January 7, 2022
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Reading along with us in 2 Kings? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Kings 11 (NIV)
Athaliah and Joash
1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land........Continue Reading
2 Kings 11
Athaliah was an evil yet powerful woman to rule Judah for 6 years after her son dies. She tries to secure her rule by eliminating the royal family that could be competition for her. And yet what a woman this sister of Ahaziah is to risk her life to protect one of Ahaziah’s sons from the queen mother. And what better place to hide the renegade prince baby than in the temple. This inspires the priest to come to action and make sure there is a significant guard to protect the prince. They do this for 6 years but when it is time for him to revealed, they do that in the gate of the temple. As Athaliah expresses her opposition to what is happening, the priest directs the guards who have been working with him for so long to kill the queen mother. This all fosters regard for God and the temple in the young princes’ heart and he will become the next righteous king of Judah, turning away from the evil ways of his father and his grandmother.
Well another coup in the kingdom! Jehosheba was very brave to hide her brother’s son showing that some people involved in these situations saw a need for change.
Watching Athalia slaughter anyone who could possibly take her throne I am sure helped Jehosheba make this decision to over throw her when the time was right much easier.
This was nearly the end of the line of David. God uses Jehosheba to preserve an heir. God’s priest, Jehoida makes an oath with the captains and bodyguards and escorts to crown Joash. It is interesting that Joash is 7 years old. The #7 is always representative of “God’s actions on behalf of man” in scripture.
I was wondering how he was hidden for 7 years, this was in a commentary:
Josephus (Antiquities 9.7.1) says that the bedroom where the child and his nurse hid was a room where spare furniture and mattresses were stored.” (Wiseman)