One interesting difference between Kings and Chronicles is that the author of Kings often skips over the negative aspects of some of the kings of Judah.
We saw that with Asa in 1 Kings 15.
We also see it in this chapter.
But as with Asa, we see the author of Kings hinting that not all was as well as it seemed.
The writer notes,
Throughout the time the priest Jehoiada instructed him, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight. (2 Kings 12:2)
Which makes one think, “What happened after Jehoiada stopped instructing Joash?”
Sadly, according to 2 Chronicles 24, after Jehoiada died, Joash turned from the Lord and started worshiping idols. And when Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, warned him and urged him to repent,
King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. (2 Chronicles 24:22)
But it wasn’t just Jehoiada’s kindness that Joash had forgotten.
Joash had forgotten the Lord’s kindness to him as well.
The Lord had saved him from being killed by his grandmother Athaliah, after all.
So my prayer this morning was this:
Father, let me never forget the kindness you’ve shown me like Joash did. Because if I ever do that, it would be so easy to fall away from you.
And Father, I don’t want to ever fall away from you.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 