#God brings about Ahaziah’s downfall

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Ahaziah Rules in Judah

1 Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, their next king, since the marauding bands who came with the Arabsa had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah.

2 Ahaziah was twenty-twob years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri. 3 Ahaziah also followed the evil example of King Ahab’s family, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. 4 He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, just as Ahab’s family had done. They even became his advisers after the death of his father, and they led him to ruin.

5 Following their evil advice, Ahaziah joined Joram,c the son of King Ahab of Israel, in his war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. When the Arameansd wounded Joram in the battle, 6 he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received at Ramoth.e Because Joram was wounded, King Ahaziahf of Judah went to Jezreel to visit him.

7 But God had decided that this visit would be Ahaziah’s downfall. While he was there, Ahaziah went out with Joram to meet Jehu grandson of Nimshi,g whom the LORD had appointed to destroy the dynasty of Ahab.

8 While Jehu was executing judgment against the family of Ahab, he happened to meet some of Judah’s officials and Ahaziah’s relativesh who were traveling with Ahaziah. So Jehu killed them all. 9 Then Jehu’s men searched for Ahaziah, and they found him hiding in the city of Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, who killed him. Ahaziah was given a decent burial because the people said, “He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat—a man who sought the LORD with all his heart.” But none of the surviving members of Ahaziah’s family was capable of ruling the kingdom.

Queen Athaliah Rules in Judah

10 When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah’s royal family. 11 But Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king’s children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him. 12 Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land. — 2 Chronicles 22 | New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved. Cross References: Exodus 8:3; Joshua 15:56; 1 Kings 4:13; 2 Kings 8:24,25 and 26; 2 Kings 8:27,28 and 29; 2 Kings 9:3; 2 Kings 9:6-7; 2 Kings 9:27-28; 2 Kings 10:11; 2 Kings 10:13; 2 Kings 11:1; 2 Chronicles 17:4; 2 Chronicles 21:16; 2 Chronicles 23:1; 2 Chronicles 23:15; 2 Chronicles 28:2; Proverbs 13:20; Daniel 3:2

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King Joash

Passage: 2 Chronicles 22:10- 2 Chronicles 24

 BACKGROUND

 King Ahaziah was assassinated by Jehu for all the evil that he had done. When his mother, Queen Athaliah heard that her son was dead she seized the throne and proceeded to have all the sons of the royal throne slaughtered.

 However, the sister of King Ahaziah, Jehosheba, saved one of the prince from being killed. The name of the prince was Joash / Jehoash. Jehosheba was married to a priest, Jehoaida. Jehoaida the high priest took in Joash and they hid him in the house of God for 6 years til he had grown.

 Despite the political unrest and the impending dangers of staging a coup d‘etat against the evil Queen Athaliah, Jehoiada strengthened himself and got captains of hundreds and the Levites of Judah to join him in protecting and establishing Joash as the rightful king in Judah.

 They succeed with their plan and Queen Athaliah was killed and dethroned and her grandson Joash reigns in her stead. Joash was a very young king for at the age of 7 he led the people of Judah. Jehoida took responsibility of guiding him and making sure that he did all that was in accordance to the will of God.

 Fast forward – Jehoiada was now at a ripe old age of 130 years old and had died. Because of the good he did for the city of Judah he was given the honor of being buried among the kings of Judah. However, his death was also the start of the downfall of Joash.

 Joash then did evil and followed the officials that led him to serve the Asherim and idols. God remained faithful to the line of Judah for the sake of His servant David and would even send prophets to bring Joash back to God. God used Zecharaih, the son of Jehoiada to warn Joash. But rather than listen and repent Joash kills the son of the man who practically raised him!

 Because of his great sin, Aram invades and defeats Judah, Joash becomes very sick and his own servants conspire against him and kill him for what he did to Zechariah. And to top it all off he wasn’t even given the honor of being buried with the kings of Judah.

 What a tragic ending to a story that started off so well.

LESSONS WE CAN LEARN

 IMPORTANCE OF A GODLY SPOUSE

It is important that we pray about marrying a godly man who will help you grow in the Lord. Jehosheba grew up in a family that was evil. Her father Jehoram did evil because he married into an evil family (the daughter of King Ahab of Israel). Her brother who became king also did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. It’s encouraging to note that Jehosheba didn’t become like her father and brother, rather did what was right. She marries a godly man, a high priest at that!

