The Boy King Of Judah

The Boy King Of Judah

While Joram, son of Ahab, still was ruling in Samaria, Ahaziah came to the throne of Judah. Ahaziah's wickedness was as abominable as that of Ahab, for his mother, Athaliah, was his counselor and she was of the family of Ahab.

Ahazaiah had reigned only one year when he was slain by his enemies.

When Athaliah learned

that her son was dead, she saw an opportunity to rule over Judah herself. So she went to destroy all the royal princes, her own grandchildren, while they slept.

Now Ahaziah had a sister, Jehosheba, who wanted to prevent this. She stole into the chambers where the young princes were sleeping. She took away the baby Joash and his nurse, so that Joash alone, of all the king's sons, was not slain.

Jehosheba was married to Jehoiada, a priest of the temple, one of the few who were loyal to God. She took Joash to her husband, and he hid the child in the temple for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehoiada taught Joash of the God of Abraham and Isaac, the Lord of Israel. He kept a guard about the temple, and Athaliah never knew that Joash had been saved.

When Joash was thirteen years old, Jehoiada quietly sent trusted messengers throughout the kingdom to find those of the people who still were faithful to God and to bring them to the temple. When these people were gathered, he gave to their captains spears and shields which had belonged to King David and had been kept in the temple. He stationed all the people, every man having a weapon in his hand, about the temple and the altar.

Then he brought forth the young prince, set the crown upon his head, and made him king. Jehoiada blessed him and said, "God save the king."

The people took up the cry and clapped their hands loudly. "God save the king!" The excitement grew, and people in the streets came running to know what was happening.

When Athaliah heard the noise of the people praising the newly crowned king, she ran to the temple. There between the pillars at the entrance, she saw the young king. She saw the guards with their weapons and heard the trumpeters and the people rejoicing.

Tearing her clothes, she cried, "Treason! Treason!"

But the guards dragged her from the temple and killed her. The people broke down the temple of Baal and smashed his altar and images. Jehoiada made a covenant with the people, that Joash should be king and that they should serve the Lord.