Jehoiada the priest chose two wives for King Joash. Why two? Isn’t God’s plan to have one wife?

2 Kings 10:32a In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel.

The Lord reduced the size of Israel by letting them suffer the consequences of their sin. How does that relate to us individually as Believers? Does it mean that our blessings are reduced, our rewards are lessened, our testimony is compromised as a result of our sins?

2 Chron. 24:20
Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the LORD’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.’”

This verse in 2 Chronicles is a witness verse to the previous one in 2 Kings. When we disobey His commands we will not prosper (in blessings, rewards, and testimony). When we forsake Him, He will forsake us. How do we reconcile that verse with the ones that say He will never leave us or forsake us???

Joash decided to restore the temple and told the priests to go into the land and collect money. The Levites didn’t act at once. Why? Was it that the priests were supposed to use a portion of the money for repairs on the temple but instead kept the money for themselves? Is that why the temple was in such bad shape and had to be restored?

 

When the proclamation was issued, the people brought their contributions gladly and there was no need for an accounting of the money because the workers restoring the temple acted with complete honesty. Seems as if there is a sharp contrast here between the honest workers and the priests.

As long as Joash was under the influence of the priest Jehoiada he did okay. After Jehoiada died, Joash accepted paganism. Then when Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son spoke up, Joash had him stoned. Guess he was saying things Joash didn’t want to hear.  Interestingly, as he lay dying, Zechariah spoke these words, "May the Lord see this and call you to account."
Contrast this statement to the statement of Stephen as he was being stoned in Jerusalem. 
Acts 7:60
Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Quite a contrast.  Zechariah was pre-Jesus. Stephen was post-Jesus.  Forgiveness is directly related to the blood sacrifice. Zechariah's forgiveness required an animal blood sacrifice.  Stephen had the power to forgive sins committed against him. Jesus had already taken care of the required blood sacrifice. 

With no spiritual leadership the people "snapped like a rubber band" back into their sinful ways.

After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah convinced Joash to abandon the Lord and worship Asherah, goddess of sex and fertility.
 

Concerning the temple, those in charge didn't repair little things. Then when those little things became big things, there was a need to restore and not just repair.

What lesson can we learn from the temple repair? Maybe that we should constantly check our lives for little sins (in order to repair) before they become disastrous sins (and we have to restore).

On his deathbed Elisha gives King Jehoash a stinging prophecy. Jehoash struck the ground three times. He stopped before Elisha told him to stop and because of that, the defeat of the enemy would not be complete. Lesson for us? When God tells us to do something, we should continue until He tells us to stop. Otherwise we miss all the blessings He wants to give.