Joash Anointed King in Judah

  

2 Kings 11:4-12

 

October 4, 2021

 

 

Joash Anointed King in Judah

But in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of the Lord. And he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the Lord, and he showed them the king's son.   And he commanded them, “This is the thing that you shall do: one-third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house  (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards) shall guard the palace.   And the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the house of the Lord on behalf of the king,  shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever approaches the ranks is to be put to death. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

The captains did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath and came to Jehoiada the priest.   And the priest gave to the captains the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the house of the Lord.   And the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house on behalf of the king.   Then he brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

 

The high Priest had been grooming and teaching this little boy almost from birth the ways of God, and at seven years of age, he made him public to the captains of the Carites.  We do not know who the Carites were but it is believed they were foreign mercenaries who had some loyalty to  David.  He got them into the house of God and showed them the boy king and made them agree to an oath to protect him. 

 

As stated we do not know much about them but they understood the oath they made with Jehoiada and the value of having a man of the lineage of David on the throne.   That brings me to ask a question or you an oath keeper?  God takes our oath very seriously, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’   But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.   And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.   Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. (Matthew 5:33-37)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice