The video version of this teaching is available at:
This haftarah
portion is about the offerings taken for repairing the temple of God during the
reign of King Jehoash. Jehoash became king when he was seven years old and set
his heart on repairing the temple.
2 Kings 12:4-5 NKJV 4 And Jehoash said to the
priests, "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the
house of the LORD-each man's census money, each man's assessment money-and all
the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
5 "let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let
them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found."
This
passage corresponds to the Torah portion Vayak’hel which includes the
description of the offering taken to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness. In
both situations, the offerings were those given voluntarily to the LORD. The
book of Exodus relates that in the wilderness, the offerings were immediately
used to build the Tabernacle which was completed within six months. However, in
King Jehoash’s time, the offerings were not immediately used for the needed
repairs.
Why did it
take so long to repair the temple? Why was the temple in need of such major
repairs? How does the state of the temple reflect the state of the throne of
Judah? What does this tell us about the time that Yeshua takes the throne?
The state
of the house of God and the state of the house of David have been linked from
the time of their founding. Because David had a heart to build a house for God;
God would build a house for David.
2 Samuel 7:25-27 NKJV 25 "Now, O LORD God,
the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his
house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 "So let Your name
be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And
let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 "For
You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant,
saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his
heart to pray this prayer to You.
Now, at the
time of Jehoash, God’s house and David’s house were both in disrepair. Jehoash
had to take the throne at the young age of seven indicating problems in the
house of David. The temple was in sad disrepair through years of idolatry and
misuse. What happened that both houses were in such a state?
The new
king, Jehoash, was the great grandson of both the famous King Jehoshaphat of Judah
and the notorious King Ahab of Israel. At the time of Jehoash’s grandfather,
King Jehoram of Judah, the ties between Judah and Israel were close. This
sounds good; we would think that a close relationship would foster the
reunification of the twelve tribes of Israel. Unfortunately, Israel was not
drawn to return to the true worship of God, instead Judah was drawn into the
sins of Israel! King Jehoram married the daughter of King Ahab and walked
according to the ways of the wicked kings of Israel.
2 Kings 8:18 NKJV 18 And he walked in the way
of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of
Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
The house
of David, under Jehoram, followed in the wickedness of Ahab and the previous
kings of Israel. After Jehoshaphat died and Jehoram became king, Jehoram killed
all of his brothers and other princes of Israel. Yet, in spite of Jehoram’s
wickedness, God was not willing to remove the kingship from the house of David
or destroy David’s house.
2 Chronicles 21:7 NKJV 7 Yet the LORD would not
destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with
David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
God had
promised that David and his sons would be a lamp to Israel. David is first
referred to as the bearer of the lamp of Israel when David fought against the
Philistines who killed King Saul and his son Jonathan.
2 Samuel 21:17 NKJV 17 But Abishai the son of
Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men
of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to
battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."
When
Solomon turned away from God in his later years and God determined to tear the
kingdom away from the sons of Solomon, God reserved one tribe to Solomon so
that the lamp of Israel would not be extinguished.
1 Kings 11:36 NKJV 36 'And to his son I will
give one tribe, that My servant David may always have a lamp before Me in
Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen for Myself, to put My name there.
In the time
of Jehoram, the house of David faced even greater threats than it did under
Solomon. Jehoram had killed all his brothers and many other princes of Israel.
These princes would have been people with influence and authority and probably
included other descendants of David through his other sons. Jehoram’s evil came
to the attention of the prophet Elijah. Elijah’s ministry was centered in the
northern kingdom of Israel where he prophesied against King Ahab and his
family. However, the word of God came to Elijah regarding Jehoram, and Elijah
relayed that word to Jehoram in a letter.
2 Chronicles 21:12-15 NKJV 12 And a letter came
to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says the LORD God of your father
David: Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or
in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of
Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot
like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers,
those of your father's household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the
LORD will strike your people with a serious affliction-your children, your
wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a
disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the
sickness, day by day.
Two years
later, Jehoram died in severe pain due to this illness of his intestines. He
had reigned in Judah for eight years. Most of Jehoram’s sons had died in an
attack by Arabians leaving only the youngest son. At Jehoram’s death, his
youngest son Ahaziah became king over Judah. The ranks of the house of David
continued to be thinned!
