After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 24:17-18 NIV
This passage offers a profound insight into how quickly faith can fade when it is not built on a genuine relationship with God. It tells the story of Joash, a young boy who became king of Israel at just seven years old, and Jehoiada, the priest who guided him.
From the very beginning, Joash leaned heavily on Jehoiada’s counsel. The priest didn’t just advise him—he arranged his marriage and influenced major decisions in his reign. This showed that Joash deeply respected Jehoiada and followed his instructions without question.
However, everything changed after Jehoiada’s death. Joash listened to the advice of Israel’s princes instead. Almost immediately, he and the people abandoned the Lord and returned to worshipping idols and pagan altars—practices that Jehoiada had worked hard to remove. This shows us the danger of relying solely on others for our spiritual life instead of cultivating our own genuine relationship with God.
This shift raises a serious question: What went wrong? Was it that Jehoiada didn’t teach Joash to know the Lord for himself? Did he raise him to rely on spiritual leadership instead of developing a personal relationship with God? Or did Joash only pretend to obey, hiding his true nature out of fear or convenience?
What becomes clear is this: Joash lacked personal conviction. He didn’t have his own relationship with God. Scripture never shows him calling God “my God”—he always referred to Him as “your God” when speaking to Jehoiada or the Levites. Without Jehoiada’s influence, Joash revealed who he truly was, turning away from the path of righteousness.
This brings us to a personal reflection: ask yourself honestly, ‘Who is God to you?’ Do you have a genuine relationship with God, or are you just going through the motions? What drives your service? Is it out of love for Him, or is it out of habit, pressure, or fear?
If the reason isn’t love, pause and reflect. Love for God must be the foundation of your faith. That love is what sustains obedience when no one else is watching.
If those who usually encourage you—mentors, pastors, friends—were no longer present, would you still follow God genuinely? Or would you return to the life you truly desire, because you were never really walking in the truth to begin with?
Living it out
The story of Joash reminds us that obedience without a genuine relationship with God will eventually fall apart. God wants more than religious routines—He desires a relationship. Don’t live a borrowed faith. Don’t walk in obedience just to please others. Walk with God because you know Him, you trust Him, and you love Him. When we build our faith on love for Him and not just religious routine, we become rooted, stable, and unshaken—no matter who comes or goes.