Burunche’s Blog

2 Kings 15:27 – 38 “In the fifty-second year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twenty years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria. Then Hoshea son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah. In the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah, Hoshea attacked Pekah, killed him, and reigned in his place.

As for the rest of the acts of Pekah, along with all his accomplishments, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

In the second year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah over Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah became king of Judah. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done.

Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.

As for the rest of the acts of Jotham, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

(In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram (Syria) and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.)

And Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David his father. And his son Ahaz reigned in his place.”

This image is a graph of what happens to the cardiac output of a patient who begins to bleed and who does not receive transfusion in time. Notice that at the beginning, a little blood loss does nothing to hurt the patient; the patient’s heart is able to compensate. But as the blood loss worsens, the patient slides into irreversible shock. At a point, no amount of transfusion will save the patient.

Both the northern nation of Israel and the southern nation of Judah have been hemorrhaging spiritually and morally for years. But in the beginning things didn’t really appear that bad. The telling phrase that keeps repeating is this: “Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.” Offering by offering, the people were sliding further away from the Lord God of Israel and closer to complete destruction. Now the destruction has begun.

“In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and he took the people as captives to Assyria.” Until now, God has held the Assyrians at bay; however, now the Assyrians swoop in and capture large portions of Israel on both sides of the Jordan River, carrying these idolaters back to Assyria. In retaliation for these humiliating defeats, Hoshea son of Elah assassinates Pekah and rules in his place. Events are beginning to reach the steep part of the curve in Israel and the precipitous downward slide will begin soon.

Meanwhile, in the southern kingdom of Judah, Jotham, the son of King Uzziah, takes up his rule and rules for sixteen years. But things are not peaceful in Judah. Idolatry continues apace and the king of Syria (Aram) and Pekah of Israel persistently attack Judah. The longer the citizens of Judah worship at the high places, the more God withdraws His protection from them. Judah is only lagging a few years behind Israel.

APPLICATION: We read these accounts and wonder how any nation could be so stupid and short – sighted as to abandon the One True Living God for idols. But look at recent events in America. At this point, America desperately needs a transfusion of righteousness that only God the Omnipotent can give us. America stands in critical need of revival, and no amount of espousing worthwhile causes will substitute for such a move.

There are many people in America and in other nations who appear to believe that if they just do enough good things, if they just save Colubus monkeys in Nigeria, or endangered species in other places, this will be enough. Now, there is nothing wrong with caring for the environment or for endangered species. God charged Adam and Eve to care for the animals and that charge remains today. But no amount of social action can compensate for sin, and sin appears to be multiplying throughout the world.

The problem for all nations today is the same problem faced by both Israel and Judah: sin. The citizens of both nations had turned away from their God to serve demons in the hopes that they could control events and people. But those powers were reserved for the One True Living God. To repent means to turn away from sin completely and to live as new people, but how are we to do that? Only God can help us! Only God has the power to save us from ourselves and to change us into His likeness.

No social programs, no scientific studies, no environmental protection efforts can possibly save us from our own sinful natures. When we look to these things for salvation, we are as confused as were the people who were burning incense and making sacrifices on the high places.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to understand their need for You and to turn to You for salvation. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 15:1 – 11 “In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Azariah (Uzziah) son of Amaziah became king of Judah. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.

Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

And the LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, so that he lived in a separate house while his son Jotham had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

As for the rest of the acts of Azariah (Uzziah), along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in the City of David. And his son Jotham reigned in his place. (Azariah/Uzziah could not be buried with his fathers due to the skin disease he had in his feet.)

In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria six months. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

Then Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah, struck him down and killed him in front of the people, and reigned in his place.

 As for the rest of the acts of Zechariah, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: “Four generations of your sons will sit on the throne of Israel.”

 In the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah’s reign over Judah, Shallum son of Jabesh became king, and he reigned in Samaria one full month.

Then Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria, struck down and killed Shallum son of Jabesh, and reigned in his place.

As for the rest of the acts of Shallum, along with the conspiracy he led, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

At that time Menahem, starting from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah (On the Euphrates River) and everyone in its vicinity, because they would not open their gates. So he attacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.

In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and throughout his reign he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

Then Pul (Tiglath – Pileser) king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver  in order to gain his support and strengthen his own grip on the kingdom. (1,000 talents is approximately 37.7 tons or 34.2 metric tons of silver.) Menahem exacted this money from each of the wealthy men of Israel—fifty shekels of silver from each man—to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and did not remain in the land. (50 shekels is approximately 1.26 pounds or 569.8 grams of silver.)

 As for the rest of the acts of Menahem, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? And Menahem rested with his fathers, and his son Pekahiah reigned in his place.

In the fiftieth year of Azariah’s reign over Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel and reigned in Samaria two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

Then his officer, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him along with Argob, Arieh, and fifty men of Gilead. And at the citadel of the king’s palace in Samaria, Pekah struck down and killed Pekahiah and reigned in his place.

As for the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, along with all his accomplishments, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.”

