King Joash-A Good King Who Listened to Bad Advice

By Mary Vee
II Chronicles 17-20

From the prophet Zechariah's Scrolls

Photo Courtesy

My story is short. I haven't much time to share it. Even now I hear the officers coming.

The last priest for the temple of the Lord was Jehoida, my father. Upon his death, God called me to be a prophet.

It seemed only days after my father's death when officials went to Joash, king of Judah, and persuaded him to stop all worship at the temple of the Lord, the God of our fathers. They convinced him to rekindle the worship of Asherah poles and idols like his father had done. 

Joash quickly enjoyed the approval of the officers. He followed all their suggestions and gave no evidence of wanting to worship God. 

This I do know. When the king stops worshiping God, the people follow his example. 

The Lord spoke to me of his anger. He'd sent several prophets to the people to convince them to return to their worshiping of Him. The prophets brought warnings of God's punishment if they didn't turn from their wicked ways, but still the people wouldn't listen.

Then the Spirit of God came upon me. I wanted to remind Joash of what my father did for him. How my father risked his life to hide Joash as a baby--sparing him from death. How my father taught him the commands of the Lord and how to lead the people in a way that pleased God. How the country saw good while they repaired the temple and worshipped the Lord.

The Spirit of God gave me a message to bring to the people. I stood in the gathering place and called the people to listen. "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the Lord's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have walked away from the Lord, He has walked away from you.'"

The crowd became angry. They raised their fists and shouted at me. "Kill him. He only wants to cause us trouble."

The officers reported the matter to king Joash and recommended that I be killed. Joash listened to their advice, and said, "Very well. Stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord's temple."

The officials marched to the temple, dragged me to the courtyard as the king commanded and announced to all the people around to stone me.

My last words to king Joash, which will be recorded for me, were, "May the Lord see what you have done and how you have killed the Lord's prophet and hold you as responsible."

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1. Who is king of Judah at this time?
2. Who was the priest who hid the king as a baby?
3. Who was the priest's son?
4. What did God ask Zechariah to do?
5. What did the officers do?
6. What did king Joash decide to do?
7. Why was the prophet Zechariah stoned to death?