2 Chronicles 24:24 (NIV) Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash.

Joash was a confusing and tragic figure in the Bible. He was spared from being murdered by his grandmother, Athalia, through his father’s sister and brother-in-law’s intervention as they hid him away for six years. Athalia murdered her own grandchildren so that she could reign on the throne as queen in place of any one of them. After six years when Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada (the brother-in law of Joash’s father), brought him out and had him declared king. The wicked queen, Athalia, was put to death and Joash began his reign at that young age, depending heavily on Jehoiada, who was also a priest. Joash did many good things, including repairing the temple of the Lord, while Jehoiada was alive. But as soon as he died, Joash and the officials abandoned the temple of the Lord and even executed Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, who prophesied that the Lord would bring judgement on them and on Judah and that they would not be successful. Imagine how much Joash turned to evil, having no problem killing the son of the man who had saved his life and guided him through his kingship. Because of this, disaster was sure to come. Sure enough, the army of Aram marched against Joash and invaded Judah and Jerusalem, severely wounding Joash and killing all of the officials. The army of Aram had come with only a few men, but they still decimated Judah’s much larger army. Joash was later killed on his bed by his own people for having murdered Zechariah.

Sometimes people who start out doing right before the Lord turn away from Him. Even after having experienced the blessing and the success that honoring and serving the Lord brings, for some insane reason, some still turn away from Him. Upon looking into these situations, you find that the turn didn’t happen overnight. Usually, it includes a person being blessed to the point where slowly over time, they start thinking that the blessings are due to their own wisdom and their own efforts. They begin to feel that they can do things on their own without God. They start backing away from the things that they were doing to stay connected to the Lord and slowly but surely, they drift away until they are fooled into thinking that they now have enough money and enough power to do things in their own strength, not having to be beholden to anyone, including God. When that happens, God removes His covering and protection and then even a little thing can bring them down. It was a very small army that totally defeated Joash and Judah, showing that all of the victories that Joash had experienced were all due to God.

When it comes to God, it’s not about how much wealth or power you have or even how many people you have on your side. If God is not with you, you are at a total disadvantage. Having more is not a guarantee of success. As someone once put it, more is less if God doesn’t bless. Without God, many becomes few in any battle. Ensure for victories in your life by never, ever turning away from Him and instead, draw closer and closer to Him each day. That’s when you learn that even if it is only you plus God, that is still a majority!

Pastor Joey Vazquez