In 2 Chronicles 24 Joash is king. Joash’s life, as the writer narrated it, proves again the principles that Chronicles stresses. Each king’s success depended on his submission to God’s authority as expressed in the Law of Moses. The priests were to instruct the kings in God’s Law. As long as Joash listened to this instruction, he succeeded. When he stopped listening, he began to fail. He began to lead the people away from God.
We see this principle in Ch 25 when Amaziah is king. Amaziah followed the Mosaic Law faithfully in dealing with the people who had killed his father. These actions transpired at the beginning of his reign. God blessed him as a result. However, the king obeyed God partially in his war with the Edomites. He unwisely hired mercenary soldiers to help him rather than seeking the Lord’s help. As a result he not only lost his money but he also lost the lives of some of his soldiers when the Edomites retaliated. Furthermore he disobeyed Yahweh by importing the gods of Edom. Finally he refused to repent. Amaziah disobeyed God by attacking Israel late in his reign (vv. 17-24). This was due, from the divine perspective, to the king’s idolatry and, from the human perspective, to his pride. The consequences were that Judah’s enemy destroyed a portion of the wall around Jerusalem and stripped the temple.
The lesson is reapeated over and over again for us. Obededience brings blessing! Partial obedience brings consequences, disobedience brings judgment.
Trust and obey, there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus! But to trust and obey!