The Vine and the Branches - Lesson from King Joash

This morning's scripture reading was from 2 Chronicles 23-24 and John 15. The story of the life of King Joash was a sad one. His life was preserved from Athaliah, the wicked Queen mother of King Ahaziah, by Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (2 Chronicles 22:10-12). He was raised properly in the knowledge of the Lord and eventually would become King. "Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest.". But "After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen." (2 Chronicles 24:17-19) His kingdom eventually fell under the army of Aram: "Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash." (2 Chronicles 24:24) and King Joash was severely wounded. He was murdered by his own officials in his own bed and was not buried in the tombs of the kings (i.e. disgraced).

The famous chapter 15 of the Gospel of John recorded Jesus' teaching illustration of "the Vine and the Branches". "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." (John 15:5-6) Does it describe the life of King Joash?

I recently heard a wonderful lecture by Ravi Zacharias called "When God Bids Farewell". One thing stuck in my head: the greatest threat to us (God's people) is not terrorism, bad political decisions by our government, or greenhouse gas etc., it is that our church leaders stop following God. Ravi reminded us that King Saul had the prophet Samuel; David had the prophet Nathan; but no where in the Bible could he find any prophet mentioned for King Solomon. So a great king whom I wrote about in my last blog ended up leading his people far away from God. It's a solemn reminder for us to pray for our church leaders.

As for me, I will remain in Jesus' love. "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:10-14)