The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-11-05

A4haaoN TEhT-1 kings R.t-i5!.
ENTExT-Ged iovsth cheerfui
byef.-fI Cor. s:7.
The time Of this lesson was about
IS 3. c. and it3follows within few
years last Sundays. lesson. Inaugu.
rated as king and instructed by q
faithful priest, yet Joash discovered
great 1ethargy on the part Of the
oftestly class with regard to the house
q! God He set himself to arouse great
lperality and to repair the temple.
y Letharsy, v. 4,s. ~ It's cause.
we should read in this connection II
Ghron. "a. From the two accounts
ane the previous history Of the ma.
ton we conclude that the condition
ot the temple was due, ta) to the
weak and frequently vicious charac-
ters OF the rulers OF the nation; (b)
tolthe evil companions Of both princes
and priests and (c) to the cupidity OF
court and curate. t2) The result Of
this slethargy regarding Gods cause
was evidenced ta) upon the temple,
and b upon thealives OF the people
the kingdom. (3) The cure Joash
instituted great reforms in Judah and
inIthese Jehoiada the priest ". q had
40 small part. In this particular les
son the prince ". u seems to lead
the priest Unfortunately the sodly
priest DID not long survive the crown.
Ing Of .Joash and hence when he came
under other influences he soon went
backito tile evil practices of his prede.
cessors and his reign ended in an
eclipse Of evil III chron. ,24:l5.2s).
In this lesson we have, however. a
suggestion OF what is needed to cure
religious lethargy. (a) A vision Of
The real condition +of affairs Nv. q:
also il Chron. 2r:7). Joash saw the
resultant ruin Of the temple after
- years Of misrule; he also saw
the misconduct of the priests and
did not hesitats to call them to
account. It's no easy task to un.
dertake aireformation and restoration
such as this witness Moses, Luther,
Wesley and Cary. These priests had
aided him to gain his throne and
doubtless had had d part In his boy.
hood training. Joash had inaugu.
rated certain reforms before he be.
gan this task which suggests the sec.
ond need OF t1 persistence (ses !
Ghaon 24:6. 81. Such work also dc.
naIids (c) systematic effort and Civ.
Ing. Joash placed himself among Is.
rael's best Kings by undertaking the
restoration Of, the temple and won q
place alongside of Hezekiah and 10.
stah. Modern churches are not, strict.
~ speaking, "a house OF the Lord
such as the Jewish temple, yet the
condition OF r1any Of our churches
would Indicate great Indifference to
the cause of the kingdom. Our bod.
les are indeed = ."templee Cor. 8:
ISL 6:1s) and both the body and
church buildings alike should be kept
In proper condition.
20. Llberailty, VS.. els. The plan to
have the priests gather funds for the
repairs was scriptural (Exod. %:
Sd God does not look upon the
measure but upon the motive Of our
Gifts III Cor. s:12). The priests did
not hasten the matter" SO the king
took II into his own hands ". 81.
In this remissness Jehoiada, as the
chief priest. is held accountable for
an ". u.
We have in this story rich sug.
sestion as to Gods plan OF Christian,
giving. ~ The object. 4 II was dis,
tinctly for she glory Of God and not
to outbid others or to wastefully use
the money for selfish purposes. t2)
All were to participate voluntarily
out OF their abundance III Chron
2A:10. Systematically and faithfully.
ts) The results were a house repaired
tHs Chron. 24:12). beautiful III Chron
M:13) with the worship restored (Il
Chron. 24:14). Joash seems to have
laid great emphasis upon the "taber.
nacle of witness" (24:6) and we need
70 recall that each and every part
ofsthat temple was testimony to the
truth Of God and had in it aspiritual
suggestion and prophecy. As a whole
~ suggested that God dwelt in the
midst of his people. The sc-s oil
'Athaliahs (Joash's grandmother) had
60 conducted themselves as to cause
10 to need repairing III Chron. 24:7)
baf ltfya t,,r g. n a