WHEW! Trying to keep all the kings mentioned in this chapter is tough. Although the name Azariah means little to most of us, we are very familiar with the name “Uzziah,” from Isaiah 6:1. “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and lifted up….” Uzziah reigned in Judah for 52 years and was generally good, except for the fact that people were still worshiping at the high places. But in Uzziah’s old age, he became proud and attempted to offer sacrifices himself, something he was not qualified to do. When the priests attempted to stop him, he refused. Suddenly, God caused Uzziah to become a leper and he was forced to quickly leave the temple and go into seclusion. Meanwhile, during Uzziah’s reign in Judah, there was a series of kings in Israel.

1. Zechariah son of Jeroboam the Second – reigned for six months and was publicly assassinated by Shallum son of Jabesh. This ended God’s promise to Jehu that his family would reign for four generations.
2. Shallum – set a new record for the shortest reign possible – 2 months. Shallum was murdered by Menahem son of Gadi.
3. Menahem son of Gadi – reigned for ten years. Menahem was a very violent man, marching nearly 400 kilometers from Tirzah to Tiphsah on the Euphrates River. When the citizens of Tiphsah refused to open their gates, Menahem took the city, ripping open pregnant women. Menahem was purely evil, following the ways of Jeroboam the First. When Tiglath – Pileser, the Assyrian king, attacked Samaria, Menahem succeeded in buying him off by giving him 1,000 talents of silver – the staggering equivalent of 37.7 tons or 34.2 metric tons. Menahem got these riches from the wealthy citizens of Samaria.
4.   Menahem died and was succeeded by his son Pekahiah.
5. Pekahiah proved to be just as evil as his father, and only reigned for two years before being struck down by his chief officer Pekah, along with two other men and fifty men from Gilead on the east side of the Jordan.

APPLICATION: At this point, the throne room of Israel practically needs a revolving door! Revolving doors allow one person to enter as another one leaves and are very efficient, moving quite rapidly. But revolving doors just keep moving in one direction, and if you don’t enter the hall when you get to the other side of the door, the door will force you onwards, slinging you back outside.

The root cause of the unrest in Israel was spiritual, dating all the way back to Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who led the rebellion against Rehoboam, who succeeded his father, Solomon. Despite God making direct promises to Jeroboam about blessing him, Jeroboam turned away from God, refusing to believe or accept those promises. Jeroboam insisted on establishing his own religion employing idols reminiscent of Egypt and the Canaanite religions. With a ruler actively promoting idolatry, it was little wonder that the ten tribes of Israel rapidly began worshiping every pagan god they had ever heard of.

Today there are nations around the world whose people once served the Living God. Now these nations have turned away and are preoccupied with technology, social programs, and all kinds of other causes. God is not bothered by technology; after all, He spoke the universe into existence with a single word. It is God who has given men the intelligence to learn things. King Solomon said in Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but it is the glory of kings to search out a matter.” God knows all about the issues of global warming, refugeeism, economic downturns, and all the other things with which people are preoccupied. God’s knowledge is perfect while our knowledge is spotty. (Incidentally, there is nothing new under the sun. Read the Old Testament and you will see evidence of climate changes and shifts of refugee populations thousands of years ago.)

But technology will never bring salvation, nor will attention to social or environmental causes. All of these things are worthwhile; yet, involving ourselves in these things to the exclusion of worshiping God will never bring us spiritual peace. No matter how many worthwhile causes we espouse, we can never earn our way into heaven.

Our problem today is the same problem that the human race has always had: sin. Even with the best of intentions, we still find ourselves judging others, feeling that we are better than others because of our very involvement in worthwhile causes. Sin is inescapable. Saint Paul said in Romans 7:21 “So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands.” As human beings, we are caught in a quagmire with no way out. But God has made a way! God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to shed his blood as payment for our sins if we will only believe on Him.

Romans 8:2 tells us, “The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” If the people of the Northern Nation of Israel had returned to serve the God of Israel, God would have blessed them and given them political stability. But under the influence of the demonic, this nation as a whole and its people individually were pursuing an increasingly downhill path.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to realize that You are our only hope and not technology or worthy causes. Thank You for sending Jesus to be the blood sacrifice for our sins. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 14:17 – 29 “Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. As for the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And conspirators plotted against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But men were sent after him to Lachish, and they killed him there. They carried him back on horses and buried him in Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. Azariah was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Amaziah son of Joash over Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria forty-one years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.

This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel, and since the LORD had said that He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, along with all his accomplishments and might, and how he waged war and recovered both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And his son Zechariah reigned in his place.”

After all was said and done, Amaziah wound up dying like his father at the hands of assassins. Amaziah’s inglorious defeat at the hands of Jehoash continued to rankle the leaders of Judah long after it was over. Even though Amaziah outlived Jehoash, he could never outlive the shame of the destruction of 200 meters of the wall of Jerusalem and the sacking of the temple and palace treasuries. Remember that Amaziah himself was also taken prisoner; the elders of Judah must have been forced to pay ransom for his release. Evidently, Amaziah learned nothing from his misadventures and continued to be so obnoxious that even when he fled to Lachish, assassins followed and killed him.

The elders of Judah were so anxious to get rid of Amaziah that after his death, they made his sixteen-year-old son Azariah king in his stead. Presumably, Azariah either behaved better or was more compliant; at any rate, eventually, he rebuilt Elath on the Red Sea and restored it to Judah.

