Listening to the Proper Counsel
Listening to the proper Counsel
2 Chron. 21-25
“Joash did what was right I the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.”
Joash became king at the remarkable age of 7. It seems astonishing to us that they would place a young boy on the throne. However, this was a time when lineage was more important than age, since God established the lineage of David to be the kings of Judah, and at the death of Ahaziah, he was the next in line. When Ahaziah had risen to power when all his brothers had been murdered, and he was the only one left in the line of the kings. However, when he came to power, instead of listening to the prophets, he turned to his mother (the daughter of Ahab, the king of Israel). Like her father, Ahab, Athaliah was a woman who was devoted to the worship of Baal. Rather than listening to the priests and prophets who warned against embracing idolatry, Ahaziah listened to his mother and erected altars in Judah to promote the worship of Baal. Consequently, God executed judgment upon him was just as he had brought judgment upon his father Jehoram, and, as a result, Joash was anointed the king.
When Joash became king, he began his reign by listening to the counsel of the High Priest Jehoiada, and as a result, he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” Through the guidance of Jehoiada, Joash led the nation in spiritual reforms by restoring the temple and the worship of God. Everything was going well for Joash and the nation until the death of Jehoiada. Instead of maintaining his fidelity to the Worship of God, he began to listen to the officials of Judah who had “abandoned the house of the Lord, and the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and idols.” He not only listened to them, but when God sent prophets to confront Joash, he continued to ignore the warnings of the Prophets. The full depth of his descent into sin was manifested when he put to death the Sons of Jehoiada, and as a result, God judged Joash, and he too was put to death.
Both Ahaziah and Joash fell prey to the same failure. Instead of listening to God and God’s word, they listened to the wrong counsel. This challenges us to examine our own lives and ask ourselves, “To whom do we turn when we want advice? Who are the people who influence us? Are they people who follow God, or follow the gods of our age? Are they followers of Jesus or do they reject Jesus and the Bible?” Are attitudes, actions, and beliefs influenced by the people we listen to? If they reject God and His word, we can be assured that they will lead us away from God rather than toward Him. Listening to the right counselors begins by asking the question, “Do they fear the Lord and obey His word?” Proverbs states “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom nd instruction” (Provers. 1:7). If the people we listen to do not fear God, then we are following the wrong people. Psalm 1:1-6 contrasts those who listen to the world and those who listen to the righteous. One leads to death, the other to God’s blessing. Are we following people who point us to God’s word and the importance of living in obedience to God? If not, we are following the wrong counselors. Before you listen to advice from others, make sure that they are followers of Jesus; otherwise, they will lead you to death and separation from God.
2 Chron. 21-25
“Joash did what was right I the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.”
Joash became king at the remarkable age of 7. It seems astonishing to us that they would place a young boy on the throne. However, this was a time when lineage was more important than age, since God established the lineage of David to be the kings of Judah, and at the death of Ahaziah, he was the next in line. When Ahaziah had risen to power when all his brothers had been murdered, and he was the only one left in the line of the kings. However, when he came to power, instead of listening to the prophets, he turned to his mother (the daughter of Ahab, the king of Israel). Like her father, Ahab, Athaliah was a woman who was devoted to the worship of Baal. Rather than listening to the priests and prophets who warned against embracing idolatry, Ahaziah listened to his mother and erected altars in Judah to promote the worship of Baal. Consequently, God executed judgment upon him was just as he had brought judgment upon his father Jehoram, and, as a result, Joash was anointed the king.
When Joash became king, he began his reign by listening to the counsel of the High Priest Jehoiada, and as a result, he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.” Through the guidance of Jehoiada, Joash led the nation in spiritual reforms by restoring the temple and the worship of God. Everything was going well for Joash and the nation until the death of Jehoiada. Instead of maintaining his fidelity to the Worship of God, he began to listen to the officials of Judah who had “abandoned the house of the Lord, and the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and idols.” He not only listened to them, but when God sent prophets to confront Joash, he continued to ignore the warnings of the Prophets. The full depth of his descent into sin was manifested when he put to death the Sons of Jehoiada, and as a result, God judged Joash, and he too was put to death.
Both Ahaziah and Joash fell prey to the same failure. Instead of listening to God and God’s word, they listened to the wrong counsel. This challenges us to examine our own lives and ask ourselves, “To whom do we turn when we want advice? Who are the people who influence us? Are they people who follow God, or follow the gods of our age? Are they followers of Jesus or do they reject Jesus and the Bible?” Are attitudes, actions, and beliefs influenced by the people we listen to? If they reject God and His word, we can be assured that they will lead us away from God rather than toward Him. Listening to the right counselors begins by asking the question, “Do they fear the Lord and obey His word?” Proverbs states “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, fools despise wisdom nd instruction” (Provers. 1:7). If the people we listen to do not fear God, then we are following the wrong people. Psalm 1:1-6 contrasts those who listen to the world and those who listen to the righteous. One leads to death, the other to God’s blessing. Are we following people who point us to God’s word and the importance of living in obedience to God? If not, we are following the wrong counselors. Before you listen to advice from others, make sure that they are followers of Jesus; otherwise, they will lead you to death and separation from God.
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