Now Jehoiada was old and full of years, and he died at the age of a hundred and thirty. He was buried with the kings in the City of David, because of the good he had done in Israel for God and his temple.
2 Chronicles 24:15-16 NIV
In 2 Chronicles, we find a description of all the Kings of Judah, from Solomon until the nation’s fall to the Babylonians. Each of the kings is judged, not by how strong they were, but by whether they did right in the eyes of the Lord. But there is one exception to this role call of Judah’s kings. And that is Jehoiada.
Jehoiada was the High Priest during a time of political and religious upheaval in Judah. The king had died, and his mother attempted to destroy the rest of the royal family and claim the throne for herself. But Jehoiada and his wife rescued Joash, an infant son. Seven years later, Jehoiada led a revolt against the imposter queen and secured the throne for Joash, the rightful king.
Joash’s reign can be neatly divided into two parts. The first was during the life of Jehoiada. During this period, Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But after the death of Jehoiada, Joash gained new advisors and fell into spiritual decline.
The people of Judah recognized the importance of Jehoiada in the nation’s life. And, when he died, he was buried with the kings, a unique honor for one who was not a king-one that was later denied to Joash (1 Ch 24:25).
Few of us have Jehoiada’s influence at a national level. But we all have an impact on the lives of those around us. And how great would it be when, after we are gone, we were remembered for the good we had done for God and his church? Could we have a better epitaph on our gravestone?
