THE TEMPLE REPAIRED

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Sep 29, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 39.

THE TEMPLE REPAIRED

Lesson III.—Sunday, October 16, 1898.

THE TEMPLE REPAIRED.

NOTE.—In our last lesson we learned of the good reign of Jehoshaphat. Notwithstanding this, however, he made one great mistake—that of marrying his son Jehoram to the daughter of Ahab, king of Israel. This woman, Athaliah, was of the character of her mother Jezebel, and when Jehoram came to the throne on the death of his father, she ruled him as her mother had ruled Ahab. Under such an influence it was not long until Baal-worship, with all its wicked associations and abominations, was established in Jerusalem. Jehoram reigned eight years; his son Ahaziah reigned one year, and was also governed by his mother Athaliah. On his death, his mother seized the throne and put to death all who might be considered heirs to it. But a babe, the child of Ahaziah, was hid in the temple by his aunt, who was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest. He was kept in the temple six years, until Athaliah became so corrupt that the people revolted. She was put to death, and the boy Joash at the age of seven years was made king. He did right all the days of Jehoiada the high priest, for Jehoiada was his counselor.

Lesson Scripture, 2 Chron. 24: 4-13, R.V.

4 “And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to 5 restore the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten 6 the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not. And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the tax of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tent of the testimony? 7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the 8 house of the Lord did they bestow upon the Baalim. So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it without at 9 the gate of the house of the Lord. And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for the Lord the tax that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness. 10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made 11 an end. And it was so, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day 12 by day, and gathered money in abundance. And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron 13 and brass to repair the house of the Lord. So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set up the house of God in its state, and strengthened it.”

Golden Text: “And the men did the work faithfully.” 2 Chron. 24: 12.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Of what important work was King Joash reminded? V. 4. Note 1. (2) How did he go about the work? With what words did he urge them to duty? With what spirit did the Levites respond to the king’s directions? V. 5. Note 2. (3) Then for whom did the king especially call? What did he say to the high priest? V. 6. Note 3. (4) How had the temple become so dilapidated? What had been done with the holy things? V. 7. (5) What arrangement was made for receiving the collection? V. 8. (6) What proclamation was made? V. 9. (7) What was the effect upon the people? V. 10. Note 4. (8) How was the money cared for? What was the result of the collection? V. 11. (9) How was the money disbursed? V. 12. (10) In what manner did the workmen perform their work? V. 13. (11) What was done with the rest of the money? After the house was thoroughly put in order, for what purpose was it used? V. 14.

NOTES.

1. “After this.”—After he had grown to manhood in the king’s office. It was the twenty-third year of his reign.

2. Jehoiada’s negligence may be accounted for by the fact that he was now an old man, and depended upon his assistants for the performance of the duties of the priesthood. Read 2 Kings 12: 4-16.

3. The collection referred to was the half shekel which the Lord had commanded through Moses to be collected annually from every man twenty years old and upward. It was for the service of the tabernacle, and later for the temple. The collection of this tax had been neglected until, because of the backslidden condition of the people, it was no doubt a difficult and disagreeable task to get them to pay it. Tent of the testimony.—The tabernacle in Moses’ time, and later the temple, containing God’s holy law, bore constant testimony, or witness, of Jehovah’s presence and His covenant with Israel.

4. How to enliven the church.—It will be noticed that when the priests set about their duty in earnest, there was a great revival of interest among the people. There was soon enough money on hand to repair the house of God and to carry on other necessary work. The same principle holds good to-day. Where pastors and other church officers are faithful in all their own duties, and keep before the people the requirements which the Lord has laid upon the flock, there will be found a working church, and the house of worship in creditable condition. But much depends upon the faithfulness of the “priests and Levites,” “the ministers of the Lord.”