Background:

When King Joash was crowned king (2 Chronicles 24), the first thing he did was to restore the worship of Jehovah in Judah as it had been neglected during the reign of Queen Athaliah.  Queen Athaliah was the daughter of King Ahab in neighboring Israel.  She married King Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram.  She had a son named Ahaziah who became king after Jehoram her husband died.  But then, Ahaziah was killed by Jehu. Instead of Ahaziah’s son reigning in Ahaziah’s stead, Queen Athaliah had all of Ahaziah’s sons killed.

One of Athaliah’s daughter’s Joshabeath (the sister of King Ahaziah), stole and hid away Joash, one of the king’s sons who was then an infant. Joshabeath was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest of Judah.  Jehoiada took Joash under his protection in the temple and taught him.  The Bible says that King Joash did right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada.

When Queen Athaliah was finally dethroned, Joash, then only five or six years old, was finally crowned king of Judah. His first project as king was to restore and re-consecrate the Temple of Jerusalem as Athaliah had desecrated it and destroyed it during the years of her usurpation.  King Joash ordered a collection in Judah and the people gave generously.

What I noticed was the workers in the Temple — the restorers of the Temple.  It is their attitude and their work ethic that I found so refreshing and so inspiring. Let’s look at it today at 2 Chronicles 24:13-14.

I’d like to focus on one phrase: “so the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them.” I like that phrase: “the work was perfected by them.”

Perfectionism as the world defines it

The dictionary defines the word “perfectionism” as a demand for perfection and a rejection of things that are less than perfect.  It is also a belief that perfection is possible to human beings (Encarta Dictionaries). In psychology, the term “perfectionist” is associated with a Type A personality.  It is predicted that people with perfectionist tendencies set the bar of accomplishment for themselves as well as for others extremely high.  When they reach it, or feel that they have reached it, their sense of personal accomplishment and self-worth are enhanced; but when they continually fail to reach their own standards, they live with guilt, self-reproach, anxiety and even depression.

Perfect means “mature”

This is not the way that the Bible uses the word “perfect”.  In Scripture, “perfect” means “ripe, mature and suited”.  In Tagalog, it is translated as “angkop or taga sa panahon”.  It is in the Biblical sense that this phrase “the work was perfected by them” should be understood.  Viewed in this way, we can see that the workers at the Temple: worked (this was their occupation and concern); they did this work “perfectly” (this was the manner, the way by which they accomplished the work).

When the Scripture says that the “work was perfected” it meant that the work they did was what was called for under the specific circumstances; that they were the persons with the right skills to do just what the job called for; they had the experience necessary to undertake such a job; and more importantly, their approach to the work was mature. The manner they worked was mature because they were able to perceive what the job called for (v. 13 “to put the house of God in his state” and also to “strengthen it”).

What “perfect” work means:

1. 1. Perfect work is purposeful work. Some people work only to keep busy. Others work to earn a living. Others work because that is what needs to be done. Still others work because they need money.  All these reasons may be good, but in spiritual work, the purpose of the work is to “put the house of God in His state” meaning, to put the house of God in the state it should be in, as God has purposed.  God had purposed and commanded that the Temple be holy and set apart.  Our spiritual work’s purpose must not be to serve the people, to gain their trust, to achieve unity — these are secondary purposes.  The main purpose should be to accomplish what God wants accomplished.  If the purpose in what we do is anything short of what is acceptable to God, then it falls short.
2. 2. Perfect work is passionate work.Spiritual work cannot be half-done. It cannot be done in any old way.  It cannot be done haphazardly and it cannot be done perfunctorily.  Spiritual work is not a chore that just has to be ticked off from one’s to-do list.  It must be work that requires nothing short of ALL of our minds, hearts and souls.  If we are working and we do not give our spiritual work our ALL, then it is not purposeful or passionate work.  It cannot be “perfect” work.  Our standard is Jesus Christ.  It has been said of him that “he doeth all things well.”  That is the standard.
3. 3. Perfect work is persevering work.  Spiritual work is not a sprint or a dash — it is a marathon.  What is needed is not wind and bluster, what is needed is determination and perseverance; endurance and stamina.  We are to occupy until Jesus Christ comes — and we are not told when He will come.  However, we do know that we are blessed servants if our Master finds us working when He comes. There is no day-off from spiritual work. There are no holidays or suspension of work due to inclement weather. we are to work in season and out of season. Evil does not take a break and neither should we.  Even in our leisure and fun times, we are to be watchful and prayerful.In the New Testament, the word “persevere” is embodied in the expression “faint not”.  This is found in 2 Corinthians 4:1 “Seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, WE FAINT NOT.”  It is also found in 2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause WE FAINT NOT; but though our outward man perish, our inward man is renewed day be day.”  This expression is a military term in the Greek language.  It is used for soldiers, who, because of inattention, lack of discipline or fatigue do not march in synchronicity with the rest of the platoon. It means breaking ranks.  It means not keeping up the pace.  It means lagging behind.Perfect work is work that is persevering — it keeps God’s pace.  It keeps  God’s time.
4. Perfect work is polished work. The Temple workers “finished” the job.  They did it to the best of their ability.  They did it with minimum expense.  In fact, there was much money left over that they turned it over to Jehoiada the priest and from the gold and silver that was given in the offering for the refurbishing and renovation of the Temple, there was enough to replace the gold and silver ornaments and instruments that had been taken away and sacked.  It was work with the utmost efficiency and cost-efficiency — there was no waste of time or resources.
5. Perfect work leads us to praise God. After the work was done, the people rejoiced in the Lord.  They worshiped and thanked the Lord.  The work in the Temple was so good and it was so pleasing, the people were led to praise their God with renewed vigor and vitality.  If our work leads to our praise, it is not “perfect” work.  It our spiritual work leads to us being exalted, it is not perfect work.  Perfect spiritual work leads to the exaltation of Christ.  Let Christ have the pre-eminence.

Together, let us work with patience.  Let us perfect our ministry.  God bless us all and may He find us “entire” (another word for “perfect”) wanting nothing. Let us work without murmuring or disputing that we may be “blameless”  and “harmless” (other synonyms for “perfect”), the sons of God “without rebuke” (another synonym for “perfect”) in the midst of this crooked and perverse nation among whom we shine as lights in the world.  Let us hold forth the Word of Life that we may rejoice in that day of Christ that we have not run in vain nor labored in vain.