What can be said about Jeroboam the Second, king of Israel? The most telling criticism is “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.” Jeroboam ruled for 41 years, and was a miserable man!  

But despite all the evil that Jeroboam the Second did, God still worked through him anyway. “This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel, and since the LORD had said that He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash. As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, along with all his accomplishments and might, and how he waged war and recovered both Damascus and Hamath for Israel from Judah…”

Why did God use Jeroboam the Second, even though he was so evil? “There was no one to help Israel, and since the LORD had said that He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.” God always uses whoever is available. At that time, Jeroboam was the only one available, so God used him, even though God deplored his idolatry.

APPLICATION: Sometimes, we assume that God uses us because we are so special or so virtuous. We should be warned by this description of King Jeroboam the Second of Israel. This king pursued outright idolatry just as Jeroboam the First had done; however, God used him anyway. God was continuing to keep His promises to Israel; that was why He allowed Jeroboam the Second to be successful in battle.

During the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln is quoted as having said that the question is not whether or not God is on our side, but whether or not we are on God’s side. This wicked king is an example of someone whom God was using, even though he refused to acknowledge God or worship Him. The question for us is this: Are we being careful to follow God? If we are successful, do we take all the credit, or do we realize that unless God has helped us, we would fail miserably?

Psalm 127 tells us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they who build it labor in vain.” The most common Adinkra symbol in Ghana is the Gye Nyame symbol. “Gye Nyame” is a Twi expression literally meaning “Except God” or “Unless God” or “If not for God.” This symbol stands for several proverbs that asserts that only God can help and that we must rely on Him.

When you succeed, remember King Jeroboam the Second, and remember the Gye Nyame symbol. Jeroboam succeeded because God allowed him to and not because he deserved to do so. Be careful to remain humble, knowing that God is the only author of salvation and success.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always remember that You are the only One who gives true victories and to rely only on You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 14:1 – 14 “In the second year of the reign of Jehoash a son of Jehoahaz over Israel, Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father David had done. He did everything as his father Joash had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.

As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah executed the servants who had murdered his father the king. Yet he did not put the sons of the murderers to death, but acted according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the LORD commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death for their children, and children must not be put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.” 

Amaziah struck down 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He took Sela in battle and called it Joktheel, which is its name to this very day.

Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. “Come, let us meet face to face,” he said.

But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

But Amaziah would not listen, and Jehoash king of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced each other at Beth-shemesh in Judah. And Judah was routed before Israel, and every man fled to his home.

There at Beth-shemesh, Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah.

Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section of four hundred cubits. (600 feet) He took all the gold and silver and all the articles

found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the royal palace, as well as some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And his son Jeroboam reigned in his place.”

Remember King Joash of Judah, the man who became king at age seven? As long as Jehoiada, the old high priest, was alive, he was able to guide Joash. But once Jehoiada died, Joash refused to listen to Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, and murdered him instead. This act of treachery paved the way for a return to full – bore idolatry in Judah. Eventually, Joash was killed by his own servants who were sick of his evil ways. Now Amaziah, the son of Joash and great – great – grandson of Ahab and Jezebel, rules in Judah. Amaziah performs fairly well, but is not nearly as righteous as King David. People are still worshiping and burning incense at the high places. Why does Amaziah leave the high places alone? Perhaps Amaziah fears that removing the high places will result in civil war. Perhaps Amaziah is so spiritually dead that he fails to realize the significance of the high places. Perhaps Amaziah tells himself that religion is a personal thing, and if people want to burn incense on the tops of the hills, let them.

One of the first things Amaziah does is to execute those who killed his father. Tradition demands that Amaziah do this, even though his father became a wicked man. In the Middle East at that time, other kings might have wiped out the entire family; however, Amaziah does follow the Law of Moses and left the rest of the families of these two men alone. Significantly, this is the only recorded time when Amaziah follows the Law of Moses.

After defeating ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, Amaziah is so full of himself that he decides to take on the nation of Israel, even though Israel has far more people and a far larger army than Judah does. Jehoash tries to warn Amaziah by using a vivid proverb. “A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle. You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Glory in that and stay at home. Why should you stir up trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

Jehoash’s warning falls on deaf ears because Amaziah is hell – bent on fighting. The results are disastrous. Not only is Judah soundly defeated, but Amaziah is captured, 600 feet of the wall around Jerusalem is destroyed, and Jehoash sacks the temple and the palace, carrying off all the treasures. Jehoash takes some other hostages and then returns to Samaria, where he subsequently pursues an undistinguished career and dies. Jehoash fails to realize that his gross act of disrespect to the God of Israel will have grave consequences.

APPLICATION: One of the saddest parts of this story is that the original nation of Israel, that nation that God has intended to be a praise and glory in the earth, is self – destructing. After King Solomon’s death, the nation split into the nations of Judah and Israel. Amaziah, king of Judah, and Jehoash, king of Israel, are cousins making war on each other. At this point, there’s little difference between Israel and Judah morally or spiritually. In the beginning, the nation of Judah continued to worship at the temple in Jerusalem; however, people rapidly re – established pagan shrines on every hill and mountain in Judah. When Israel split off from Judah, Jeroboam deliberately undermined the worship of the One True Living God, establishing altars and golden calves at Bethel and Dan to keep people from being tempted to worship in Jerusalem.

