2 Kings 12
Joash becomes king of Judah at the age of 7 and is king for the next 40 years. The Bible records that Joash was a good king and followed the Law of God, doing what was right. However he did not abolish the worship of other gods in his land as the high places were not removed .
One thing Joash did was to order the priests to carry out repairs and maintenance on the temple of God in Jerusalem - any money given was to be used to repair the temple and fix any damage.
However several years passed and nothing happened. Anybody reading this in Ilkley (where I happen to live) will be aware that the large supermarket chain Tesco have plans to build a new supermarket on the site formerly occupied by the company I work for - then the banking crisis hit the economy and the plans were put on hold, and still nothing has happened!
Anyway Joash has words with the high priest Jehoida and the other priests and asked why the lack of progress, it seems that the temple treasurers were looking after the money and not paying for the repairs.
Jehoida started a tradition that continues to this day - he made a large chest with a hole in the top to collect monetary gifts for the upkeep of the temple - even the church I attend has a similar box in a pillar near the door!
When the box was full, they emptied it out and gave the money to the craftsmen to carry out the repairs.
Receipts were not kept as the workers were honest.
It seems before the money had been spent on things like silver bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls and trumpets (All things that with care can last quite a long time!)
Hazael, king of Aram, attacked towns in Judah and threatened Jerusalem, and Joash paid him off with all the valuable items he and his ancestors had dedicated to God. Which to my mind shows a lack of faith in God and a certain moral weakness.
Eventually a couple of his officials assassinated king Joash and his son Amaziah became the next king.
We have an expression in the UK - Danegeld - it means trying to pay off an invader rather than standing up for yourself.
If you are into poetry Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem about it
It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that pays it is lost!"
With thanks to Mr Kipling (exceedingly good poetry (and cakes))
For those who are not from the UK, Mr Kipling is the name of a bakery that has the
advertising slogan "Exceedingly good cakes"
Joash becomes king of Judah at the age of 7 and is king for the next 40 years. The Bible records that Joash was a good king and followed the Law of God, doing what was right. However he did not abolish the worship of other gods in his land as the high places were not removed .
One thing Joash did was to order the priests to carry out repairs and maintenance on the temple of God in Jerusalem - any money given was to be used to repair the temple and fix any damage.
However several years passed and nothing happened. Anybody reading this in Ilkley (where I happen to live) will be aware that the large supermarket chain Tesco have plans to build a new supermarket on the site formerly occupied by the company I work for - then the banking crisis hit the economy and the plans were put on hold, and still nothing has happened!
Anyway Joash has words with the high priest Jehoida and the other priests and asked why the lack of progress, it seems that the temple treasurers were looking after the money and not paying for the repairs.
Jehoida started a tradition that continues to this day - he made a large chest with a hole in the top to collect monetary gifts for the upkeep of the temple - even the church I attend has a similar box in a pillar near the door!
When the box was full, they emptied it out and gave the money to the craftsmen to carry out the repairs.
Receipts were not kept as the workers were honest.
It seems before the money had been spent on things like silver bowls, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls and trumpets (All things that with care can last quite a long time!)
Hazael, king of Aram, attacked towns in Judah and threatened Jerusalem, and Joash paid him off with all the valuable items he and his ancestors had dedicated to God. Which to my mind shows a lack of faith in God and a certain moral weakness.
Eventually a couple of his officials assassinated king Joash and his son Amaziah became the next king.
We have an expression in the UK - Danegeld - it means trying to pay off an invader rather than standing up for yourself.
If you are into poetry Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem about it
It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say: --
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: --
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: --
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that pays it is lost!"
With thanks to Mr Kipling (exceedingly good poetry (and cakes))
For those who are not from the UK, Mr Kipling is the name of a bakery that has the
advertising slogan "Exceedingly good cakes"
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