?

That was Joash.

“But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, and wife of Jehoiada the priest, took Joash the son of Ahaziah,

because she was a sister to Ahaziah; and hid him from Athaliah so that she didn’t put him to death.

She hid him with his nurse in a bedroom inside the house of God where he remained hidden for 6 years while Athaliah ruled the land”

2 Chronicles 22:11-12

Breaking Family Patterns

Phew!

One of the reasons the Bible has always held me spellbound is because of its intrigues.

What do we have here?…..

an infant son rescued from his grandmother’s murderous intent by his paternal aunt

But why would this princess willingly butt heads with her mother for the sake of her late brother?

Wasn’t the daughter of a wicked mother supposed to be mean also?

Growing up in a political family where their only answer to political insecurity was silencing threats – real or perceived

This princess had had enough.

She seemed like a change agent who wanted to change the narrative of a family pattern of massacres.

Her own grandma Jezebel wiped out  anyone who stood in her path – prophets or wealthy landowners

Her father, as King, committed similar homicides

“When Jehoram was established as king, he annihilated all his brothers with the sword. And also, some of the princes of Egypt”  – 2 Chronicles 21:4

And now, her mother! 

“This madness stops under my watch” Jehoshabeath cried

And together with her godly husband, they committed a treasonable act which could wipe out both of them and their seeds.

Coopted into their plot, was a nanny – baby Joash’s nurse.

The Tween Who Became King

His auntie took him into her home and together with his nanny, they brought him up for the next six years. 

Thanks to his grandma’s notoriety among the populace, his presence was kept a secret from her.

Then by the 7th year, Jehoiada the High priest, risked his life and that of his family further

With the help of a tight project team,  he planned, initiated and successfully executed ‘Project Athaliah Must Go’ 

The project achieved it’s target of  installing his young protege as King. 

“But in the 7th year, Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with…..

Subsequently, under the mentorship of Jehoiada, Joash ruled as king and carried out a series of reforms.

Until age and life caught up with Jehoiada.

“But Jehoiada grew old and died when he was 130 years old”

And as the condolences poured in, some high level political delegates arrived.

“Now, after the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king.

Then the king listened to them. 

And they abandoned the house of the Lord and served the idols”

2 Chronicles 24:17

Wait!

How old was this king now? Forties.

Well, you seem as surprised as I was. With all that history behind him, Joash should know better right?

Unfortunately, the idols of our father’s house wait for us at the pinnacle of our success.

The Idols of My Father’s House: The Man Who Became What He Tore Down

When Zechariah, the new chief priest, who was Jehoiada’s son, cautioned king Joash – he had him stoned to death)

Yes, you read that right. 

There is an African proverb about the dog destined for destruction not heeding the owner’s whistle

That, was Joash. 

Like his father’s house – you silence the opposition by wiping it out

After biting the finger that fed him, his own aides found his action so repulsive that they assassinated him.

Self Sabotage is an iceberg

Joash the poster child for early promise. Rescued and hidden as a child. Crowned young. Guided by a godly mentor. His story read like a miracle.

But Joash’s righteousness was borrowed. His convictions and discipline were imitations.

When Jehoiada died, Joash’s inner scaffolding collapsed.  He had never built his own foundation.

Before you point that finger…….

Joash is us.  You. Me. Like many of us who follow influencers and leaders.

From that first internal playground – our natal home – to the outside playgrounds of Life..…..

We merely copy and repeat what we think they want to see,  so we could enter their inner circles,

But when push comes to shove, can we really defend our beliefs and values?

That, dear Reader, is the danger of leaning on people instead of growing roots. When the person leaves, your stability leaves with them.

Lesson Learned:

Joash teaches us that any structure you borrow  – values, faith, identity, beliefs, discipline – will collapse when the scaffold is gone.

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