And
Jehoiada (the priest) said to them (Judah), “Behold, the king’s son (Joash) shall
reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David.” (v.3).
When the time was right, Jehoiada set up a combination of coup
and coronation. As we saw in chapter 22, Athaliah was a brutal, unpopular queen. This allowed Jehoiada to
enlist widespread support from the people, the government leaders, and the army to take action against her. Joash's coronation was well planned for both his protection and presentation to the people. It also featured a crown and a scroll (Scriptures), representing
both his authority and his covenant responsibilities.
When Athaliah investigated all the commotion at the temple, she
stepped into a well-planned trap, where she was captured and executed. Her temple of
Baal was then destroyed and the false god's priests killed as well. In the name of the young
king, Jehoiada again set up national worship as the Law instructed, including
sacrifices, music, and rituals of purification. Then the people of the land
rejoiced and the city was peaceful.
There are times when strong and difficult actions are
inevitable, especially in the light of such evil. The easiest thing for
Jehoiada would have been to shut himself up in the temple, ignore the evil, and
leave everything to take its own course. However, he took action, and boldly confronted
the rampant evil of his time and removed the usurper of the throne.
Like Jehoiada, we too should not tolerate evil around us, but
boldly confront it and work to eliminate its influence in the name of Jesus.
The time is short, redeem it and stand for what is good and holy, not
politically correct or socially acceptable.
The Truth
“And this
is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone
practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds
should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds
may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:19-21)
