The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 209

Vers. 4-16.-The repairing of the temple under Joash: a missionary sermon. I. Tms WORK HAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE KING'S COMMAND. Kings get a great many hard knocks nowadays. But kings have not been all bad. Considering the fierce light which beats upon a throne, and the special temptations to which they are exposed, perhaps the character of kings will bear investigation as well as the character of many of their critics. If in Jewish history we find a Jeroboam and an Ahab, we also find a Solomon and a Hezekiah. If in Roman history we find a Nero staining with cruelty and bloodshed the imperial purple, we find others like Trajan and Marcus AureliuB, the patrons of literature, philosophy, and the arts. If in our British nation some of our sovereigns were not all they should have been, we can point to the influence for good which many of our rulers have exercised. So, although Joo.ah ended badly, he began well. The first work of Joash and Jehoiada was to pull down the temple of Baal, and destroy his imaues. Their next work was to repair the temple of the Lord. Not merely had the hous; of the Lord been neglected for the worship of Baal, but, as we read in 2 Chronicles, "the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim." Joash was grieved that the house of God should be in this shameful condition. He gave command that the temple should be repaired. He instructed the priests and Levites that they were to make collections for this pur- pose, not only in the temple, but throughout the land, every man from his acquaintance. 1. We have got the command of a King in reference to h-is (Jhurch. The Lord Jesus Christ expects that all who are his people will take an interest in building up that Church. We a.re first of a.II to build up the Church of Christ in our own land and in our own district. The professing Christian who enjoys the privileges of a Church, but contributes nothing to its support, is not obeying the teaching of God's Word. Then, also, we are to pray and give and labour for the extension of Christ's kingdom through- out the world. " Let him that heareth say, Come." " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into bis harvest." Here are three commands of Christ. How are we seeking to fulfil them? 2. The cause of Christian missions rests upon the command of our King. Some may think little of Christian missions. They may make light of their necessity, or undervalue the work they have done-though testimonies to the value of missionary work a.re becoming more frequent every year from explorers, from scientific men, from statesmen, even from heathen who have not become Christians. But it is enou~h for the true Christian that Christ has co=anded the evangelization of the world. '' That command," said the Duke of Wellington, "is the marching orders of the Christian Church." II. THIS WORK WAS DELAYED BY NEGLECTFUL PRIESTS. Notwithstanding the com- mand of Kirig Joash, which would seem to have been given early in his reigu, for a long timo nothing was done. The time passed by till the twenty-third year of his reign, and still the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house of the Lord. Joash called the priests and the Levites together, and asked them why they had not carried out the work entrusted to them. Then he took it out of their hands in a certain measure. They who should have been the foremost in their zeal for the house of God bad been tardy in this important work, How often it has unhappily been so in the history of the Christian Church I It was through the priesthood of the Westeru  THE SECOND BOOK OF TllE KINGS. [on. xn. 1-21.