2Ch 24:23 | KingComments | STEP | God’s response to the call of his dying servant Zechariah for revenge is soon. At the turn of the year, the army of the Arameans or Syrians comes up against Joash ( ; cf. ). Syria’s army even penetrates so far that they enter Jerusalem and destroy all the officials of the people. Thereby the people have become rudderless. The spoils that the Syrians rob on their campaign are sent to their lord, the king of Damascus. The Syrians are supreme in their fight against Judah and Jerusalem. This is not because they are so numerous. On the contrary, they only have a small army ( ). Yet they achieve great successes because the LORD fights against His people. He shows Himself the adversary of His people because they have forsaken Him. Previous kings – Abijah, Asa and Jehoshaphat – were not defeated, although Judah was facing a mighty army ( ). Here with Joash, however, the LORD gives the victory to Syria that “with a small number of men” has come against a mighty Judah. A mighty Judah is defeated by a small army because the LORD gives them into the hand of their enemies ( ). Serving or forsaking the LORD is such a serious matter, that all military numbers are completely meaningless. The Syrians are the disciplinary rod in God’s hand to execute “judgment on Joash”. The word for ‘executed judgment’ is also used for the judgments that have come on Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release God’s people from Egypt ( ; ). This shows the seriousness of the discipline that the LORD brings over the leaders of His people. He brings here the judgments with which He has struck ungodly Egypt over His people.

‏ 2 Chronicles 24:23

Judgment Executed on Joash

God’s response to the call of his dying servant Zechariah for revenge is soon. At the turn of the year, the army of the Arameans or Syrians comes up against Joash (2Chr 24:23; cf. 2Sam 11:1). Syria’s army even penetrates so far that they enter Jerusalem and destroy all the officials of the people. Thereby the people have become rudderless. The spoils that the Syrians rob on their campaign are sent to their lord, the king of Damascus.

The Syrians are supreme in their fight against Judah and Jerusalem. This is not because they are so numerous. On the contrary, they only have a small army (2Chr 24:24). Yet they achieve great successes because the LORD fights against His people. He shows Himself the adversary of His people because they have forsaken Him.

Previous kings – Abijah, Asa and Jehoshaphat – were not defeated, although Judah was facing a mighty army (2Chr 13:3 ; 2Chr 14:11 ; 2Chr 20:20). Here with Joash, however, the LORD gives the victory to Syria that “with a small number of men” has come against a mighty Judah. A mighty Judah is defeated by a small army because the LORD gives them into the hand of their enemies (Lev 26:17a). Serving or forsaking the LORD is such a serious matter, that all military numbers are completely meaningless.

The Syrians are the disciplinary rod in God’s hand to execute “judgment on Joash”. The word for ‘executed judgment’ is also used for the judgments that have come on Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release God’s people from Egypt (Exo 6:6 ; Exo 7:4 ; Exo 12:12; Num 33:4). This shows the seriousness of the discipline that the LORD brings over the leaders of His people. He brings here the judgments with which He has struck ungodly Egypt over His people.