…once Jehoiada was dead, the leaders of Judah persuaded King Joash to listen to them instead. And so the people stopped worshiping in the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and began to worship idols and the images of the goddess Asherah.
Everyone was afraid of Jehoiada while he was alive. Now that he was gone, the pent up desires which were so long repressed were given free reign. Cracked cisterns (Jeremiah 2:12-13). External pressure controls behavior only as long as the fear it instills exist – hence the need for a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
The Lord sent prophets to warn them to return to him, but the people refused to listen.
Willful disobedience (Jeremiah 18:11-12). A dead end. May I never end up there, Lord!
The king forgot about the loyal service that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had given him, and he had Zechariah killed.
How often sin leads to the shedding of innocent blood (2 Kings 21:16).
…two of his officials plotted against him and killed him in his bed to avenge the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
The officers really were the hard core of believers in the country (2 Kings 9:11-13).
The Commentary on the Book of Kings contains the stories of the sons of Joash, the prophecies spoken against him, and the record of how he rebuilt the Temple.
All the good that Joash did during the early part of his life will no doubt count for nothing (Ezekiel 18:24).
His son Amaziah succeeded him as king.
Will someone or something succeed me, Father?