Judah has a much smaller population; however, when Amaziah gains a quick victory over ten thousand Edomites, he gets the bright idea to attack Israel. The result is a complete rout, with Jehoash scattering the army of Judah and conquering Jerusalem. Why does Jehoash raid the temple? At this point, Jehoash is an idolater who has no respect for the God of Israel or His temple. The idolatry that was fostered by Jeroboam son of Nebat has reached its ultimate conclusion: Israelites have no regard for the God who has delivered them so many times.    

Sadly, it has only taken a few generations for Israelites to completely abandon the One True Living God. What can we learn from this scripture? Either we teach our children to worship God or the world will teach them to worship Satan. And if we fail to continue to pray for our families and those around us, our nation can quickly descend into a moral cesspool.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to be faithful and persistent in prayer and to teach all those around us about You, especially our children and grand children. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.   

2 Kings 13:14 – 25 “When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.”

So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.

Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.”

So the king put his hand on the bow, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

“Open the east window,” said Elisha.

So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot.

And Elisha declared:

“This is the LORD’s arrow of victory,

the arrow of victory over Aram,

for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek

until you have put an end to them.”

Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!”

So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!”

So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

And Elisha died and was buried.

Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring. Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. And as soon as his body touched the bones of Elisha, the man was revived and stood up on his feet.

And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence. When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place. Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.”

Elisha is nearing the end of his prophetic career, and Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu, is ruling Israel. Remember that by the time Jehoash’s father dies, the armies of Israel have been decimated. Things are in a mess. Jehoash is described as being an evil king who rules for sixteen years and copies the sins of Jeroboam. Elisha is old and slowly dying. Meanwhile, Jehoash has learned about Elisha’s sickness. Jehoash is not coming to comfort Elisha or bring him fruit or other food to aid his recovery; no, all Jehoash can think of is what the loss of Elisha will do to his kingdom. It’s amazing that even though Jehoash has steadfastly refused to follow the God of Israel, he still gravitates toward Elisha and his holiness and righteousness.

Jehoash has very little moral fiber himself, spiritually weakened as he is by idol worship. In the final prophetic act of his life, Elisha orders Jehoash to shoot an arrow to the east in the direction of Syria. Elisha puts his hands on those of Jehoash as he is shooting to impart God’s power to Jehoash, indicating that Jehoash will defeat Syria. Then Elisha orders Jehoash to take some arrows and to strike the ground. It is a mark of Jehoash’s lassitude that he only strikes the ground three times. Jehoash! Really? You know Elisha is dying and he has ordered you to do something, but yet you wimp out! Elisha is disgusted with Jehoash; were Jehoash to strike the ground five or six times, he would be able to wipe out the Syrians. But only striking the ground three times means Jehoash will only defeat the Syrians three times. Jehoash does go on to defeat Syria three times, just as Elisha has prophesied; however, he does not make a complete end of them.  

Unlike Elijah, who is taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot, Elisha dies and is buried, presumably in a cave. But something amazing happens. Not long after Elisha has been buried, a group of men are burying one of their friends when they see a band of Moabite raiders on the horizon. In a panic to escape the Moabites, these men toss their friend’s corpse into Elisha’s tomb; however, to their astonishment, their friend revives and comes back to life as soon as his body touches Elisha’s bones. Once a prophet, always a prophet! God’s anointing has persisted even after Elisha’s death, proving that Elisha’s power was from God and not from himself.  

APPLICATION: When Jehoash has made the effort to visit the dying Elisha, why doesn’t he strike the ground more than three times? Jehoash may strut around portraying himself as a macho military leader; however, this failure is a clear indication of his lack of spiritual resolve. It seems that Jehoash expects that Elisha is going to do all the grunt work needed for a miracle and he will just sit back and watch. Elisha makes the same mistake that Naaman the Syrian leper nearly made. In Naaman’s case, it was his servants who persuaded him to keep dipping in the Jordan; Naaman himself was ready to quit after only a few times.

If Jehoash is so evil, why does God work through him? “But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.” There are no perfect people, only a perfect, holy, and righteous God. Even when people fail to keep their side of a covenant with God, God continues to keep His side. Even when both Judah and Israel eventually become so sinful that God allows the Babylonians and Assyrians to carry them off, God continues to bless those in exile. The prophet Daniel was in exile in Babylon when God did miracles of deliverance.

What can we learn from Jehoash and his failure? If God asks you to do something, do it whole – heartedly and don’t stop until He tells you to do so! Recently, two different sets of missionary friends have found themselves under attack. Those opposing the Gospel are doing everything they can to discredit these people and destroy the good work that they have been doing. I wrote one friend, quoting the story from Nehemiah, when Tobias and Sanballat were trying to lure him away from Jerusalem and into an ambush. “So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3) When those who opposed Nehemiah were advising him to hide in the temple, Nehemiah answered them, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!” (Nehemiah 6:11) Proverbs 28:1 tells us, “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”

Darkness will always oppose light; evil will always oppose righteousness. But John 1:5 asserts, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Are you going through persecution for the sake of righteousness? Hold on! Keep working steadily! God is still on the throne and He never slumbers or sleeps. Even when things look dark, don’t quit. Keep beating those arrows into the ground, and you may wipe out your opposition completely.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to hold on, even when things look bleak. Thank You for being a God of infinite resourcefulness. Thank You that You never deliver the same way twice, but that You are always doing new things. Please help us to trust You when we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 13:1 – 13 “In the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash son of Ahaziah over Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria seventeen years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.

Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel. So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.  Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but they continued to walk in them.  The Asherah pole even remained standing in Samaria.

Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And his son Jehoash reigned in his place.

In the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Joash over Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.”

SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN ANYTHING!!! Jehu’s son Jehoahaz has become king of Israel; however, he has failed to consider the problems the country is facing at the time of his accession. Even though the prophet Elisha is available for counsel, Jehoahaz copies Jeroboam the son of Nebat. Who was Jeroboam?

Remember that when King Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king. Things might have been great for Solomon; however, the common people were suffering terribly. When the general populace sent a delegation to Rehoboam begging for relief, Rehoboam could have endeared himself by granting some small concessions. Instead, Rehoboam sent an arrogant message, asserting that he was far greater than his father and that he was going to punish the people far more than his father ever had done.

This ridiculous statement so enraged the Israelites that ten of the tribes split off under the leadership of Jeroboam to form the northern kingdom. God promised Jeroboam that if he would just follow God whole – heartedly, God would establish his family as a dynasty. Fearing that the Israelites would persist in worshiping at Jerusalem and refusing to trust God, Jeroboam set up his own religion, creating two huge altars complete with golden calves at Dan and Bethel. Rather than leading people closer to God, Jeroboam did everything he could to turn them away from God and back to idolatry. Jeroboam’s schemes succeeded in the short run; however, the spiritual standard Jeroboam set was lower than a ditch digger’s boots. Forever after, when a king was evil, he would be compared to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

Jehoahaz reigns in Israel for seventeen years, following in Jeroboam’s spiritual steps. As a result, God allows the Syrians to repeatedly attack Israel. Jehoahaz suddenly wakes up and begs God for relief and God sends a deliverer so that the Israelites can at least live in their own homes. But the Asherah poles are still there, the Israelites are still worshiping idols, and Israel’s army is in tatters. “Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.”

 Jehoahaz dies and his son Jehoash succeeds him. Nothing changes in Israel. Jehoash reigns for sixteen years and even makes war with the king of Judah. But the writer summarizes Jehoash this way: “And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.”

APPLICATION: We read these accounts and wonder why anybody would be so stupid and short – sighted. Why wouldn’t the Israelites stop and think about the promises God made in His Law? Why wouldn’t the Israelites turn and worship the One True Living God? Even if a wicked king wanted to pursue idols, the rest of the populace was still free to worship God. But consider the nature of the demons that were being worshiped. The Asherah poles were centers for cult prostitution – free sex!!!

There is an old saying, “You lie down with dogs; you get up with fleas.” Generations of idol worship had weakened the Israelites morally to the point where they were addicted to the rituals of Asherah. The concept of the golden calf originated in Egypt where it was a representation of the god Apis. Apis was a god of fertility of grain and herds and also became associated with sun worship, hence the golden disc between the horns in the painting. (Remember that God had strictly forbidden the Israelites to worship the sun, moon, or stars.) When the Israelites reached Canaan, they learned about the Canaanite fertility god Baal, who was sometimes represented as standing on a golden calf also. The term “ba’al” also meant “owner” or “lord.”

Idolatry was very appealing because it had so few restrictions. By contrast, the Law of Moses laid out a number of requirements and warned of the consequences if these rules were not followed. Jeroboam’s appeal to the Israelites when he was establishing his fake religion still rings down the centuries. 1 Kings 12:28 “After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

The argument that keeping God’s Law is too difficult continues to seduce people; meanwhile, here is what Psalms 19:7 – 10 says:

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.”

What about us? What idols are we worshiping? What pet sins are we covering up by piling up excuses? Israel exchanged the worship of the One True Living God for demonic idols that would only drag them down. We can do the very same thing. Today, while there is still time, worship the Lord in the beauty of His Holiness!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to give up ALL our pet sins and to worship only You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 12:17 – 21 “At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem. So King Joash of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram. So Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

As for the rest of the acts of Joash, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

And the servants of Joash rose up and formed a conspiracy and killed him at Beth-millo, on the road down to Silla.  His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the City of David, and his son Amaziah reigned in his place.”

SAY WHAT??? King Joash made such a good beginning under the tutelage of Jehoiada, the high priest. What went wrong? The full story is told in 2 Chronicles 24. As long as Jehoiada, the righteous high priest was alive, King Joash behaved well; however, eventually Jehoiada died at the age of 130 years. When Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, became high priest, he tried to advise Joash just as his father had done, but the officials of Judah came to King Joash and fawned all over him, praising him and gaining his favor. Left to himself, Joash was a weak man who could easily be swayed. King Joash and all the leaders of Judah abandoned the temple to serve the Asherah poles and idols. When Zechariah attempted to rebuke Joash, Joash had him stoned to death in the temple courtyard.