Ahaziah and
his cousin King Joram of Israel were close friends and allies, both continuing
in the wickedness of King Ahab. However, God, determined on the end of the
house of Ahab, sent Jehu to bring His judgment. King Azariah, along with his
nephews, came to the support of King Joram. Jehu killed all of them in the
resulting battles. The house of Ahab was destroyed and Jehu became king of
Israel. However, the death of Ahaziah and his nephews left a power vacuum in
Judah.
At the
death of her son and her brothers, Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah, determined to
wipe out the remaining members of the house of David and seize the throne of
Judah for herself.
2 Chronicles 22:10 NKJV 10 Now when Athaliah
the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the
royal heirs of the house of Judah.
Things were
looking really bleak for the house of David! However, Yehoshab’ath, Ahaziah’s
sister and the wife of the high priest, rescued Ahaziah’s infant son and hid
him in the house of God.
2 Chronicles 22:11-12 NKJV 11 But Jehoshabeath,
the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away
from among the king's sons who were being murdered, and put him and his nurse
in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada
the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that
she did not kill him. 12 And he was hidden with them in the house of God for
six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
It is
fitting that the only remaining heir of the house of David would find refuge in
the house of God! Jehoash was raised by his aunt and uncle, staying in the
house of God for six years. In the seventh year, his uncle the high priest Jehoiada,
acted to restore the house of David to the throne of Judah. And this was all
accomplished in the house of God!
Jehoiada gathered
the military leaders, the Levites, and the chief leaders of Judah to make a
covenant with Jehoash to make him king.
2 Chronicles 23:1a,2-3 NKJV 1 In the seventh
year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and made a covenant with the captains of
hundreds… 2 And they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all
the cities of Judah, and the chief fathers of Israel, and they came to
Jerusalem. 3 Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house
of God. And he said to them, "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the
LORD has said of the sons of David.
When the
appointed day arrived to proclaim Jehoash as king, the temple guard escorted Jehoash
into the temple where he stood by a pillar. They gave him the testimony and
proclaimed him king!
2 Kings 11:10-12 NKJV 10 And the priest gave
the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King
David, that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 Then the escorts stood, every
man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of
the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. 12 And
he brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the
Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands
and said, "Long live the king!"
The house
of David had been repaired! The rightful king, who was hidden away for six
years, was revealed in the seventh year and was now on the throne! The usurper,
Athaliah, devout worshiper of Baal, was executed in the king’s house.
2 Kings 11:15-16 NKJV 15 And Jehoiada the
priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and
said to them, "Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword
whoever follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not let her be
killed in the house of the LORD." 16 So they seized her; and she went by
way of the horses' entrance into the king's house, and there she was killed.
With the restoration
of the house of David, it was now time to repair the relationship between the
people and God!
2 Kings 11:17 NKJV 17 Then Jehoiada made a
covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they should be the
LORD'S people, and also between the king and the people.
The bonds
of the covenant and the bonds of trust that had been broken needed to be
repaired. The kingdom of Judah, which had been led into idolatry and Baal
worship by King Jehoram, King Ahazaiah and Athaliah needed to return to God and
renew their covenant with Him. They needed to bind themselves in covenant
agreement that Jehoash was their king.
Their first
act as new covenant partners was to destroy the temple of Baal.
2 Kings 11:18 NKJV 18 And all the people of the
land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in
pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the
altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.
Jehoash was
taken and installed on the throne of the kings of Judah and the people
rejoiced!
2 Kings 11:20 NKJV 20 So all the people of the
land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the
sword in the king's house.
Now was
time to repair the house of God! The house had suffered greatly under Athaliah
and her sons which she probably had from a previous marriage.
2 Chronicles 24:7 NKJV 7 For the sons of
Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also
presented all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD to the Baals.
Jehoash
began by designating all voluntary offerings that were brought into the house
of God to be used for needed repairs.
2 Kings 12:4 NKJV 4 And Jehoash said to the
priests, "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the
house of the LORD-each man's census money, each man's assessment money-and all
the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
Dedicated
gifts, census money, and voluntary offerings were to be used for these repairs.
These were all offerings given above and beyond tithes and other offerings. The
dedicated gifts were those described by Moses in Leviticus 27 which included a
monetary gift equal to their own value, gifts of animals, houses, and land. The
census money was the half-shekel token that was counted instead of the people.
