Read 2 Chronicles 23
23 In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 2 They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites and the heads of Israelite families from all the towns. When they came to Jerusalem, 3 the whole assembly made a covenant with the king at the temple of God.
Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son shall reign, as the Lord promised concerning the descendants of David. 4 Now this is what you are to do: A third of you priests and Levites who are going on duty on the Sabbath are to keep watch at the doors, 5 a third of you at the royal palace and a third at the Foundation Gate, and all the others are to be in the courtyards of the temple of the Lord. 6 No one is to enter the temple of the Lord except the priests and Levites on duty; they may enter because they are consecrated, but all the others are to observe the Lord’s command not to enter. 7 The Levites are to station themselves around the king, each with weapon in hand. Anyone who enters the temple is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”
8 The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—for Jehoiada the priest had not released any of the divisions. 9 Then he gave the commanders of units of a hundred the spears and the large and small shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of God. 10 He stationed all the men, each with his weapon in his hand, around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the Lord. 13 She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and musicians with their instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”
14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: “Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not put her to death at the temple of the Lord.” 15 So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.
16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
18 Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the Lord in the hands of the Levitical priests, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the Lord as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered. 19 He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.
20 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the Lord. They went into the palace through the Upper Gateand seated the king on the royal throne. 21 All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.
Go Deeper
Reading the events recorded in 2 Chronicles reveal the highs and lows of the people of Israel, God’s people. From the perspective of those living in Judah, the promised line of David’s kingdom has been wiped out by the Queen Mother, Athaliah. After six years of her wicked reign, the High Priest, Jehoiada, organizes Levites throughout Judah to join in revealing that a son of David’s line is alive and will reign. This son, Joash, has been hidden in the temple for six years, protected and cared for by the priest’s wife, Jehoshapbeath.
The Levites surround Joash, armed with King David’s former weapons stored in the temple, and present their newly crowned king. Queen mother, Athaliah, hearing the joyful praising of the people for King Joash, tears her clothes shouting “Treason.” Her reign ends in her death by the Levite guards. God’s promise of David’s forever kingdom is preserved, protected by the bold actions of the priest and his wife. Sweeping reforms are directed by Jehoiada removing the pagan god, Baal’s, altars and Baal priests. Jerusalem experienced peace during the time of Jehoiada’s influence.
Repetitively, God’s promise to preserve David’s family comes under attack, but God’s faithfulness to keep His promises prevails. This truth will continue throughout our readings and remains true today. That is great news for us! Eventually, God’s promise is fulfilled in His Son, Jesus, who is in the line of David. Just as all hope seemed lost when there was no evidence of a living heir to David’s family during the Queen Mother’s purge, Jesus’ death on the cross appeared to be the final defeat of God’s promised king. But God raised Him from death to life on the third day defeating death and sealing the eternal hope for all who call on Jesus’ name.
In Acts 2, Peter confirms this victory with these words, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Jesus is our living, reigning King! Take heart, no matter the circumstances which seem to contradict God’s gracious, sovereign, faithfulness, He reigns and promises to make all things new!
Questions
- How does knowing God is faithful to keep His promises inform your perspective of your current circumstances?
- How does Jesus’ resurrection offer hope in difficult times?
- Who do you know who desperately needs to hear that Jesus is our living hope? Would you share this with them as soon as possible?
Listen Here
Be reminded of Jesus’ victory and eternal reign by listening to Phil Wickham’s “Living Hope” today!
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6 responses to “2 Chronicles 23”
This chapter was like a movie thriller, action packed, with the main character, Jehoiada, leading the charge to dethrone the wicked Athaliah and crowning Joash as king to fulfill the Davidic kingship. Recall in
2 Samuel 7:8-16 God promises King David that his dynasty would endure forever and his descendant would sit on the throne eternally. How thrilling that many years later, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that her son Jesus will be given the “throne of his father David” and “reign over the house of Jacob forever”(Luke 1:31-33).
Exactly!
God weaved that red thread all through the Word. All leads to Jesus and what He accomplished for you and me.
Where have you lost sight of God’s promise to you?
He has you, He will never (never!!!!!) leave you nor forsake you. It is us that give up because our humanness, if it’s not humanly logical, we tend to write it off. God’s will always prevails. He can stir the right people at just the right timing in order to accomplish His plans.
God thank You for not giving up on me. Thank You for just the right time and just the right order. God Your way is so much better than mine. I am so grateful for Your grace, mercy and peace. God I am confident that that You began a good work in me will perfect it until the day of Christ. God I desire to be more and more, continually confident in the fact that nothing, not one thing, will be able to separate me from Your love. God thank You for these minutes of this day, that I feel that living hope and that You continue to protect me through faith from the negatives of this world and my own thinking. God help me to think on these things for myself and those I am surround by today. Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things today in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The BOLDNESS of Jehoiada and his allies in confronting Athaliah is a testament to the COURAGE that comes from FAITH. When we face opposition, we can draw STRENGTH from God, knowing that He is with us.
As Joshua 1:9 encourages, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Yes!
13 She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance.
Fascinating to think that Joash, the newly established king and leader of the nation, was just seven years old at this time. Difficult in our present, non-royal age to think that people would be rejoicing and submitting themselves to a second-grader! But the power was not in the person, but in the position!