[2KG:13:1-25]; [2KG:14:9-16].
Lesson 328 - Junior
Memory Verse
"O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" (Deuteronomy 32:29).
Notes
Evil Influence
Jehoahaz did "evil in the sight of the LORD." He was king over Israel for 17 years but those years were not pleasant. When one does not obey God, he cannot have real happiness. Jehoahaz not only brought distress into his own life but he also caused trouble in the lives of the Children of Israel over whom he reigned. Each person, by the life he lives, influences those about him. Even in the schoolroom, a child who is bad causes trouble for those about him, but a good child makes life more pleasant.A Pattern
Often a person has an ideal after whom he patterns his life. He chooses another person whom he wants to be like. Children, especially, imitate older folk and do just as they do. No doubt you have seen small children who say bad words because they heard their older brother or sister saying them. Some children who have seen mean people on television, in the movies, in magazines, or even in real life, have copied their wrong deeds. By so doing they have caused harm to themselves, to others, and have caused damage to property. The Bible tells us to "mark the perfect man, and behold the upright" [PS:37:37]). That means that we should pattern our lives after godly people. But, above all, we should pattern after Christ Himself, for He is our Example and we should follow His steps. (Read [1PE:2:21].) Instead of imitating a godly king, Jehoahaz followed the sins of Jeroboam who had the reputation of causing Israel to sin. Nineteen times in the Bible the words are repeated concerning Jeroboam: "Who made Israel to sin." This was the man whom Jehoahaz followed.A Poor Example
Jehoahaz's father was Jehu, the man who destroyed the worshippers of Baal, as God commanded. Although Jehu obeyed God in this one thing, yet he "took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart" [2KG:10:31]). Jehoahaz's father followed the evil example of Jeroboam. Because Jehu did not depart from worshipping the golden calves, God permitted Hazael, king of Syria, to conquer the Children of Israel. One would think that Jehoahaz would learn a lesson from the sad experience of his father. One would think that he would reign in a different manner in order to have God's blessing rather than God's judgement. Jehoahaz committed the same sins as his father committed " he followed the sins of Jeroboam. Jehoahaz suffered the same punishment from God as his father suffered -" he was continually oppressed by the Syrians.Continuing in Sin
The Bible teaches that God's judgement rests upon those who sin. It also states that "when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive" [EZE:18:27]). But Jehoahaz did not turn from his evil ways. Because of Jehoahaz's sins God was against the Israelites. Jehoahaz and his people suffered for their sins. Today the same is true. If people do not turn from their sins, the judgement of God will come upon them. If they pray to God and ask forgiveness, He will save them and cancel the judgement. They will find mercy when they confess their sins and forsake them [PRO:28:13]). When they continue in their sins, they are not saved and will suffer eternal punishment. Even while they are still living they suffer for their sins.Judgement
This was a part of the judgement of God upon Jehoahaz and the Children of Israel: "The LORD . . . delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael." All the days of their lives, these two Syrian kings oppressed the Children of Israel. They destroyed most of the horsemen and chariots. They never permitted the army of Israel to become very large. They destroyed the soldiers, and "made them like the dust by threshing"; these words are used to show that the army was almost done away with. We are told that in those days the threshing of grain was done on a very hard surface so there was little dust stirred up and only a small amount of sand with the grain that was threshed. To be "made . . . like the dust by threshing" meant that the army was very little, almost nothing. It was reduced and weakened by the enemy. Such an army did not oppose the enemy much and did not bring victory to the Israelites.Seeking God
In his oppression Jehoahaz sought God for help. He neither asked forgiveness for his sins nor did he forsake them. Jehoahaz asked for help because he and his people were victims of the Syrians. The Lord looked down in compassion upon the Children of Israel who were oppressed. Because God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He answered Jehoahaz's prayer. He had promised to be their God and their children's God. He had said that He would give to them the Land of Canaan for an "everlasting possession." He had agreed to bless them so long as they kept His covenant and obeyed. (Read [GEN:17:1-9].)Prayer Answered