The account in 2 Chronicles 24 makes it clear that Hazael’s army was much smaller than that of Judah; nevertheless, God gave the Syrians victory because of the apostasy of Judah and its leaders. Joash was severely wounded in the battle against the Syrians. Eventually, two of Joash’s servants killed him in his bed because he had Zechariah the high priest put to death. Reading between the lines, it appears that nobody grieved for King Joash; his failure to remain faithful to God had brought only problems to Judah. The effort to buy off the Syrians by stripping the temple of its precious items also did not go unnoticed. The leaders of Judah might have been worshiping idols, but they certainly weren’t happy to see all that wealth heading out of the country.

APPLICATION: Nothing we do is ever hidden from God! When those leaders of Judah went to Joash to influence him, they were probably the same ones who had been making lots of profit out of selling little idols and other trinkets to be used at the shrines. Frankly speaking, old Jehoiada was bad for business and now that he was out of the way, the future looked golden. But God saw everything those men were doing and heard every word they spoke; God even knew their hearts before they did.

Without the Godly influence of Jehoiada, Joash’s personality changed and he became tyrannical. By all accounts, Zechariah spoke prophetic words against the spiritual degradation that was overtaking Judah. In addition, God sent other prophets as well; however, Joash and the other leaders refused to heed these warnings. There is an old proverb that says, “No man is a hero to his valet.” Servants always know more about their master or mistress than anyone else. Joash’s servants knew him well; perhaps they were also concerned about the remaining righteous leaders of Judah. These servants of Joash had been listening to the prophets and were grieving the unjust murder of Zechariah the priest. Who knows whom Joash might have put to death next?

How much do we depend on the influence of a mentor or faithful friend? What will we do if that person is suddenly taken away from us? A few days ago, we received a phone call from a Ghanaian doctor friend in America. Our friend was devastated because only two days earlier, a physician whom he had considered a mentor had collapsed suddenly and died. By all accounts, the doctor who died was an outstanding man who served his community as well as his patients. Here in Ghana, they would say, “A mighty tree has fallen!” That was exactly how our friend felt.

No matter how much regard we have for someone, ultimately, we must rely on God and not on people. People may fall sick and become incapacitated or die. God is the only One who never changes or fails. Let us put all our trust in Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust in You, realizing that friends and mentors may fail us or be taken away. Thank You for sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

2 Kings 12:1 -16 “In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash a became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest.

Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.

Then Joash said to the priests, “Collect all the money brought as sacred gifts into the house of the LORD—the census money, the money from vows, and the money brought voluntarily into the house of the LORD. Let every priest receive it from his constituency, and let it be used to repair any damage found in the temple.” By the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, however, the priests had not yet repaired the damage to the temple. So King Joash called Jehoiada and the other priests and said, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, therefore, take no more money from your constituency, but hand it over for the repair of the temple.”

So the priests agreed that they would not receive money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one enters the house of the LORD. There the priests who guarded the threshold put all the money brought into the house of the LORD.

Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal scribe and the high priest would go up, count the money brought into the house of the LORD, and tie it up in bags. Then they would put the counted money into the hands of those who supervised the work on the house of the LORD, who in turn would pay those doing the work—the carpenters, builders, masons, and stonecutters. They also purchased timber and dressed stone to repair the damage to the house of the LORD, and they paid the other expenses of the temple repairs.

However, the money brought into the house of the LORD was not used for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets, or any articles of gold or silver for the house of the LORD. Instead, it was paid to those doing the work, and with it they repaired the house of the LORD.

No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay the workmen, because they acted with integrity. The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.”

Joash was only seven years old when he ascended the throne, but he performed well as long as Jehoiada, the righteous high priest, was there to guide him. At some point, Joash ordered that monies collected from all the temples in Judah be sent to repair the temple in Jerusalem. The exception to this command was the money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings that still belonged to the priests.

Anybody who has ever headed a building program can predict what happened next! The priests in the hinterlands were collecting money all right; however, they were conveniently keeping it for themselves. Even in Jerusalem, there were questions about having money to do the repairs. Finally, when Joash was 30 and had been ruling 23 years, he called all the priests to account. It’s likely that all this time, Jehoiada had been trying to get his fellow priests to do the right thing; however, those priests weren’t listening. Now that Joash has issued a royal edict, Jehoiada can relax a little. Jehoiada sets up a locked chest with a hole in it into which the monies will go. Problem solved.

The building program story rings true. We have friends who have built or who are building homes for themselves in their home villages in northern Ghana. Without exception, our friends have advised that anyone erecting a building will have to watch the workmen carefully; otherwise, cement bags will take legs and walk off somewhere else. Generally, one’s relatives are those most likely to cheat, using the excuse that there must be plenty of money in the situation anyway and they are poor villagers! It is a telling comment on the moral depravity of the priests of that time that the workmen were more honest than the priests. “No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay the workmen, because they acted with integrity.” OK. Righteousness is where you find it.

APPLICATION: There are two phrases in this account that bear closer attention: And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days he was instructed by Jehoiada the priest. Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there.” Poor Joash! He spent most of his early childhood being shifted from one room in the palace or temple to another. It’s likely that until the coronation, Joash had rarely seen the light of day. Then Joash became king at age seven. While Jehoiada was there to instruct him, there were probably also others flattering him in an attempt to gain power or riches. Joash really didn’t have a chance to mature very well, despite Jehoiada’s best efforts. How strong are we when those who have mentored us are no longer around? Will we continue to do the right thing, or will we compromise?

