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Joash the boy king

Joash, the 7-year-old King of Judah, and Jehoiada the priest.
Contributed by Sweet Publishing
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, German, Simplified Chinese
1
Both Judah and Israel had many evil kings. When King Ahaziah of Judah died, his mother Athaliah wanted to be queen. So she ordered all her grandsons be killed so she could rule. – Slide 1
2
However one of the grandsons, a one-year-old child called Joash, escaped the killings. His aunt, Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, saved Joash by keeping him hidden in one of the room of the Temple for six years. – Slide 2
3
When Joash became seven, Jehoiada carried out a plan to make the young boy king. Protected by soldiers, he crowned Joash as king by anointing his head with oil. Everyone shouted, ‘Long live the king.’ – Slide 3
4
Hearing the noise, Athaliah hurried to the Temple. When she saw Joash she torn her clothes and shouted, ‘Treason!’ Soldiers were ordered to lead her out of the Temple to be executed. – Slide 4
5
Jehoiada the priest had the boy king Joash and the people of Judah make a covenant with the Lord. They promised again that they would love and obey the Lord God. – Slide 5
6
Then the people went to the temple of Baal and smashed it down. They destroyed the altars and broke the idols into pieces. The false priests of Baal were killed in front of the altars. – Slide 6
7
After several years Joash decided to repair the Lord’s temple. He ordered priests to collect money for making the repairs. However many years passed and no repair work was done. – Slide 7
8
Finally Joash decided he must do something, so he had a large box placed by the Temple gate. When the people came to offer sacrifices, they were encouraged to put their gift of money into the box. – Slide 8
9
The money collected was used to pay the carpenters and stonemasons and metal workers to repair the temple. Before long, the Temple was looking as clean and beautiful as before. – Slide 9
10
As long as Jehoiada the priest was alive, sacrifices were made in the temple every day. But when he died, the people stopped going to the Temple and tuned back to their evil ways. They began worshipping the goddess Asherah. – Slide 10
11
The Lord sent Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada to warn King Joash. He announced, ‘As you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ This made Joash very angry and he ordered Zechariah to be taken out and stoned to death. – Slide 11
12
Later that year, the Syrian army attacked Judah and Jerusalem. King Joash was wounded in the battle. While recovering from his wounds in bed, he was murdered by two men who had been friends of Zechariah. – Slide 12
13
Slide 13