256 JOASH, KING OF JUDAH.

make Joash king, and slay wicked | and if we love Him, and trust in
Athaliah. How wise and good God | Him, as Jehoiada did, we may know
is! we may trust all to Him. Our- | that all will be well, and not fear
selves, and our friends, and our | any dangers, nor difficulties, nor
country,—all are in His keeping ; | troubles.

 

 

a

CLXXVI. -

JOASH, inc OF JUDAH,

OASH was a little boy
when he began to reign 5
—only seven years old.
Kings have many duties
to perform which are very
difficult, and very troublesome; and
they need great wisdom to perform
these duties rightly. Children sel-
dom have so much wisdom as older

 

people; and if they trust to their |

own knowledge, they always do
what is foolish, and ignorant, and
even wicked. But God will give
wisdom to every child who asks
Him for it. This alone will help
young kings and all young people,
whether rich or poor, to do what is
truly right and wise. God gave
young Solomon wisdom, and Joash
too, when they began to reign.
“The fear of the Lord is the begin-
ning of wisdom.” Psalm ‘cxi. 10.
These young kings both reigned in
the fear of the Lord; and this was
heir wisdom. It was a happy thing
for Joash that he had his good un-
cle to teach him and advise him.
Young people always need advice,
and they ought to be very thank-
ful and very attentive to the kind
and good friends who give it them.
Joash did right all the time Jehoiada
lived, because he attended to what
that good priest told him.

The house of God had been sadly

 

 

 

broken up by the wicked queen
Athaliah ; and now Joash wished
very much to repair it. But Joash
knew this would cost much money,
more than he could give: so he
called the Levites and told them to
go all through the country, and ask
the people to give money to help to
build up God’s house. But the Le-
vites were not so anxious about this
holy work as Joash was. They were
very slow, and took a long time to
collect the money. This was not
right. When we have work to do,
good work, work in God’s service,
we should do it directly, and as
quickly as we can. “ Whatsoever
thine hand findeth to do, do it with
thy might; for there is no work, nor
device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
in the grave whither thou goest.”
Licclesvastes 1x. 10.

Joash was displeased to see his
people so slow. He called Jehoiada
and said, “Why are the Levites so
long in collecting money for God’s
house? ‘Tell the people to bring
their money to the temple: and we
will put a box by the door of the
temple, and the money shall be
thrown in there.” So Jehoiada took
a box, and made a hole in the top
of it, and put it by the door of the
house of the Lord ; and all the peo-
ple were told to bring their money,