The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-21

Kings IL; 21-I2: I6.
Jehoiada was distinguished for a
remarkable shrewdness which he haC
consecrated to Jehovah. 1t was doubt
less his brain that developed the plan
to save the babe Joash from the mas
sacre. 1t was he who planned the
magnificent stroke which iii one day
swept the throne of Israel OF It's pa
gan usurper and filled 1t with it's only
rightfui hcir 1t was he who foresaw
the enthusiasm which the coronation
of young Joash would awaken, and
pl@pned to use this outburst III the
destruction of the temple of Baal at
Jerusalem And 1t was because ne
was the power behind the throne tina.
Joash did right in the sight of the
Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada,
the high priest. instructed him" The
work Of the restoration of the wor-
ship of Jehovah seems to have occu-
pied the heart and energies of Jehoi-
ada the rest OF his life. for when he
died they buried him among the kings,
because he had done good III Israel
both toward God and toward his
house e Chron. "a i61. This good
work included the renewal of the tenn
PIE the account of which forms our
present lesson.
The Temple.
The temple had been repeatedly
! plundered~--once by Shskak. king OF
| Egypt, in the time of Rehoboam: later
gold and silver We're taken from 1t 10
! purchase an alliance with Benhadad,
/ king of Syria. against Baasha. king
/ of Israel: still later it suffered at the
/ har DIS of Athaliah, Jehoash. king of
/ Israel sHezekiah fwho stripped the
/ gold from the temple doors and posts
+ to pay tribute to Sennacherih). Ma
nasseh Nebuchadnezzar The temple
Wac repaired from time to timely
Jehoshaphat. 1oash. lothian, Ahaz.
Josiah purged ii Of the heather abom-
/ nations that had been set up by Ma
nassch.
/ TIE Lesson Text in Everyday Dress.
/ King Joash had 1t In his heart 10
renew the temple, which had fallen
into a sad state through the ravages
i of time and Athaliah. His plan III
raising the money tperhaps suggested
+ by Jehoiadae, as unfolded to the Lee
Vites and priests whom he called to-
i gether, was 10 increase the regular
I contributions to the temple worship
After n long time the king called FOR
! Jeh oiada, now an old man. and de-
fnanded 10 know why the work had
been neglected. The priests answer
| is rot given, bat the upshet of the
matter was that the collection wa4
taken out OF the hands Of the Leyites
and priests and separated from the
regular collection. A special eollec-
/ ton chest was prepared by Jehoiads
and placed near the altar of burnt
/ Offering. and the people were given
| 10 understand that every Offering that
went into 1t would be used for the
repair Of the temple and for no other
purpose. This plan had the desired
effect. and the contributions we're
socn pouring In at such Il rate tfor
the people gave toyfully) that the
kings secretary had to come eyery
day with the high priest to empty
the chest and count the money. This
money, adds the sacred writer, was
used faithfully, every shekei going to
the actual repairs and nothing being
spent. even for the sacred vessels tina,
were needed. until tho repairs had
| been completed and paid for. When
they had finished their work, the
| writer Of the Book of Chronicles tells
us. they brought the rest Of the money
/ before the king and Iehoiada. where
OF were made vessels for the house OF
tho Lord "
Tile Heart of the Lesson
/ The lesson calls our attention to the