2 Kings 10-11

 Ob and In

(1) The preserve of the Davidic line

(NAC) ...one of her grandsons, Joash, has escaped the cold-blooded coup. Only a baby (cf. 2 Kgs 11:3, 21), Joash is hidden by a nurse. God’s promise of an eternal kingdom for David is kept alive, but just barely.

Reflection: God is sovereign in keeping His covenant. He kept His promise by having the aunt of the little boy to hide him away from Athaliah and escaped execution. Have we lost hope when our situation is unfavorable or when we face persecution? Do we trust God Who is able to keep His promise even in the darkest moments like these?

(2) The restoration of the Davidic line

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the officers of the units of hundreds of the Carians and the royal bodyguard. He met with them in the LORD’s temple. He made an agreement with them and made them swear an oath of allegiance in the LORD’s temple. Then he showed them the king’s son.

(NAC) Jehoiada, whom the text later identifies as a priest (11:9), becomes the catalyst for restoring the Davidic dynasty to its historic place

7 The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the LORD’s temple and protect the king.

(BKC) The others, who were going off … duty, were to guard the temple. A ceremony would take place at the changing of the guard on the Sabbath

[v.9] On the appointed day the commanders did as they had been instructed (NAC) The coup is to take place during the changing of the guard in order to maximize the military presence.

12 Jehoiada led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. They clapped their hands and cried out, “Long live the king!”

(NAC) His coronation, like his coalition, combines a commitment to the Davidic dynasty, to the Mosaic Covenant, and to the people.

Reflection: The priest, Jehoiada, was the important catalyst in the restoration of the Davidic dynasty. He contacted the military leaders, formed the alliance, laid out the plan for the coronation day, and put the Law in the hands of the king. In order to do that he had to be very brave, spend a lot of time, and energy. Are you willing to sacrifice your strength, your time, and your energy to "straighten" things out for the Lord?

(3) The removal of the influence from Ahab

A. The beginning of the cleaning up was the death of Athaliah v.16. 

B. Then Jehoiada, the priests, drew up a covenant between the LORD and the king and people. 

(NAC) [Exo 24:8] The Israelites are God’s special people, and they must live as such. Keil says, “The renewal of the covenant with the Lord was necessary, because under the former kings the people had fallen away from the Lord and served Baal.” In other words, they have forgotten who they are because they have forgotten who their God is. Covenant renewal restores, then, the proper sense of reality and identity for the people

C. The demolition of the temple of Baal and the killing of the priest of Baal v.18

(4) Result

(NAC) A final parade of Joash’s supporters concludes the story. In a phrase reminiscent of the Book of Judges, the narrator says that the city is quiet after the usurper’s death. Judah has survived an invasion of northern royalty, a turn to Baalism, and a temporary overthrow of David’s dynasty. Quiet now descends because of the reemergence of Yahwism, the priesthood, and the Davidic Covenant.

Reflection: 2 generations of the southern king, Judah, were influenced by Ahab. Finally, Ahab's daughter, Athaliah ruled Judah. Then the city could have rest again. 

The restoration efforts include the killing of the queen, the setting up again of the covenant, and the cleaning up of the idol temple. Likewise, the influence of sins in our hearts is also devastating. Do we take time to remove the source of our temptation, rebuild our fellowship with God in devotion, and reset our priority, our value, and our love in order to be useful by God again?

Audrey