11 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. ( 2 Kings 11:1)

Ahaziah was executed by Jehu, as recorded in 2 Kings 9:27-29. She used the occasion of her son’s death to take power for herself, and she reigned over the land for six years.

Who was Athaliah?

We remember that 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 (Jehoram of Judah) and her son (King Ahaziah of Judah).

she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family:

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.

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. (2 Kings 11:2)

But Jehosheba:

This little-known woman had an important place in God’s plan of 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.

2 Chronicles 22:11 tells us that Jehosheba was the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest. Since she was the wife of Jehoiada the high priest, she was able to hide him in the temple, where he remained hidden for the next six years while his wicked grandmother Athaliah ruled the kingdom of Judah as its queen.

He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. (2 Kings 11:3)

God will always hide you first before He will expose you big time to the world. God hid Moses. The Father hid His Son Jesus for 30 year before revealing Himself.

He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace, 6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— 7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[b] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.” (2 Kings 11:5-8)

Sur – was the chief gate of the temple

These scriptures reveal the kind of protection the young king had. This principle reveals how much of a spiritual protection is needed for today’s evangelists, preachers, pastors etc The enemy has not changed and neither has God.

One reason Athaliah was able to reign for six years was that no one knew any alternative. Many people live under the reign of satan because they don’t really know there is a legitimate king ready to take reign in their life.

The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. (2 Kings 11:9)

Notice there were people on duty even on the Sabbath. They were on temple duty.

Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple. (2 Kings 11:10-11)

In the temple, there were hundreds of spears and shields that had belonged to King David. We read in 2 Samuel 8 that when he had defeated Hadadezer, the king of Zobah, he took the shields carried by his servants, as well as other articles, and dedicated them to the Lord. After Solomon built the temple, he took everything that had been dedicated by his father David and "put them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord" (1Kings 7:51).

Now, they have become useful to defend David's direct descendant. I believe there is a principle being illustrated here, a principle that encourages believers to dedicate their blessings to the kingdom of God.

You see, David had the right to keep all the spoils of war. He could have displayed the golden shields, sold the spears, and built his bank accounts with the gold and silver. But instead, he dedicated them all to the Lord, and God later used them mightily.

Hannah was a woman who prayed and wept for a child, because she was barren. When the Lord blessed her and gave birth to a son, she certainly had the right to keep her son. But instead, she dedicated the baby Samuel to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:28), and God later used him mightily.

You have a right to keep that which God has given you - your skills, your money, your time, your family - it's all yours. But if you dedicate it to the Lord, He will use it mightily.

Whether you dedicate your skills, your money, your time, or your family, God can and will use it mightily when it is dedicated to Him. And that benefit will reach beyond your life time and beyond your generation into the next.

Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!” (2 Kings 11:12)

Jehoiada by presenting a copy of the covenant reveals to us the importance of the word in governing God’s people.

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. (Deuteronomy 17:18) This scripture tells us that the king should have his own copy of the Scriptures. “This is the basis for the British custom of presenting the monarch with a copy of the Bible during the coronation service.

Three things were involved in the consecration of Joash as king:

1. The Crown

2. The Word

3. The Oil

When the young boy was brought out and crowned king, they clapped their hands. This is the first time that the clapping of hands is mentioned in the Scriptures. They did this out of joy, proclaiming this descendant of David as king, making a public statement.

Unfortunately, applause is something that is common in the world today, yet in many churches is somewhat foreign or forbidden. Young king Joah received applause by the clapping of hands - why not the King of Kings?

Psalm 47:1 O Clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.

Psalm 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the mountains sing together for joy

When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. (2 Kings 11:13)

It was the loud praises of the people in honour of king Joash the drew out Athaliah and interestingly enough ultimately led her to be executed.

I believe likewise when we praise the King of kings the demonic forces of a particular territory will be bound. See what the Word says in Psalm 149:7-9

Let the saints be joyful in glory;

Let them sing aloud on their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,

And a two-edged sword in their hand,

7 To execute vengeance on the nations,

And punishments on the peoples;

8 To bind their kings with chains,

And their nobles with fetters of iron;

9 To execute on them the written judgment—

This honor have all His saints.

Chapters 11