2 Chronicles 24:15

2 Chronicles 24:15 says, But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.  Jehoiada lived for a hundred and thirty years, but he still got old and died.  No matter how long we live, we will still get old and this body will die one day if Jesus Christ doesn't return first, but our soul will live on forever.  That is why it is important that we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, because that decision is what determines where our soul will live.  Verse sixteen adds, And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.  Jehoiada was buried among the kings, though he was a prophet and not a king, because he had done good for both Israel and God.  We as Christians should do good for those around us, but more importantly we should do good for God.  We may do good in the world and not be a follower of Christ, but us doing good is not going to bring us everlasting life with God if we have not accepted salvation that He makes available by putting our faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Verse seventeen continues, Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.  After Jehoiada died, the princes of Judah came to the king and showed deferential respect to him.  They were attempting to influence him by appearing to be obedient to him, I believe, and people will still try to influence us if they want something from us by playing on our vanity as the saying goes.  We cannot be swayed to turn away from God just because someone is making us feel important, if we want to live a successful life as Christians.  Verse eighteen states, And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.  These princes left the house of God, or being obedient to Him, and served groves and idols.  Jehoiada had kept them on the right path, but once his influence was gone, the people of Judah soon turned away from God.  If we are only following God because of a certain person who has influence in our life and that person dies, we may turn away from God, because we don't have a personal relationship with Him.  This did not please God, and neither will we if we act the that way.  Verse nineteen adds, Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.  God once again sent prophets to the people of Judah, but they wouldn't listen to them.  God sent His Son Jesus Christ to call us to repentance and call on us to put our faith in Him so we can enter into a relationship with God, but too many people refuse to listen to God's call to salvation.  Verse twenty continues, And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.  Zechariah, Jehoiada's son, had the Spirit of God come on him and he asked the people why they were transgressing against God.  It was not the fact that Zechariah was Jehoiada's son that made what he said important, but it was the fact that he was being led by the Spirit of God.  Being the child of a Christian, or even a great preacher, doesn't make what we may say important, but proclaiming God's truth by the leadership of the Holy Spirit is what makes what we say important.  We must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord before we can be led by the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-one states, And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord.  The people of Judah, instead of listening to God's prophet, conspired against him and stoned him at the commandment of the king.  There are still people in authority in the world today who not only won't listen to Christians but will also either put them in prison or have them killed.  Verse twenty-two adds, Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.  Joash didn't remember the kindness that Jehoiada had shown him, but had his son killed instead.  As he died, Zechariah asked God to deal with those who were stoning him.  God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to call people to repentance and salvation, and they reacted by killing Him, or so they thought.  We know that He lives forever as the eternal King, and that even if people reject Him, He died for them and is still their only hope.