“The high places were not taken away.” Those high places were shrines on the top of every hill and mountain where the Israelites were making sacrifices to pagan gods. Even though the major temple of Baal was destroyed, people were still cherishing their pet sins and indulging in them rather than whole – heartedly following the One True Living God. Later on, the prophet Jeremiah would describe such people as those foolish enough to abandon clear flowing springs of living water, only to dig empty cisterns for themselves in an effort to be their own amateur providences by making such sacrifices. Whether or not these people chose to believe it, they were serving demons and would reap the results.

Where are the “high places” in our lives? Are we devoting large amounts of time to Netflix or TV programs rather than worshiping God? God wanted the Israelites to pursue lives of worship and to always have His commandments with them. Deuteronomy 6:4 – 9 tells us, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” God knew that people have short memories; those things to which we give our hearts are the objects of our worship.

 WHAT IS WRITTEN ON THE DOOR FRAME OF YOUR HEART? In America these days, many people put banners outside their homes celebrating the season of the year or some holiday. But what do people see when they see us? The way we live and the way we conduct ourselves around others will speak more loudly than any banner. Even though the Israelites may have outwardly followed the commands in Deuteronomy 6, they were still making the rounds of the high places. After all, what if God wasn’t really God at all? Never mind the miracles God had done! Perhaps these other deities could give wealth or success if propitiated. Those worshiping at the shrines certainly seemed to be doing all right. May God help us to follow Him whole – heartedly!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives and to utterly reject anything that will draw us further away from You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 11:13 – 21 “When Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of the LORD. And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.

Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”

And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” So they seized Athaliah as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.

Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.

So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD. He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards.

Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace. Joash was seven years old when he became king.”

Righteous Jehoiada, the high priest, has arranged a hasty coronation for Joash. Traditionally, kings of Judah were crowned by having them stand next to the king’s pillar in the temple. The high priest would then anoint the king, confirming his ascension to the throne, and trumpets would sound a fanfare. There might also be priests blowing shofars.

Athaliah, the pretender to the throne, is relaxing in the palace when she suddenly hears all kinds of noise in the temple next door. Trumpets and shofars are blowing, and people are shouting so loudly that the earth is shaking. Athaliah hops up off her luxurious couch and stalks out of the palace, entering the temple by the royal entrance.  The sight that meets Athaliah’s eyes is the stuff of her worst nightmares. Jehoiada, the high priest, is standing at the king’s pillar with little Joash next to him. To make matters worse, Joash is wearing a simple crown, and all the people are screaming, “Long live King Joash! Long live the King! Hosannah!” Athaliah refuses to believe this is happening; tearing her clothes, she cries, “Treason! Treason!” But things soon get far worse for Athaliah.

As soon as Jehoiada sees Athaliah, he orders commanders of hundreds in charge of the army to drag Athaliah out of the temple and to kill anyone who tries to help her. Athaliah, meanwhile, has turned and is running back to the palace. The soldiers catch Athaliah just as she reaches the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds and kill her there, spilling her blood on the ground so that horses will trample it and dogs will lick it up. This daughter of wicked King Ahab who has schemed, murdered, manipulated, and terrorized the people of Judah has met a fitting end, one that was predicted by the prophet Elijah.

Jehoiada then proceeds to make a covenant between the people and the Lord, that they will be the Lord’s people. Fueled by a passion to see justice done, the people swarm to the temple of Baal and tear it down. The mob smashes the altars and idols to pieces and kills Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of his own altars. Joash ascends the throne, and all the people of Judah rejoice. There is peace in Jerusalem because Athaliah is no longer alive to practice her witchcraft and to terrorize people. King Joash is only seven years old, but Jehoiada is there to advise him. The nation draws a collective breath and sighs a sigh of relief.   

APPLICATION: The Book of Proverbs Chapter 29 has many things to say about just and unjust rulers. V. 2 “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” V.4. “By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.” V.12 “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.” V. 14 “If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will be established forever.” V. 16 “When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.”

Queen Athaliah seized power; however, she was never anointed of the Lord to rule. As a usurper, Athaliah felt that she did not need the blessing of God; after all, she was serving Baal and all kinds of other demons. In the end, Athaliah died a shameful death and people celebrated when she died. The only people who might have felt sorry about Athaliah’s death were her chosen assassins and other agents who had made become rich serving Athaliah. But even these people were probably relieved. Athaliah was a woman with a whim of iron, and nobody could predict her next target. Today you might be Athaliah’s favorite, but tomorrow, you might find yourself with a garrot wire around your neck or a knife between your shoulder blades, quietly dying in a corner.

What happened to bring Athaliah down? People prayed! As the high priest, Jehoiada had a calling to intercede for his nation. Rest assured that as a righteous man, Jehoiada would have prayed long and hard to counteract the floodtide of evil that Athaliah brought to Judah. There were probably others in Judah who were just as grieved by Athaliah’s wickedness and who were also interceding.

