The Lord will honour those who honour him. They will see His deliverance and blessing. This is the truth seen in our next two chapters of 2 Kings.
2 Kings 11: Athaliah Reigns in Judah
1 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family.
2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not put to death.
3 And he remained with her six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Joash Anointed King in Judah
4 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.
5 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
6 (another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards) shall guard the palace.
7 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,
8 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."
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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!"
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the LORD to the people.
14 And when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
15 Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains who were set over the army, "Bring her out between the ranks, and put to death with the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest said, "Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD."
16 So they laid hands on her; and she went through the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was put to death.
17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people, that they should be the LORD's people, and also between the king and the people.
18 Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest posted watchmen over the house of the LORD.
19 And he took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, marching through the gate of the guards to the king's house. And he took his seat on the throne of the kings.
20 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the king's house.
Jehoash Reigns in Judah
21 Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.
2 Kings 12:
1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2 And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.
Jehoash Repairs the Temple
4 Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the LORD, the money for which each man is assessed---the money from the assessment of persons---and the money that a man's heart prompts him to bring into the house of the LORD,
5 let the priests take, each from his donor, and let them repair the house wherever any need of repairs is discovered."
6 But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests had made no repairs on the house.
7 Therefore King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, "Why are you not repairing the house? Now therefore take no more money from your donors, but hand it over for the repair of the house."
8 So the priests agreed that they should take no more money from the people, and that they should not repair the house.
9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the LORD. And the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.
10 And whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king's secretary and the high priest came up and they bagged and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD.
11 Then they would give the money that was weighed out into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the LORD. And they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD,
12 and to the masons and the stonecutters, as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the LORD, and for any outlay for the repairs of the house.
13 But there were not made for the house of the LORD basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, or any vessels of gold, or of silver, from the money that was brought into the house of the LORD,
14 for that was given to the workmen who were repairing the house of the LORD with it.
15 And they did not ask an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workmen, for they dealt honestly.
16 The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.
17 At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem,
18 Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred gifts that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred gifts, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent these to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.
The Death of Joash
19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
20 His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla.
21 It was Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. And they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.
Things to think about…
1. If the spirit of Jezebel went into anyone after her death (not that it’s possible) it went into Athaliah. This wicked witch of the west murdered her nephews so that she could retain power, 2Kings 11:1-3. When there is obvious evil being expressed in a society the only right action is to pray and to act. This is what the godly priest Jehoiada did. David’s shields were symbolic of old truth and the God of the Davidic king. If anyone tries to depose Jesus from being the head of the church we need to rise up in like manner. Standing for His honour is what makes us who we are. Christ says “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” Mt 10:33.
2. There is peace in the land where righteousness dwells. Look at 2Kings 11:17-20. The Priest Jehoiada made the people renew their covenant with the Lord. Moral reformation occurred in the land. We need this in our day. God’s people are to start this moral transformation. It begins with renewal of relationship and commitment to the cause of Christ.
3. Jehoash the new king asks that the priests start repairing the temple by taking money, 2Kgs12:4,5. They did the latter but not the former, vs 6. The priests were unaccountable in their administration. Jehoiada the priests should have held them to account but failed to and the work on the temple repair was delayed by years. What a tragedy it is when we hear of these horror stories of church leaders abusing their positions in our day. Accountability should be embraced by all. We are going to be held accountable by Christ Himself when we die. Let’s get used to it now by keeping each other on the ‘straight and narrow path’ by honouring Him in word, heart and action.
4. Look at what finally happens when the priests repair the temple and dedicate their service to it, 2 Kings 12:17, 18. Because their hearts were outwardly obedient but not inwardly transformed (this included Jehoash the King) Syria comes and is offered all the gold and treasure from the temple vss 17, 18. If Jehoash had trusted in the Lord rather than his own gold he would have seen the Lord’s deliverance. Only a heart transformation ensures the Lord’s peace, presence, and protection.
5. Jehoash (Joash) was brutally murdered in a conspiracy against his rule, 2 Kings 12:19-21. But this was actually a judgement of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 24:20-27 explains that Joash murdered Jehoiada the Priest’s son Zechariah. 2Chr 24:20 says “the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest”. He preached against Jehoash’s unwillingness to trust in the Lord and Joash put him to death. There were men who found this deeply offensive and had the king killed. A sad ending for a man who was faithfully kept in the Lord’s house for 6 years by a faithful aunt, Jehosheba, 2Kings 11:2.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon title was “Trusting in the unseen” - from 2 Kings 6:8-23
1. The Syrian army had surrounded the town where Elisha was staying, Dothan. When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian army he was afraid. Elisha’s response to the servant was “those who are with us are more than those who are with them”, 2 Kings 6:16. This is claimed by faith in an unseen God. What keeps your faith in God’s unseen hand in your life?
2. Elisha prays that the servants eyes are opened. He then sees the mountain full of chariots and horses of the Lord all around Elisha, vs 17. Elisha prays for blindness over the Syrian army. They become blind. Spiritual blindness in our day is a judgement of sorts. Elisha leads this army to Samaria then their eyes are opened. In what ways can we lead the spiritually blind to see their true condition.
3. Often we want judgement on our enemies like the king of Israel wanted towards the Syrian army. But God shows mercy. Why was it appropriate to show the Syrian army mercy by giving them food and water and letting them go and when is it appropriate to show mercy to those who want to harm us?
Prayer Points
1. Growth in our kids and youth ministries
2. Pray for testimonies that people will be giving every second week. Please consider when you would like to do yours when the pastor asks you to share yours.
3. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
4. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points.
1. A man who has joined CBC recently, Nathan is wanting to be a child of God.
2. Graham’s faithful message on Sunday.
3. Worship team and technical team. Thankyou Rod, Zac, Molly, Riley, iMan, Melissa, Dan.
4. More visitors and spirit of joy on Sunday.
Announcements
1. Members meeting 28th Nov after the service.
2. Kids@church back. Please check your rosters
3. Recharge Youth – back on Friday 6:30pm at church all high schoolers.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
