2 Kings 12:1-21
12:1-2 Jehoash (Joash), son of Zibiah of Beersheba, becomes king and reigns forty years in Jerusalem. Jehoash is a good and faithful king, he does what is right in the sight of the Lord all the days. To be a good king, and person in any position, we must wake up with devoted intention to follow God's philosophy.
12:3 Though Johoash is a good and faithful king, there remains some corruption enabled by his predecessors. People are still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. These places are reserved and dedication to our true God. It is therefore an abomination for false gods, which promote evil, to be celebrated here.
12:4-5 Jehoash has an idea that people's donations to the church be used for reparation of the temple. Priests of each region will use what is collection to restore what was broken by corruption.
12:6 In the twenty-third year of Jehoash, the temple is still not repaired. Jehoash calls Jehoiada and the other priests into a meeting with him and asks why so little progress has been made, despite time and resource.
12:7-8 Because of mismanagement, the time and money has not been used appropriately. Jehoash therefore tells the priests to stop accepting money from the people and to finally begin their work with what they have already gathered.
12:9-12 Instead of a tax collection, Jehoiada places a chest beside the altar. Whenever there is money in the chest, it will be used to pay the laborers restoring the temple - carpenters, builders, masons, stone-cutters. The money would also be used for materials such as hewn stone.
9:13-15 Instead of focusing on decorating the temple with opulence, the main focus is on paying the workers who are doing honest work and are finally managing and progressing this project.
9:16 The money used for the restoration does not detract from the priests God-suggested allotment. Their lives are dedicated to teaching and protecting the word of God; their source of money was necessary to ensure their ability to take care of themselves as well as others in need.
9:17-18 At some point, Jehoash stops trusting in God. Suddenly Judah's borders are threatened by an enemy, Hazael in Syria. Instead of asking for God's counsel and protection, Jehoash gives Hazael all of the sacred contents of Judah's treasuries in order to convince him to stay away. As children of God, we do not pay for our freedom.
12:19-21 Jehoash is killed by the people around him; this is further suggestion that he stopped leading a righteous life. Jehoash's son, Amaziah reigns after him.
