In Second Kings, chapter twelve, verse two, as long as Jehoiada, the high priest, was his counselor, Jehoash served the Lord. However, after Jehoiada’s death, Jehoash forsook the Lord and began to serve idols, as in Second Chronicles twenty-four, verses seventeen through eighteen. He multiplied his sin by murdering Jehoiada’s son Zechariah, who had condemned him for forsaking the Lord, as in Second Chronicles twenty-four, twenty-through twenty-two. In just recompense, Jehoash was a victim by his servants for this murder. Jehoash began well as King but ended in spiritual ruin as described in Matthew twenty-four, verse thirteen, Galatians three, verse three, and Revelation two, verse ten, respectively.
Jehoash has such a good director as Jehoiada. So wise, experienced, and faithful: so much wisdom as to hear him and be directed by him. Here, we learn of what advantage it is to princes, especially while they are young, and indeed to young people in general, to have good instructors and counselors. And they then act wisely for themselves when they are willing to be counseled and ruled by such.
God requires those who have the power to use it for the support of religion, the redress of grievances, and the repairing of decays. The King employed the priests to manage, as most likely to be hearty in work. But nothing was effectually happening till the twenty-third year of his reign. Another method was in use. When public distributions are operating faithfully, public contributions will manifest cheerfully.
While they were getting all they could for repairs of the temple, they did not break in upon the stated maintenance of the priests. Let not servants of the temple go starving under the color of repairing the breaches of it. Those entrusted did the business carefully and faithfully. They did not lay it out in ornaments for the temple till the completion of the other work. Therefore, in all our expenses, to prefer that is most needful and, in dealing with the public, as we would for ourselves.