Jehoiada was undoubtedly a brilliant man and an excellent tactician, but without Jehosheba hiding Joash and his nurse in the first place, there would have been no legitimate heir to be crowned as king. It was prayer that gave Jehosheba the courage to keep moving Joash and his nurse around the palace one step ahead of Athaliah. It was prayer that gave Jehoiada the inspiration for the timing of Joash’s coronation. And it was prayer that caused the nation of Judah to accept a seven – year – old as king in the face of stern opposition from wicked Athaliah.

Nations may have changed and dynasties have crumbled, but God is still on the throne. Are you upset about recent events around the world? God is still answering prayer. The same God who protected Joash and Jehoiada and Jehosheba is still on the throne. Want things to change? PRAY!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to pray and not lose heart! Help us to remember that You work through answering our prayers. Encourage all who read these words. Thank you for sending Jesus to die as the blood offering for our sins so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Kings 11:1 – 12 “1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs. But Jehosheba daughter of King Joram, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, and he was not killed.

And Joash remained hidden with his nurse in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath.

He showed them the king’s son and commanded them, “This is what you are to do: A third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall guard the royal palace, a third shall be at the gate of Sur, and a third at the gate behind the guards. You are to take turns guarding the temple— the two divisions that would go off duty on the Sabbath are to guard the house of the LORD for the king. You must surround the king with weapons in hand, and anyone who approaches the ranks must be put to death. You must stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

So the commanders of hundreds did everything that Jehoiada the priest had ordered. Each of them took his men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. Then the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and shields of King David from the house of the LORD.  And the guards stood with weapons in hand surrounding the king by the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

It’s time to talk about Athaliah, the sometime Queen of Judah. Athaliah is Ahab’s daughter and Omri’s granddaughter. Athaliah is also King Ahaziah’s mother. A true descendant of Jezebel, Athaliah is a vile woman whose controlling passion is a lust for power. It’s likely that Athaliah may also be a priestess for Baal or Asherah. Jehu has slaughtered both King Ahaziah and King Joram, as well as the seventy sons of Ahab and forty – two relatives of Ahaziah. With Ahaziah out of the way, Athaliah has a clear path to the throne and she seizes power. To ensure her position, Athaliah herself annihilates all the remaining royal heirs. Now Athaliah believes that she will reign for the rest of her life.

Stop for a moment and consider: Athaliah is murdering her own grandsons! Imagine having Athaliah for a grandmother – “Here, have a nice poisoned cookie! Now go over there in the corner and die quietly!”

But hidden away is little Joash, the remaining son of King Ahaziah. Joash and his nurse owe their lives to Jehosheba, King Ahaziah’s sister. The name Jehosheba means “fullness” or “oath of the Lord.” The name “Joash” means “God has given.” Somehow, even amongst all the idolatry and wickedness that has pervaded the palace, God still has a faithful servant who is willing to risk her life to save her nephew’s. This passage mentions two different locations in which Joash and his nurse have been hidden – a bedroom in the palace and a room in the temple. Perhaps both are correct, and Jehosheba has had to move Joash and his nurse around to dodge Athaliah and her minions.   

Jehoiada, the high priest, is a righteous man who fears God and refuses to bow to Athaliah. The name Jehoiada means “Yaweh knows.” Jehoiada has been working behind the scenes with Jehosheba, and when Joash is seven years old, Jehoiada decides that the time has come to bring out Joash and crown him as king. Joash needs to be old enough that he can speak sensibly; in addition, Jehoiada may fear that they can’t hide Joash very much longer. In addition, the depravities of Queen Athaliah are getting worse every day. No, it’s time to bring out Joash!

It’s significant that when Jehoiada calls a meeting with the commanders of hundreds and with the temple guards, everyone agrees with him and nobody sneaks off to inform Queen Athaliah. Obviously, Athaliah has followed in her mother Jezebel’s footsteps and is thoroughly hated. Swiftly, Jehoiada organizes a system of guards for little Joash and then brings Joash into the temple, blows trumpets, and proclaims him as king. The people break out into celebration. Nobody regrets that Athaliah will no longer be the ruler over Judah!

APPLICATION: Many of us have been in situations in which someone has worked to undermine us. Some of us may even have seen times when there were those who tried to get us out of a situation permanently. The lesson for us is this: God’s got your back!

If Queen Athaliah had had her way, little Joash would have been merely one more body in a nameless grave. To remain in power, Athaliah might have been willing to strangle Joash herself. But Jehosheba and Jehoiada both feared God, and they refused to allow Athaliah to get at Joash. (Jehoiada may have hidden Joash in one of the temple rooms allotted to the priests, a place from which Athaliah was forbidden.)

No matter how evil Athaliah was, God was stronger than the demons she was serving. God preserved Joash and Jehosheba and Jehoiada. If God has called you to a work, then rest assured that God will protect you until you complete what He has called you to do. Does this mean that things will be easy? Far from it! We have endured many times where individuals interested only in their own gain have attempted to remove us from the places to which God has called us. In every case, God has intervened and strengthened us, protecting us until our work in that location has been completed. God does not save us FROM affliction; He saves us in the midst of affliction.

Are you going through rough times right now? Make sure that you are doing what God wants. If you have the assurance that you are in the center of God’s will for your life, then hang on! The same God who protected Joash and who brought him to the throne of Judah will work for you as well.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You, even in the middle of problems. Give all those who are reading these words Your assurance that You will never leave them or forsake them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.