The Little King Saved

2 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 22-23

Who was king of Judah after Ahaziah's death? When Athaliah, Ahaziah's wicked mother, saw that her son was dead, she destroyed his sons and made herself queen.

At that time, Ahaziah's youngest son, Joash, was just a baby. He could not take care of himself, but God took care of him. Joash was saved when all his brothers were killed. His aunt, Jehosheba, hid him and his nurse from wicked Athaliah. Jehosheba took him and kept him in safety in God's house for six years.

How sad it was for little Joash to live in a time of such trouble and danger! He had no father, no mother, and no brothers to take care of him. Nevertheless, God provided for Joash, and He could make Jehosheba kinder to him than his own mother. Jehosheba's husband was Jehoiada; he was a priest of the Lord. Jehoiada lived in the temple, and little Joash and Jehosheba lived there, too.

Joash was taught better in the temple than if he had been brought up in the palace. Jehoiada and Jehosheba feared God, and they tried to teach Joash to fear Him, too. They taught him to read God's Word and to sing God's praises. Children are never too young to learn about God. How happy are those children who have kind parents or friends to bring them up in the fear of God. It is better to have good friends who love God than to have rich friends who love the world. Little Joash was in a better place in God's holy temple than he ever could have been in Athaliah's fine palace.

Although Athaliah ruled over Judah, she was not the right sovereign. Jehoiada and Jehosheba remembered God's promise that David's children should sit upon the throne of Judah for many generations. They trusted that God would make little Joash king when the right time should come. They knew God could keep this poor, helpless child safe from cruel Athaliah. God heard their prayers for little Joash, and He guided Jehoiada in what to do and gave him wisdom for the work.

When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada thought the time had come to make him king. Jehoiada could not do this alone, so he called the captains, the Levites, and many of the people of Judah and asked them to help him. Moreover, we may believe that Jehoiada did not forget to ask help of God. He surely knew that he could do nothing rightly without God's blessing, and he would have prayed for strength to do his duty to his country and his king.

Jehoiada assembled all the people in the temple, and there they made a covenant together. The priest spoke to them and said, “Joash, the king's son, shall reign. God has promised that David's sons shall sit upon the throne of Judah. Joash has a right to the throne, and not Athaliah, who has had possession of the country for so long. Let us trust in God, and He will help us to make Joash king. Divide yourselves now into three companies. Some must stand at the doors of the temple, some at the king's house, and some at the gate. Let the priests and Levites come into the house of God, and let the people stand round about to keep watch without.”

So Jehoiada armed the captains and the people with weapons, which King David had kept in the temple, and he placed them all around the temple to guard the young king. Then they brought Joash into the house of the Lord and put the crown on his head. Jehoiada anointed him and said, “God save the king!” All the people shouted for joy, and they also cried, “Joash is king!”

Athaliah heard the noise of the people running, shouting, and rejoicing, and she wondered what was happening. She knew nothing about Joash. She thought he had perished with his brothers many years before. So Athaliah ran in haste to the house of God, and there she saw Joash standing as king near a pillar of the temple. All the princes and people were blowing trumpets, shouting, rejoicing, and singing praises.

Then Athaliah rent her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” But Athaliah had no friends to help her now. Jehoiada called the captains, and they ran to Athaliah, took her outside the house of God, and put her to death. She deserved to die, for she had murdered many of her son's family to make herself queen. She was justly punished for her wickedness by being put to death herself. God will punish sin.

Joash was now king, and he could reign in peace. God had taken care of this little child during all the six years he had been hidden from his cruel grandmother! Why did God show such care for Joash? It was because God remembered His promise to David that his throne and kingdom would continue throughout the generations after him. The Lord is so faithful. He loved David, and He showed this love to David's children, for He had promised to give them the kingdom of Judah. The Lord also had a love for Judah, and He would not let His people suffer any longer under cruel Athaliah. He waited some years, but all those years He was watching over Joash and over His people in Judah. When the right and best time came, He gave Jehoiada the wisdom, strength, and courage to make Joash king and slay wicked Athaliah.

How wise and good the Lord is! We may bring all of our concerns to Him. We, our friends, and our country are all in His keeping. We must pray and ask the Lord to give us the faith to believe that all things are in His hand. When dangers, difficulties, or troubles surround us, what a blessing and comfort it is if we can lay our cares and fears before the Lord, who makes no mistakes in governing the whole world.

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