February 25, 2025, 2 Kings 11:4-21
February 25, 2025, 2 Kings 11:4-21
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.
21 Jehoash was
seven years old when he began to reign.
So here we see what can
happen when a Godly leader steps up to serve God and lead a nation back to
following God. I think about my commitment to pray for our nation to turn back
to God and I am ashamed of my lack of consistent prayer. How about your prayers
for our nation to return to God? Join me in a more consistent, authentic prayer
time as we cry out to God to save our nation.
Debbie Walker
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