The Temple, The Palace, & The Foundation

[dave c]

HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #129a Re-Written 15Oct08 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw

Gatekeepers—Part One: The Temple, The Palace, & The Foundation

by rev dave c

Second Chronicles 22-24 is the Old Testament account of how Joash, the last surviving descendent of David, came to be the seven year old king of Judah and Jerusalem several hundred years after his famous ancestor’s reign. The human heroes of the story are the Hebrew High Priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehosheba. This good woman of God, Jehosheba, had sequestered and saved the infant Joash from the vengeful mother of a slain, evil king of Judah named Ahaziah. Chapter 23 picks up the story as her husband, Jehoiada, swings into action to secure the position of the rightful heir to the throne.

1 In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri. 2 They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem, 3 the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, "The king's son shall reign, as the LORD promised concerning the descendants of David. 4 Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors, 5 a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the other men are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the LORD. 6 No one is to enter the temple of the LORD except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the other men are to guard what the LORD has assigned to them (NIV).

As High Priest, Jehoiada rallied the Levites (the descendents of Levi, son of Isaac—the tribe consigned by God to serve in the Temple), and the priests (the direct descendents of Aaron) to the task of securing the safe ascension of Joash to the kingship of Judah. It is significant for us that a third of the assembly was assigned to guard the doors to the Temple, a third to guard the Royal Palace, and a third to guard the Gate of the Foundation. I see in these verses a direct correlation to the God given assignments for those whom He has created and called today into service of His Gospel. A third are to guard “the doors of the Church,” a third are to guard “the doors of our government,” and a third are to guard “the gates to our culture’s foundation.” Verse 23:6 then tells us that everyone else (those who were not called to specific service) are to guard what the LORD has assigned to them. In our society, unfortunately, we have come to recognize only the authority and responsibility of Pastors who are increasingly restricted by convention, if not by law, to “tend their flocks” and stay out of government and culture.

Born and called to service, Jehoiada, the priests, and the Levites were to guard the life of King David’s descendent as the rightful heir to the throne of God’s people, until such time as his authority could be publicly established. Likewise, the task for all who are today called to service is to guard “the life” of the rightful heir, Jesus Christ, here on Earth until such time as He openly declares from Heaven His kingship over all of creation. God has called far more people to His service than just our Pastors, who are the overworked guardians of our local churches. He has called all believers to stand at the gates of our government at all levels, and at the gates to all aspects of our culture. Just as Jehoiada and the commanders went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns, the Holy Spirit is searching the minds and hearts of Christians everywhere and calling us to gather together in a purposeful unity of the Faith.

Jehosheba, the wife of the High Priest, protected the life of the true king until her husband and the people of God rose up to declare the right of the legal heir to rule over their lives. In the same fashion, it is our responsibility as the Church to rise up and guard the life on Earth of another descendent and legal heir of King David until He returns to claim His inheritance in the saints. Today needs be the day of declaration to the forces of darkness as they threaten to engulf us that to Jesus Christ alone goes all allegiance, glory and honor because he is Lord of lords and King of kings (Re 17:14; NIV).

The story of Joash does not have “a happy ending.” As long as he was surrounded by Godly advisers, he served well as a good king. As soon as the Godly generation that secured his position had passed, Joash was lost in, and to, the corruption of this fallen world. Now we must decide to either answer God’s call to guard the gates of our churches, our governments, and our culture at large, or to turn our backs in disobedience and allow the forces of this world to squeeze Christ from every aspect of our lives. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be [people] of courage; be strong (1Co 16:13; NIV).

I pray we take to heart Paul’s exhortation to the elders from Ephesus: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! (Ac 20:28-31; NIV). Amen.