They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherah poles and idols. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathersThis phrase indicates a turning away from the worship and service of Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. The "house of the LORD" refers to the temple in Jerusalem, which was the central place of worship and sacrifice. Abandoning it signifies a rejection of the religious practices and covenantal relationship established by their ancestors, such as David and Solomon. This act of abandonment is a recurring theme in the history of Israel and Judah, often leading to spiritual decline and national consequences. The phrase underscores the importance of faithfulness to God's commands and the centrality of worship in maintaining a relationship with Him. and served the Asherah poles and idols
The Asherah poles were wooden symbols associated with the Canaanite goddess Asherah, often erected near altars dedicated to Baal. Serving these poles and other idols represents a syncretism with pagan religions, directly violating the first two commandments given to Moses. This idolatry was a significant issue throughout Israel's history, leading to moral and spiritual corruption. The worship of idols was not just a religious failure but also a cultural assimilation into the practices of surrounding nations, which God had explicitly warned against. This phrase highlights the temptation of Israel to adopt the religious customs of their neighbors, leading them away from exclusive devotion to Yahweh. So wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs
The wrath mentioned here is a divine response to the covenant unfaithfulness of Judah and Jerusalem. In the biblical context, God's wrath is not arbitrary but a just response to sin and rebellion. The guilt of the people is their collective responsibility for turning away from God and embracing idolatry. This phrase foreshadows the consequences that would befall Judah, including military defeat, exile, and suffering. It serves as a reminder of the seriousness of sin and the inevitable judgment that follows unrepentant disobedience. The historical context includes the eventual Babylonian conquest and exile, which were seen as fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah and Isaiah. Persons / Places / Events 1. Joash (Jehoash)King of Judah who initially did what was right in the eyes of the LORD under the guidance of Jehoiada the priest but later turned away from God. 2. Jehoiada the PriestA godly priest who influenced Joash positively during his early reign. His death marked a turning point for Joash's spiritual decline. 3. Judah and JerusalemThe southern kingdom and its capital, which faced God's wrath due to their collective idolatry and abandonment of the LORD. 4. Asherah Poles and IdolsObjects of pagan worship that the people of Judah turned to, forsaking the worship of the true God. 5. Wrath of GodThe divine judgment that came upon Judah and Jerusalem as a consequence of their idolatry and unfaithfulness. Teaching Points The Importance of Godly LeadershipJoash's initial faithfulness was heavily influenced by Jehoiada. This highlights the importance of godly mentors and leaders in guiding others toward righteousness. The Danger of Spiritual ComplacencyAfter Jehoiada's death, Joash and the people quickly turned to idolatry. This warns us of the danger of becoming spiritually complacent and the need for continual vigilance in our faith. Consequences of IdolatryThe wrath that came upon Judah serves as a reminder that turning away from God and embracing idolatry leads to judgment and consequences. The Need for RepentanceJudah's account underscores the necessity of repentance and returning to God when we stray, to avoid His righteous judgment. Bible Study Questions 1. How did the influence of Jehoiada the priest impact Joash's early reign, and what can this teach us about the role of mentorship in our spiritual lives? 2. In what ways do modern "idols" distract us from our relationship with God, and how can we guard against them? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced spiritual complacency. What steps did you take, or can you take, to reignite your faith? 4. How does the account of Judah's idolatry and subsequent judgment challenge us to examine our own lives for areas of unfaithfulness? 5. What practical steps can we take to ensure that our worship remains focused on God alone, in light of the warnings found in 2 Chronicles 24:18 and related scriptures? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:3-5The commandment against idolatry, which the people of Judah violated by worshiping Asherah poles and idols. 1 Kings 11:4-11The account of Solomon's idolatry, which parallels Joash's turning away from God, showing a pattern of leaders leading the people into sin. Romans 1:18-25Paul's description of humanity's tendency to exchange the truth of God for a lie and worship created things rather than the Creator, similar to Judah's actions. People Amaziah, Aram, Athaliah, David, Jehoiada, Jehozabad, Joash, Levites, Shimeath, Shimrith, Syrians, Zabad, Zechariah, ZibiahPlaces Beersheba, Damascus, JerusalemTopics Abandoned, Anger, Asherah, Asherahs, Asherim, Ashe'rim, Fathers, Forsake, Forsook, God's, Groves, Guilt, Guiltiness, Idols, Images, Jerusalem, Judah, Pillars, Poles, Serve, Served, Shrines, Sin, Temple, Theirs, Trespass, Wood, Worshiped, Worshippers, WrathDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Chronicles 24:18 5770 abandonment
6173 guilt, and God 2 Chronicles 24:17-20 5838 disrespect Library The King's Farewell
'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureJoash
'And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.... 17. Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.'--2 CHRON. xxiv. 2, 17. Here we have the tragedy of a soul. Joash begins life well and for the greater part of it remains faithful to his conscience and to his duty, and then, when outward circumstances change, he casts all behind him, forgets the past and commits moral …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Glad Givers and Faithful Workers
'And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. 5. And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not. 6. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Channel of Power.
A Word that Sticks and Stings. I suppose everyone here can think of three or four persons whom he loves or regards highly, who are not christians. Can you? Perhaps in your own home circle, or in the circle of your close friends. They may be nice people, cultured, lovable, delightful companions, fond of music and good books, and all that; but this is true of them, that they do not trust and confess Jesus as a personal Savior. Can you think of such persons in your own circle? I am going to wait a …
S.D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on Power The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Conclusion
"Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth" (Rev. 19:6). In our Foreword to the Second Edition we acknowledge the need for preserving the balance of Truth. Two things are beyond dispute: God is Sovereign, man is responsible. In this book we have sought to expound the former; in our other works we have frequently pressed the latter. That there is real danger of over-emphasising the one and ignoring the other, we readily admit; yea, history furnishes numerous examples of cases of each. To emphasise …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist …
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible Chronicles
The comparative indifference with which Chronicles is regarded in modern times by all but professional scholars seems to have been shared by the ancient Jewish church. Though written by the same hand as wrote Ezra-Nehemiah, and forming, together with these books, a continuous history of Judah, it is placed after them in the Hebrew Bible, of which it forms the concluding book; and this no doubt points to the fact that it attained canonical distinction later than they. Nor is this unnatural. The book …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Chronicles 24:18 NIV2 Chronicles 24:18 NLT2 Chronicles 24:18 ESV2 Chronicles 24:18 NASB2 Chronicles 24:18 KJV
2 Chronicles 24:18 Commentaries
Bible Hub |
