Joash Made King

 

2 chronicles 23:1-7

 

Augusta 2, 2023

 

Joash Made King 

But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri.  And they went about through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem.  And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the Lord spoke concerning the sons of David.  This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one-third shall be gatekeepers, and one-third shall be at the king's house and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord.  Let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the Lord.  The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

Recall how Athaliah, the Queen mother killed the royal family but she missed Joash whose sister hid in the house of God.  It is also important to recall this; “Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so that she did not put him to death.”

This evil woman reigned over Judah for seven years, her heart was set on one thing power, and for seven years she believed she was indestructible, but payday was seven years away.

In our time we would not want a seven-year-old to rule over us, but he was of the lineage of King David and was taught by Jehoiada the priest the ways of God.  How different would the USA be if we had a leader who had been taught the ways of God, from a child and had bowed to God's authority over Him?

Will you join me in asking God for such a leader?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice