Doing Right in God’s Sight

By Amy Boucher Pye

Read!! 2 Kings 12:1-15
Joash did what was right . . . all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 2 Kings 12:2

“Cowboy builders” is a term many British homeowners use for tradespeople who do shoddy construction work. The term is bandied about with fear or regret, often because of bad experiences.

No doubt there were rogue carpenters, masons, and stonecutters in biblical times, but tucked away in the story of King Joash repairing the temple is a line about the complete honesty of those who oversaw and did the work (2 Kings 12:15).

However, King Joash “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 2) only when Jehoiada the priest instructed him. As we see in 2 Chronicles 24:17-27, after Jehoiada died Joash turned from the Lord and was persuaded to worship other gods.

The mixed legacy of a king who enjoyed a season of fruitfulness only while under the spiritual counsel of a godly priest makes me stop and think. What will our legacies be? Will we continue to grow and develop in our faith throughout our lives, producing good fruit? Or will we become distracted by the things of this world and turn to modern-day idols—such as comfort, materialism, and self-promotion?
Go deeper: How does this passage compare with Jesus’ letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2? How do these passages apply to your life?
For help in understanding and applying the Bible, read A Message for All Time at discoveryseries.org/hp142
Living well and doing right require perseverance and spiritual direction.
When a rival attempted to exterminate the royal family, Joash (whose name means “Yahweh has helped”) was rescued and protected by the high priest Jehoiada (whose name means “Yahweh knows”). Jehoiada would later see Joash installed as king (2 Kings 11:1–16). Joash was the eighth king of Judah, and he became king when he was only seven years old. Dennis Moles