DCLM Daily Manna 2023: DCLM Daily Manna 4 April 2023:
Key Verse: “But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.” – (2 Kings 12:6)
TEXT: 2 Kings 12:1-7
In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the Lord,
5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.
6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the Lord: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord.
10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the Lord.
11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the Lord: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the Lord,
12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the Lord, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the Lord bowls of silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the Lord:
14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the Lord.
15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the Lord: it was the priests’.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
A young preacher once approached Dr. F. B. Meyer and asked how he could one day become as influential and well-known as Dr. Meyer. Dr. Meyer responded, “Don’t waste your time waiting and longing for large opportunities which may never come. But faithfully handle the little things that are always claiming your attention”.
King Jehoash (or Joash, the Greek version) was passionate about the repair of the breaches in the temple right from the beginning of his reign because he found solace there during the reign of wicked Athaliah, who vandalised the temple. He allowed the priests to collect all the monies that came into the temple. But instead of repairing the Lord’s house, the priests converted the income to their personal use for years.
King Jehoash then stopped the priests from collecting the offerings of the people. An offering box was made by Jehoiada the high priest, from where money was taken to buy timber and other materials for the execution of the work.
What we read in our text with regards to the priests was not just a careless incident but an indictment on the priesthood. How is it that the ministers of God, who kept the charge at the temple and were the custodians of the ordinances of God, could not be faithful in little things? How were they to now preach against unfaithfulness and corruption in government if they themselves could not be trusted?
As believers, we are to come to equity with clean hands. And like Charles Spurgeon said in one of his messages, “he that cannot be safely imitated, ought not to be tolerated on the pulpit”. Believers, especially God’s ministers are expected to speak to the consciences of society. As God’s representatives, they are spokespersons against the corruption and wickedness in the land. As such, they must be impeccable in character and faithful in stewardship.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Faith without faithfulness is a failure.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 10-12
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – Broken Through Pain – by Pastor W.F Kumuyi
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Daily Manna 4 April 2023
