Joash: a Picture of the Power of Influence

K I N G S O F J U D A H

JOASH: A PICTURE OF THE POWER OF INFLUENCE

Children are special. They are so important from Judah during the reign of Rehoboam. His in our lives! Someone has described babies as wife, Jezebel, was a pagan. She was extremely creatures with a loud noise on one end and no wicked. Through her, the worship of Baal was control on the other. That is true, but we love introduced and promoted in Israel. She tried to babies anyway. We want them to grow up and be destroy God’s prophets. Elijah had to flee in people who can make a real difference in our order to avoid being killed. He was so distraught world, people who can accomplish something that he asked God to take his life because he special. thought he was the only faithful worshiper of Art Linkletter, in a very popular television the Lord left. God told him that seven thousand program a few years ago, interviewed children. others had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings He demonstrated that children are uninhibited 19:18); however, many in Israel did worship this and are apt to say whatever is on their minds. idol. It is difficult to comprehend the vast influ- They made statements like this: ence Ahab and Jezebel had over the nation of Israel. God loves everybody, but He never met my At the time Ahab ruled Israel, Jehoshaphat sister. was king of Judah. There had been a long period I would like to go to heaven some day because of unrest between the two countries. Ahab and I know my big brother won’t be there. Jehoshaphat decided to ease the tension between the nations by forming an alliance. They Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark. arranged a marriage between Ahab and Jezebel’s Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball daughter and Jehoshaphat’s son. Athaliah, the of fire by night. daughter of Jezebel, had been reared in an evil Christians can have only one wife—and that is home. These two illustrate the maxim “like called monotony. mother, like daughter.” Athaliah was given to Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son. We may laugh at our children while they are Upon Jehoshaphat’s death, therefore, Je- growing up, but how they turn out is another horam and Athaliah ruled in Judah. This wicked matter. We all have a strong desire to see our queen attempted to introduce the worship of children and grandchildren grow up to be happy, Baal in Judah, but she was not as successful as successful, and secure people. We are aware of her mother had been in Israel. She influenced the influences that surround them as well. The Jehoram to kill his brothers so there would be no power of influence is strong, as the Old Testa- rival to the throne. Jehoram ruled for eight years. ment example of Ahab demonstrates. When Jehoram died, his son Ahaziah as- Ahab was king of Israel, the northern king- sumed the throne. His reign was short; and after dom consisting of the ten tribes that withdrew his death, his mother, Athaliah, decided to kill

1 all his sons (her grandsons) so she could rule Therefore, the influences that we encounter help Judah. What evil this woman personified! How- to shape our lives. ever, her complete success was prevented by Jesus’ message for the church in Pergamum Ahaziah’s half-sister, Jehosheba, who took Joash1 was “But I have a few things against you, be- and his nursemaid from the nursery and hid cause you have there some who hold the teach- them in the temple. What an ingenious place to ing of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a hide the child! Athaliah, being a worshiper of stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat Baal, would not enter the temple. That was the things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of last place she would look. Joash was hidden in immorality” (Revelation 2:14). Balak was the the temple for six years. Then he was crowned Moabite king who wanted Balaam to curse the king, and his evil grandmother was killed. children of Israel so he could defeat them in Three people had significant influence over war. Balaam piously said, “I can only speak the the life of Joash: his grandmother Athaliah; his word that God puts in my mouth” (see Numbers aunt Jehosheba; and his uncle, Jehosheba’s hus- 22:38; 23:12, 26). Four times Balaam tried to curse band, Jehoiada. Through them, three kinds of the children of Israel. God would permit him influence affected the life of Joash. only to bless them. Remember the power of influence. What he could not do by word, he A DEADLY INFLUENCE accomplished by influencing the Israelites to The evil influence of Jezebel reached across commit sin. He sent into the camp of Israel some generations. Not only must we realize the power Moabite women who seduced them to commit of influence, but we must also consider its long fornication. Twenty-four thousand people were reach. Jezebel had affected the lives of thou- killed as a result. The power of Balaam’s in- sands in Israel, and she even influenced her fluence was greater than the power of his word. great-grandson. Jesus had another message for the church at Joash was at risk. If Jehosheba had not hid- Thyatira: “But I have this against you, that you den him, Athaliah would have him put to death! tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself The struggle was over a child and the influence a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My that would shape his life. Deadly influences sur- bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of round us today, threatening to take us away immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” from God and His Word. (Revelation 2:20). Jezebel’s influence reached When sin was discovered in the church in through the centuries into the New Testament Corinth, Paul warned that a “little leaven leav- church in Thyatira. Deadly influences can lead ens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). It does Christians away from God. not take much sin to infect the entire body. A little poison in a glass of water or a small infec- A DEVOTED INFLUENCE tion can have a devastating effect on our physi- The Bible also gives us many examples of cal bodies. In the same way, a little sin, a little people like Jehosheba, who had a godly influence. influence in the wrong direction, can have a Jehosheba had the same father as Ahaziah, but destructive effect on our spiritual bodies. Not she had a different mother and thus did not fall only can such influence cause an individual to under the evil influence of Athaliah. The differ- lose his soul, but the entire church can also be ence made by the influence of a good home life affected. is amazing. Because of the influence of Jeho- Each of us is a composite of all with whom we sheba and her husband, Jehoiada, Joash “did have been in contact. We pick up a little here and right in the sight of the LORD all his days in which a little there. Then, in a unique way, we blend Jehoiada the priest instructed him” (2 Kings our experiences together in our own personality. 12:2; 2 Chronicles 24:2). We should never under- estimate the power of the influence we have 1The name “Joash” was also used by a king of the upon our children and those around us. northern kingdom (2 Chronicles 25:18). Both are some- Great names come to mind to illustrate this times called “Jehoash” (see 2 Kings 12:1; 14:9). During the reign of Joash of Israel, Judah was ruled by Amaziah, son fact. Think of Eunice and Lois, the mother and of the other Joash (see 2 Kings 14:1). grandmother of Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5). Be-