How did God answer Jehoahaz's prayer? He sent help to the Children of Israel. It was not in the form of a great national hero or by one certain battle. Deliverance came after a number of years and by the hand of Jehoash who recovered the cities of Israel, which had been captured by the Syrians, and by Jehoash's son, Jeroboam, who restored the boundaries of Israel. God did not "blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam" [2KG:14:27]). Why did Jehoahaz seek the help of God? One would think that he would seek the help of the golden calves which he worshiped and served. But they were just idols and could do nothing for him. By seeking God, his people were spared from being completely destroyed. God gave them one more opportunity to repent and turn to the worship of the only true and living God.Protection and Help
Often today people are spared from harm and sudden death because of the prayers of their relatives who are Christians. God spares them for a reason -" that they might repent, be save, and serve Him. Many times God has answered the prayer of those who are unsaved. Having one's prayer answered should increase his faith and show him his responsibility in thanking and serving God. We read that God will come near to us when we go to Him in prayer. "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you" [JAM:4:8]). The Psalmist said: "It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works" [PS:73:28]). But Jehoahaz, by worshipping idols, continued in sin before God. His son, who became king after him, also did evil in the sight of God. "He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein." Jehoahaz's son, who became king of Israel after him, was named Jehoash, also known as Joash. There was another man by the name of Joash. He was the son of Ahaziah the king of Judah. We have studied about Joash, the boy-king of Judah (Lesson 319). Jehoahaz's son we shall refer to as Jehoash.Elisha
In those days, Elisha was the Lord's prophet. In the last days of his life he was sick. Jehoash the king of Israel went to visit him. The king went to show his respect for the Lord's prophet, and to express his deep sorrow for Elisha's sickness. Jehoash quoted Elisha's own words. He had spoken them when Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into Heaven [2KG:2:11-12]). "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." No doubt these words meant that the prophet, by prayer and by words of advice, had done more for the Children of Israel than had been done by their armies. As Elisha gave this credit to Elijah, so Jehoash was giving the same compliment to Elisha. Although Jehoash worshipped idols, he acknowledged that Elisha, the prophet of the Lord, had been responsible for the victories of Israel. The king showed that he had faith in the prayers and words of Elisha.A Bow and Arrow
Before Elisha's death, he gave a blessing to Jehoash. It happened in this manner: Elisha told Jehoash to shoot through an open window eastward with a bow and arrow. Elisha placed his hands upon the hands of the king as he drew the bow. Elisha's hands were weakened by sickness but they were strengthened by the Lord. Elisha told the king to shoot. As the arrow went flying through the air, Elisha said that this was the "arrow of the LORD's deliverance."Halfhearted
Elisha also told Jehoash to strike the ground with the remaining arrows. Without much enthusiasm Jehoash tapped the ground only three times. Elisha scolded him because of his halfhearted manner. Jehoash was told that he would have had complete victory over the Syrians if he had struck the ground five or six times. As it was, he would win in only three battles against the Syrians. After the death of Elisha, the words of his prophecy came to pass. Many times Jehoash went to battle against Benhadad, son of Hazael king of Syria. Only three times Jehoash was the victor, according to the words of the prophet of the Lord. Jehoash did not have the zeal and courage to see life's problems and battles through to a finish. He was like some people today who pray a few times for a certain blessing or experience from God, and then give up. They do not persevere in prayer until an answer is assured. Or they are like those who sit at home or waste time in idle talk with other boys and girls when they might be improving their opportunities for service in the Gospel work, perhaps by playing a musical instrument, singing, witnessing for Jesus, praying, helping the sick and the needy, perfecting themselves in some skill so that they might be useful in the work of the church.Lifted Up
Another incident came in the reign of Jehoash, when God used him to bring judgement upon Amaziah, king of Judah. Amaziah "did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart." Amaziah went to war against the Edomites, and won the battle. When he returned home, he took with him the idols of the children of Seir. He did not take them home as souvenirs. He set them up to be his gods. He bowed down to them, and burned incense to those idols, which had not been able to deliver their worshippers out of Amaziah's hand. Amaziah's own heart lifted him up to boast. He seemed to forget the words of a man of God who told him to "be strong for the battle: . . . for God hath power to help, and to cast down" [2CH:25:8]).