 Jehosheba’s actions of saving her nephew Joash is an instrumental noteworthy moment because she was not just saving a child but helping preserve the Davidic line, which is also the Messianic line to which Christ would eventually be born. (Do note that in the Matthew 1 that records the genealogy of Jesus, it skips kings Ahaziah, Joash and Amaziah and goest straight to Uzziah.)

 It is possible that she did this on her own accord out of compassion for the innocent children being slaughtered, or it is also possible that she knew about God’s word that the Davidic line would be established, and it could also be possible that she knew this because of her husband. Either way, she acted out of righteousness and as a result she had the privilege of being a part of history in preserving the line of David.

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OBEDIENCE TO GOD IN EVERY ASPECT

Dirty political moves like what Queen Athaliah did is not new news to us. The political situation of Judah must have been utter chaos and the people also must have suffered under her tyranny for we read in 2 Chronicles 23:21 that the land rejoiced and was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death.

 I can imagine she was the tyrant type who would not hesitate to put to death anyone who opposed or spoke out against her. So for Jehoaida the priest to do what he did must have taken a lot of strength and courage to dethrone her and to restore the rightful heir.

 The king’s son shall reign and must reign, this was in accordance to what God had spoken. Jehoiada being a man of God knew the Word of God. He knew that God’s will was for the line of David to be established so he acted out in obedience to God’s word to do what was in his power to make Joash king.

 Also note that it was 6 years long that Jehoiada kept the existence of Joash a secret, so imagine what it must felt like living daily with the threat of the queen finding out. But God was also working to ensure word didn’t get out to the Queen until the appointed time. It was now the 7th year and Jehoiada made strategic plans on how to announce Joash as the rightful king. He was organized and gave specific roles; he asked the help of key people (captains of hundreds, Levites all over Judah); he was a leader and a man of great interest in whom the Levites and all of Judah did as he had commanded; he was patient and waited for the right time before revealing King Joash; he respected God’s law and made specific instructions that only Levites could enter the house of the Lord. “Never let sacred things be profaned, no, not for the support of civil rights.” – Matthew Henry Commentary

 Because Jehoiada knew God and knew the Word of God, he carried out the work in obedience to God.

 Throughout majority of the reign of Joash he provided guidance and godly counsel. He helped reform Judah and renewed the covenant of the people to God. He tore down the Baals. He placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests as was written in the law of Moses. He stationed gatekeepers of the house of the Lord to ensure no one unclean could enter. He took care to follow that instructions of the Lord and to also pass on the law to Joash.

 Being able to fully obey God means we also need to be fully committed to reading His word to know His will.

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FINISH WELL

 The story of King Joash is such a tragic one. He started so well and his mere existence was all thanks to the couple who saved him, took care of him, raised him in the ways of the Lord. When his spiritual mentor had passed away he began to do what was evil. We read about how God was still gracious enough to send prophets to call him out however in the hardness of his heart he did not heed their warnings.

 His heart must have been so hard that he even killed the son of the man who looked after him. It is also possible that Zechariah was one of the priests who anointed Joash when he became king (2 Chronicles 23:11). Just as Zechariah was being stoned to death he cried out “May the Lord see and avenge!” It must have been so painful for Zechariah to have seen King Joash turn away! And rather than to repay the kindness and guidance his father gave the king instead he received a death sentence of stoning just because he reproved the king for his sins.

 Just because we are walking with the Lord now doesn’t mean we should be complacent and over-confident that we will automatically finish well. We need to do our part to follow God completely, to growing the knowledge of His Word and will, and to live in obedience to His commands. I think the problem with Joash was he relied too much on Jehoaida for guidance that he never cultivated a deeper relationship personally with God. When his source of guidance was gone he lost direction in life.

 When we fall into the traps of sin God provides many ways out. He uses people to call us back to him just as He sent prophets to Joash. When God sends you people to speak the truth in love and to call you out, do not resent it. Rather listen and obey and come back to God.

 I believe Joash could have finished well if he was humble enough to repent of his sins. What a sad ending it was for him. Despite the good he had done while Jehoiada was alive he was remembered more for the evil he did in the latter part of life. So much so, that the honor of being buried with the king was not even given to him.