Lesson 32: THE MAKINGS OF AN EPIC STORY

Remember, in our last less back on December 11th - we saw a set of four kings in Judah and Israel, they had to set of names, two were named Ahaziah and two were named Joram but all were wicked. This is when Jehu comes on the seen.

God sends Jehu to slay the Joram king of Israel, and right after that - he also slays Ahaziah the king of Judah as well.

That is where we pick up the account in 2 Kings 11 tonight with the makings of an epic story a

I. THE VILLAIN - ATHALIAH - Jehovah is exalted

She was the seventh leader of Judah. She was a queen of sorts. I don’t know that she was ever crowned as much as she took things over.

A. The most wicked of acts

2 Kings 11:1–20; 2 Chronicles 22:1–23:21

At the death of Ahaziah, her son, she took over the throne of Judah, slaughtering all the royal seed but one (Joash) who was hidden from her.

B. An unlikely heroine - Jehosheba - Jehovah sworn

This was the aunt of Joash, sister of Ahaziah king of Judah who was just killed by Jehu shortly before..

Jehosheba helped to hide him in the Temple for 6 years.

under the protection of her husband *JEHOIADA, the high priest (2 Ki. 11:1–6; 2 Ch. 22:10–12).

C. She reigned for six years

v.3

From 841–835 BC.

I do not think that these were the glory years of Judah at all. As a matter of fact, they may have been as low as times had ever been under her rule.

Can you imagine being around such a woman that will kill so many innocents, she likely did not slay any of her own other children if she had any, but had she had no pity for any of the other seed .

Proverbs 29:2 KJV

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

There is nothing to denote the wickedness that she wrought, but this one verse:

2 Chronicles 24:7 KJV

For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

She was of the lineage of Omri and Ahab, the wife Jehoram, it definitely matters who you marry! You can be a good king but marry a bad woman and ruin many thereafter. 2 Kings 8:18.

II. THE UNSUNG HERO - Jehoiada - Jehovah knows

I think there is a great lesson in that name.

I think that we can certainly apply to the fact that the Lord knows what we are going through. He knows the trials, set backs and the sorrows we may suffer. He sees all and knows all - just like we know He knew what was going on in the death of Ahaziah, and now all of his brethren at the hand of Athaliah.

But also think that there is an important message that the Lord knows and sees - and expects us to make a difference in our generation.

He knows when we are being lazy; he knows when we are being sinful, but he also knows and sees when we engage for righteousness, and we are faithful, and we serve Him - not for reward but for His glory.

I don’t think anything Jehoiada did or that his wife Jehosheba did was for personal credit, recognition, or reward, they did it for the honor and glory of God.

A. He strengthened himself for the task

He had a great task to perform one that could cost him his life and the lives of his loved ones. He knew that it was against the present power and government that existed - and this would be treason and open rebellion. But when it is rebellion right, to overthrow wicked tyranny that was wickedly stolen away from those whom were due it.

2 Chronicles 23:1a (KJV)

And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself,...

Now, no doubt the points that follow were ways that he strengthened himself, but those were in addition to the most important strength giver, His God and our God.

How does one strengthen themselves, we go to the power source. We go to God; we depend on God; we pray to God; we have faith in God; we rest in Him, we are still in Him; we set ourselves under His care and provision and never move from that spot.

B. He made covenants

2 Chronicles 23:1b (KJV)

...and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

Also in v. 3 he made a covenant with all the congregation.

C. He gathered help

v.2

2 Chronicles 23:2 KJV

And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.

None of us are in this battle alone. We need the Lord first of all, then we need the church and each other.

2 Kings 11:4 KJV

And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son.

D. He slew the wicked queen

1 Kings 11:13-16.

2 Chronicles 23:13

E. He sought to encourage and keep Joash on the right path

2 Chronicles 24:3 says he found wives for Joash.

F. He was honored at his death

2 Chronicles 24:15-16.

Notice how long he lived, 130 years. He is the oldest man recorded probably since Jacob. There may be someone I missed, but Moses lived to 120, Joshua 110. This was a very godly man. He lived a long time in wisdom - seeking to honor the Lord, His people, and the kingdom that God had established as well as the lineage to Christ.

So, they buried him with the kings. A great, great honor.

III. THE UNFAITHFUL FINISH - Joash - Jehovah has given

2 Kings 11:1–12:21; 2 Chronicles 22:10–24:27.

Dates 835–795 A duration of 40 years

Please note that his name is Jehoash as well, especially in 2 Kings, while it is Joash in 2 Chronicles

A. A loan survivor

He alone had survived Athaliah’s bloody purge.

B. He is raised by godly people

We covered that somewhat already, these people, Jehoiada and his wife, would stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to do what they could for their God and their people to raise this young king in a godly manner. They were used of God, especially Jehoiada, to keep in where he should be and influence for good and for right.

C. He became the king to early

1. While Jehoiada lived, he was a good king

2 Chronicles 24:2 KJV

And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest.

it says in verse 3 that it was in his mind to repair the house of the Lord, and even a collection was made. The service of temple was restored in the days of Jehoiada while he lived.

2 Kings 12:9 (KJV)

But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it,...

2. After Jehoiada’s death - he began an evil reign

a. Serving idols

Immediately after the death of Jehoiada - comes idolatry

It doesn’t say they worshipped in the high places as we mentioned before - it says in 2 Chronicles 24:4 that they served groves and idols

b. Slaying Zechariah

God sends prophets.

2 Chronicles 24:19 KJV

Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

Wow, how longsuffering our God is - what lengths He continually goes to us even in the middle of our rebellion.

God sends Zechariah.

2 Chronicles 24:20 KJV

And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

Here is how I know Jehoiada did a good job, his son served God and obeyed God not matter the cost. Joash, in his pride or in his bitterness, rejected the teaching and example, and went straight after false gods and false worship and then did something even worse:

2 chron 24:21

2 Chronicles 24:21 KJV

And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 24:22 KJV

Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

He sanctioned the stoning of Judah’s own, a high priest, named Zechariah, who had fearlessly rebuked the sin among the people.

Not only was that true, but realize this - it was the son of Jehoiada, who had saved the kingdom for Judah and preserved his life.

God’s servant is killed

c. Succumbing to violence

vv.23-27

Within the year, the armies of Syria are back - the Bible says a small group of them took a large army of Judah, this was what was called in vv.24 “executed judgment against Joash”

And then Joash executed by his own palace guard and v.25 says that they conspired against him for what he did to Jehoiada’s sons (plural). Perhaps more than one was killed.

d. Sepulcher denied

2 Chronicles 24:25b (KJV)

... and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

What a contrast on how Judah treated Jehoiada compared to Joash. The priest they buried with the kings, but the king they buried as a normal man.

This had the makings of an epic story, indeed it still was to some degree, but oh, how sad an ending for Joash.