Athaliah’s Evil Reign in Judah
October 1, 2021
Commentary
Shifting to the events in Judah we find Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel in control. She came to Judah in a marriage alliance, and established a power base during her husband Jehoram’s role and continued to hold this power during the brief reign of her son, Ahaziah. At his death, Athaliah took immediate action to exterminate the entire royal family. She would have been successful had it not been for Jehosheba, her sister, who took the young infant Joash and protected him from the slaughter.
For six years Athaliah was in virtual control and pursued her practice of Baal worship. No doubt she heard about the violent reforms of Jehu to the north and this increased her zeal for Baal worship. Then a hero emerged in the person of Jehoiada, the priest, and the husband of Jehosheba. Summoning the palace guards, he plotted the overthrow of Athaliah. At the changing of the guard, the young prince, Joash, was brought out, anointed and proclaimed king. Joash was seven years old at the time. After the solemn coronation ceremony, the group erupted in shouts of “Long live the king!" Athaliah came out to find out what was going on only to be greeted by the new king standing by the pillar reserved for royalty. In spite of her protests, she was taken out of the temple area and to the stable entrance of the royal palace and was executed. Until Joash was mature, Jehoiada was really the power behind the throne.
Application
I should never live on the false hope that I am exempt from His judgment for what I do in this body because I have trusted in Jesus. I will one day stand before the “Judgment Seat of Christ” to give an answer for what I have done in this body (II Cor 5:10).
Isaiah 28:14– 29 (NET)
14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s message, you who mock, you rulers of these people who reside in Jerusalem.
15 For you say, “We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”
16 Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord, says: “Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
17 I will make justice the measuring line, fairness the plumb line; hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
18 Your treaty with death will be dissolved; your agreement with Sheol will not last. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, you will be overrun by it.
19 Whenever it sweeps by, it will overtake you; indeed, every morning it will sweep by, it will come through during the day and the night.” When this announcement is understood, it will cause nothing but terror.
20 For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap around oneself.
21 For the Lord will rise up, as he did at Mount Perazim; he will rouse himself, as he did in the Valley of Gibeon, to accomplish his work, his peculiar work, to perform his task, his strange task.
22 So now, do not mock, or your chains will become heavier! For I have heard a message about decreed destruction, from the Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies against the entire land.
23 Pay attention and listen to my message. Be attentive and listen to what I have to say!
24 Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?
25 Once he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant, sow the seed of the cumin plant, and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places?
26 His God instructs him; he teaches him the principles of agriculture.
27 Certainly caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick, and cumin seed with a flail.
28 Grain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it.
29 This also comes from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who gives supernatural guidance and imparts great wisdom.
Illustration: A Computer Virus Named “Love Bug”
On May 11, 2000 a computer virus named “Love Bug” was born. It raced around the world, bringing business to a halt. It was a deadly computer virus that caused millions of computer software programs to crash. One virus, but so much contamination. But it’s not the first time that a single virus has caused so much grief to mankind. In fact, it’s a kind of replay of a deadlier virus that hit Planet Earth more than six thousand years ago polluting the first human couple, Adam and Eve. Despite God’s warning not to click on to Satan’s message, they did so with appalling consequences for them, and through them to all mankind. That virus is called “Sin.” (Source Unknown).