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2BC BIBLE STUDY NOTES

Wednesday in the Word

Second Baptist Church

January 25, 2023

2nd Chronicles Chapter 22:10-23:21

  1.  2nd Chronicles 22:10-12. The drama continues in the divided kingdoms of Northern and Southern Israel (Judah). Recapping our last lesson, the Northern King Joram son of Ahab and the Southern King Ahaziah were both put to the sword by Jehu (2nd Kings 9:10-29). Jehu was commanded by God to execute judgment on the house of Ahab (2nd Kings 10:9-11) because they led the nation in Baal Worship. King Ahaziah was killed because he aligned himself with Joram and was in town when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab. Jehu takes over the throne in the Northern Kingdom and Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah sought to take over the throne of the Southern Kingdom. Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, and was given to Jehoram, king of Judah as a bride. She was a bad influence on both her husband (King Jehoram of Judah) and her son (King Ahaziah of Judah). Athaliah takes the throne by murdering her son’s family leaving them with no one to take over the throne. Athaliah was from the family of Ahab, and Jehu had completely destroyed all of Ahab’s descendants in Israel. Now, after Jehu’s coup, Athaliah tried to save something for Ahab’s family by trying to eliminate the house of David in Judah. By the grace of God, one of Ahaziah’s sons, Joash, alludes her when a daughter of King Jehoram, Jehosheba, his aunt, takes him away in secret. Jehosheba was married to the priest Jehoiada. They hid the child for 6 years. Joash is one of the few remaining descendants of David still alive. This little-known woman Jehosheba had an important place in God’s plan for the ages. Through her courage and ingenuity, she preserved the royal line of David through which the Messiah would come. Evil people like Athaliah will begin their work, but God can always raise up a Jehosheba/Jehoshabeath (2nd Kings 11:2). Though Ahaziah was a bad king who made evil alliances, he was still a descendant of David and the successor of his royal line. For the sake of David, God remembered His promise and spared this one young survivor to the massacre of Athaliah. The line of David was almost extinguished and continued only in the presence of a small boy named Joash, but God kept his promise.

  2.  2nd Chronicles 23:1-3. Jehoiada strengthened himself and made a covenant with the captains: Jehoiada was a godly man who was concerned with restoring the throne of David to the line of David, and taking it away from this daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Jehoiada and Jehosheba knew the promise of God concerning the line of David and the throne. They probably didn’t understand the full context and messianic meaning of the line of David, but they knew it was God’s will. These two saints of God were used by God to ensure the coming of the savior of the World. You never know how your obedience to God may make a tremendous difference. It has now been 6 full years and Jehoiada feels the boy is ready and Jehoiada has enough folks on his side to overthrow the Queen Athaliah. For six years everyone believed there were no more surviving heirs of David’s royal line and there was no legitimate ruler to displace the wicked Athaliah. The secret had to be secure because the king’s son would be immediately killed if his existence was revealed. The captains must have been shocked by the sight of this six-year-old heir to the throne. Jehoiada marshals the military leaders, family heads and Levites to make a covenant with him and the Lord at the temple square to put a descendant of David back on the throne.

  3.  Verses 4-10. The Priest Jehoiada gave instructions for a third of the priest and Levites who were to serve on the Sabbath to watch the doors of the temple, another third was to stand watch at the palace and another third at the foundation gate. The Levites and priests were to guard the young king in the temple. Jehoiada chose the Sabbath for the day of the coup, because that was the day when the guards changed their shifts and they could assemble two groups of guards at the temple at the same time without attracting attention. As the men were assembling Jehoiada gave them all weapons to stand guard. These men were equipped with weapons dating from the days of King David. It was fitting for these soldiers, who would set the heir of David’s royal line back on the throne of Judah, to use these weapons which had belonged to King David.

  4.  Verses 11-15. With all the priest and Levites and the guards at his side, Jehoiada and his sons brought out the boy king, put the crown on him, gave him a copy of the law (Deuteronomy 17:18 says that the king should have his own copy of the Scriptures), and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the King.” Athaliah heard the commotion in the street as the entire city rushed to the temple in celebration of the new King. When she looked over at the temple she saw the boy king with the crown surrounded by guards and musicians. For six years she ruled because she believed there were no legitimate claimants to the throne of David. Now she sees that one son of Ahaziah — Joash, her own grandson — escaped her murderous intent. She tore her robes and declared treason. Jehoiada ordered the guards to seize her and execute her.

  5.  Verses 16-21. Jehoiada leads the people to make a covenant with the Lord and to recommit themselves to the Lord. They smash the Baal altars and idols and killed the Baal priest. In 2nd Kings 10, Jehu supervised the destruction of the temple of Baal in Samaria. God was using these men to cleanse the nations of the Evil pagan Gods which led the previous kings to treat the people harshly. Jehoiada immediately orders the Levites and priests to fulfill their roles with regards to the temple. He commanded them to renew the burnt offerings, rejoicing and singing. It is assumed that Athaliah may have hindered this work. With the temple rituals back in place, Jehoiada then has the young king placed on the throne in the palace to rule. After more than six dark years, now the rightful king of Judah once again ruled over his grateful people. No wonder, the people of the land rejoiced.

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