Exodus 30:13 NKJV 13 "This is what
everyone among those who are numbered shall give: half a shekel according to
the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel is twenty gerahs). The half-shekel shall
be an offering to the LORD.
The funds
gathered in the census were used for the service of the tabernacle. Finally,
any gifts that a man chose to give for the house of the LORD were to be used
for that purpose. When the tabernacle was built in the wilderness, it was built
from the free will offerings of the people.
Exodus 35:4-5 NKJV 4 And Moses spoke to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which
the LORD commanded, saying: 5 'Take from among you an offering to the LORD.
Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD:
gold, silver, and bronze;
King
Jehoash commanded that these offerings be placed in the hands of the priests to
make repairs as they had the funds available to do so. However, twenty-three
years later, the repairs had still not been done.
2 Kings 12:6-7 NKJV 6 Now it was so, by the
twenty-third year of King Jehoash, that the priests had not repaired the
damages of the temple. 7 So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the
other priests, and said to them, "Why have you not repaired the damages of
the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but
deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple."
Whether
there was corruption or simply inefficiency, is unknown; however, Jehoash was
not pleased and removed the priests from the equation. Jehoash put the high
priest Jehoiada in charge of collecting and distributing the funds.
2 Kings 12:9 NKJV 9 Then Jehoiada the priest
took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the
right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who kept
the door put there all the money brought into the house of the LORD.
The funds
were counted and given to the workmen who oversaw and accomplished the repairs
to the temple. They focused on the physical structure first, then, turned to
making new articles for use in the house of God.
2 Chronicles 24:14 NKJV 14 When they had
finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; they
made from it articles for the house of the LORD, articles for serving and offering,
spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the
house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.
The house
of David and the house of God had both been repaired! King and priest worked
together to restore the true worship of God.
Damage to
both the house of God and the house of David came through the introduction of
idolatry into the kingdom. It didn’t seem to start as much, merely bringing a
wife into the house. King Jehoshaphat, Jehoram’s father, authorized and perhaps
even orchestrated Jehoram’s marriage to Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram’s weak
character and desire to do evil did the rest. As a result of the sin of the
house of David, the temple was allowed to deteriorate and be used for idolatry.
It could not be repaired until the house of David was first repaired!
When Yeshua
returns, He must first repair the authority of the throne of David removing any
usurpers to His throne! Only when Yeshua has taken His rightful place on the
throne, will He repair or rebuild the temple of God!
We, also,
became a temple to the LORD when we accepted Yeshua, the scion of the house of
David, as our Lord and King! He builds us into a temple of God!
Ephesians 2:19-22 NKJV 19 Now, therefore, you
are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and
members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in
whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the
Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God
in the Spirit.
When we
turn away from Yeshua, the embodiment of the house of David, our temple is in
danger of being corrupted. Paul writes that there is no compromise between God
and idols.
2 Corinthians 6:16 NKJV 16 And what agreement
has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As
God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their
God, And they shall be My people."
Paul goes
on to tell us to cleanse ourselves from the sins of the flesh and the spirit so
that we will be a holy dwelling place for God. Then, with willing hearts, we
are to bring our offerings to our high priest and king to be used to build up
the temple of God in our lives as we anticipate the return of Yeshua and the
establishment of His throne.
Study
Questions:
1. Discuss the connection of
this teaching to the Torah Portion Vayak’hel, Exodus 35:1-38:20:11-34:35.
2. Where is the phrase “the lamp
of Israel” used and what does it mean?
3. King Jehoram’s wife Athaliah
was the daughter of King Ahab. In 2 Kings 8:26, she is referred to as the
granddaughter of Omir. What is the significance of referring to her in relation
to King Omri? Athaliah reigned for six years and was killed in the seventh. How
can she be compared to the woman on a scarlet beast in Revelation 17?
4. Amos 9:11 refers to a
tabernacle of David. How can we apply this teaching to the message of Amos 9:11
5. What does Paul say about
believers being the temple of God? How do his words relate to this teaching?
6. What new insight did you
gain by watching this video or reading this blog? How do you respond to this
new insight? How will you realign your life based on this new understanding?
Extra Credit: 2 Kings 12:2 says that King Jehoash
did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada
instructed him. What happened to Jehoash after Jehoiada died? How many kings of
Judah followed in his path?
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Ministries International. All rights reserved.
