Read: 2 Chronicles 24:15-22; Revelation 2:4
He sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD. (2 Chron. 24:19)
In various sports, coaches instruct us to follow through with our swing. The spiritual way of putting this is expressed in the words of an old hymn, “O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end.”
King Joash has a good beginning by renewing the house of the Lord (2 Chron. 24:8-14). But after the death of the priest Jehoiada, who had been a spiritual mentor in the life of King Joash, the key officials and the king abandoned the covenant and worshiped false gods. The Spirit of God took hold of Zechariah, who was the son of the priest Jehoiada, to speak words of accountability. The result? Zechariah was put to death by the king (vv. 15-22). The Chronicler is making a statement describing a king with a good beginning and a bad ending.
The king cannot be described as simply good or bad, but something mixed. Yet in the midst of this all-too-human story, God’s Spirit through Zechariah’s voice testifies against the king and the people: “Why do you break the commandments of the LORD . . . ?” (v. 20). This reminds us of the risen Christ’s words to the Ephesian church: “You have abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4). The good news is that God’s Spirit works in mature Christians to provide words of accountability for us when we are all-too-human so that we can serve God to the end.
As you pray, ask God to provide spiritual resources so that you can serve God to the end.
About the Author
Kent Fry is a retired pastor and visiting research fellow at the Van Raalte Institute in Holland Michigan.
