December 1, 2025

Athaliah had ruled over Judah for six years, and the people had had enough. Jehoiada the priest and his wife, Princess Jehoshabeath, saved Joash, who was only one year old when Athaliah killed all the royals who could have taken over the throne. However, she missed one. Now that Joash is seven, Jehoiada begins arranging for him to take over the throne and become king. He brought in the priest and prepared the temple. I found it interesting that the priest had weapons; I never think of priests as manly men, but my image was quite invalid; these men were ready to protect the king and guard the temple and the king’s home. When they crowned young Joash, the people began singing joyfully with trumpets sounding. Athaliah heard the commotion and came to see what was going on. She tore her clothes and cried “treason, treason!” but the priests had been given orders not to kill her in the temple, so they laid hands on her and took her out to the horse gate and slew her there. Then they took Joash to the king’s house, surrounded by guards, and set him on the throne. After that, they began eliminating all Baal worship, and the people started following God. There was now peace in the land. 

God will make a way for reformation and bring the people back to Himself; it takes time, and for the people to rise and say they’ve had enough of evil and defend themselves against tyrants. It’s not an easy task; we, here in the United States, understand this process, as we’ve lived under an evil government and are finally starting to reform ourselves. It’s a slow but sure process. It won’t be perfect until Jesus rids all the nations of evil. 

And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people. 2 Chronicles 23:16