V.1-14 Great repairs are made to the house of God, but young king Joash seemed to rely on the faith of Jehoiada the priest rather than on his own faith.
V.15-16 After a long life — few lived this long at that time — Jehoiada the faithful priest dies. Now we see how much reality there was in others.
V.17 King Joash turns to the princes for guidance, and not to the Lord.
V.18 Downhill they rush!
V.20-21 Faithful Jehoiada had a faithful son. God kept the father alive for 130 years yet lets the son be stoned to death. (God never makes mistakes! Read Rev. 2:10). Will Zechariah get a crown of life? Yes. Faithful to God, paying the price.
V.22 This is how far Joash got away from the Lord. As it were, he challenges God to do anything about it.
V.23-25 God would not let such a challenge go by. The result, and the reason.
V.25-27 His dreadful end. Jehoiada the priest was buried among the kings (v. 16)! But not so this king! The people knew the right value of the two lives. The higher the stand we take before God, the more responsible we are, and the severer the punishment if we depart from the Lord.