2 cause of their great faith and commitment to up. We need to surround ourselves with those God and His Word, their son and grandson was who can strengthen us and help us grow in reared in a godly home. For some reason, Paul Christ. did not mention Timothy’s father when speak- ing of this influence. LESSONS FOR US TO LEARN When John wrote to the “chosen lady” in Three thoughts impress upon our minds the 2 John, he complimented her on the fact that he power of a good influence: had found “some of [her] children walking in truth” (v. 4). No greater compliment could be • Parents must give good thought to the power given to parents than for their children to walk in of our influence. We may think little of our truth. Have they seen you reading and studying words and actions, yet they mold the lives the Word of God? Have they seen you praying? of our children. I heard about a mother Have they seen you reaching out to others with who took her son shopping. Throughout the gospel of Christ? Have they seen that the the day, the boy watched his mother use kingdom of God is most important in your life? her credit card. That afternoon, a clerk They are likely to follow in your steps. handed him a piece of candy. His mother The Scriptures emphasize that we influence prompted, “Johnny, what do you say?” not only the ones in our home but also those with and he replied, “Charge it!” whom we come in contact. We are given many • We must be concerned about the influence we guidelines to help us have a positive influence: have on those around us, both in the church and outside it (1 Peter 2:12; Romans 12:17). “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another Like ripples on the water, our influence as more important than yourselves; do not reaches out to those around us, even to merely look out for your own personal inter- those whom we may not think of influ- ests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil- ippians 2:3, 4). encing. • As individuals we give too little thought as to Others must constantly be on our minds. Not what is influencing us! Are we surrounding only should we seek brethren over others, but ourselves with those who would, either also we are to have brotherly love. We are told, knowingly or unknowingly, draw us away “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; from the Lord? No king, president, or give preference to one another in honor” (Ro- prime minister is any better than the ad- mans 12:10); “Be of the same mind toward one visers he chooses. Choose your compan- another; do not be haughty in mind, but associ- ions well. ate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation” (Romans 12:16). We have a great The best gift we can give to others is a good responsibility regarding the influence that we influence. have on others. Gene Cloer A DEVASTATING INFLUENCE Athaliah’s Place in the Succession Jehoiada died at the age of 130, having lived much longer than most people of his day. This Of the Rulers of Judah was a tragic loss for Joash. How quickly he forgot Jehoshaphat the good influence of this godly man and his

wife! Joash began to listen to the leaders of Judah 123

123 rather than to remember the sound advice of the Athaliah— married — Jehoram123 godly man who had been his constant compan- (daughter of

Ahab and Jezebel 123 ion (2 Chronicles 24:17–22). 123 123

of Israel and Ahaziah123 Because of the influences he chose, Joash was usurper of the taken away from the path that he had followed throne of Judah) for so long. It is far easier for a person to pull Joash someone down to his level than to lift someone