“They Dealt Faithfully”

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 10-13

King Joash (Jehoash) instructed the priests to “repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found,” saying that they should “do it quickly.” “However the Levites did not do it quickly” (2 Ki.12:5; 2 Chron. 24:5). So, the king commanded that a chest be set beside the altar in which the people would place their contribution for the repairs of the temple. After gathering “money in abundance,” the king and the chief priest Jehoiada, “gave the money, which had been apportioned, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the Lord, and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple” (2 Ki. 12:11-12). It is noteworthy that the king and chief priest “did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt faithfully” (2 Ki. 12:15). What a great statement concerning these workers – “they dealt faithfully”! Their trust in the integrity of the workmen was well placed, for when the workmen “had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada” (2 Chron. 24:14).

Unfortunately, words such as honor, integrity, and trustworthy are used very sparingly today as there seem to be fewer and fewer to whom these words apply. What about you? Do others have the same trust in you that the Joash and Jehoiada had in these workmen – that you deal faithfully? Like Paul, we must be concerned with “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Cor. 8:21 KJV). Let us ever strive to live honorably before both God and man!

Note: 2 Chronicles 24:1-14 is the parallel account of 2 Kings 12:1-16.