second-kings

 

Download the Notes:

02122017awickedgrandmother2ki11donruhl

 

A Wicked Grandmother 

Second Kings 11

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • February 8, In the year of our Lord, 2017

  1. Second Kings 11.1–3 | Hiding from Grandma

    1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. 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 murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. 3 So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

    1. What is your image of a grandmother?
    2. Here the Bible pictures a grandmother who completely shatters the image we have of sweet grandmothers.
    3. What did this woman do?
      1. She killed her grandsons, except for one.
      2. What happened to him?
    4. The big question is: Why did she do it?
      1. Why did she kill her grandsons?
      2. She wanted to be queen.
        1. Her oldest grandson should have been king.
        2. If he could not be, then the next on, and so on.
      3. First John 2.16 | What did John say was in the world?
        1. The lust of the flesh
        2. The lust of the eyes
        3. The pride of life
          1. Under which of these three would you put her sin?
          2. I think the third one.
            1. The lust for power is the vainglory of life (ASV).
            2. The lust for power leads people to do awful things.
              1. Herod killed family members for this reason.
              2. The competition for power happens daily, and
                1. people will do anything to have power.
                2. It is intoxicating.
    5. Who kept Joash safe?
      1. His aunt.
      2. For how long did she hide him?
  2. Second Kings 11.4–8 | Protecting a Seven-Year-Old Boy from Grandma

    4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of the LORD to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son. 5 Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, 6 one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down. 7 The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD for the king. 8 But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”

    1. Why did Jehoiada wait 6 years?
      1. Think of what he was living under.
      2. If he had acted right away, all righteous people may have died.
      3. They had to wait for their number to be strong enough.
      4. They had to make plans.
      5. This all takes time.
    2. Did they know about the king’s son, Joash?
    3. What would a 7 year-old child think of all these men surrounding him and guarding him?
      1. Notice that Jehoiada planned this well so that no one could harm the king.
      2. While Joash was only a boy, he was a descendent of David.
    4. What did Jehoiada instruct all the men to do if someone came close to the king?
  3. Second Kings 11.9–12 | Making a Seven Year-Old King

    9 So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. 12 And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

    1. When did Jehoiada schedule this event?
      1. Just as the priests on duty were going through a shift change.
      2. Why then?
      3. That way nothing was obvious.
      4. Also, it insured that he had many men present.
    2. Why was this so important?
      1. For one thing, they needed to stop the murderous queen.
      2. What if a nation, or any organization does not have a leader?
  4. Second Kings 11.13–16 | Removing Grandma as Queen

    13 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD. 14 When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!” 15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD.” 16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

    1. Athaliah no doubt questioned why she did not know of this event.
      1. She heard rejoicing, but had not been invited.
      2. What she saw shocked her.
    2. What accusation did she make?
      1. She accused everyone of treason.
      2. She did not rejoice that one of her grandsons lived, but that he was a threat to her reign.
    3. Why did Jehoiada not want her slain in the temple?
  5. Second Kings 11.17 | Covenanting to Be the Lord’s People

    17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they should be the LORD’S people, and also between the king and the people.

    1. Between what parties did the two covenants take place?
      1. The first one: Between the Lord, and the king, and the people.
      2. The second one: Between the king and the people.
    2. What was the purpose of the first one (and probably the second one)?
      1. That they would be the Lord’s people.
      2. Starting with Abraham (Gen 17.7–8), to the Law (Exo 6.7), to the Church (2Co 6.16–18), to Heaven (Rev 21.3), God has expressed His wish to be the God of His people.
        1. The question has always been, Do His people want to be His people?
        2. Do they want Him for their God?
  6. Second Kings 11.18 | Smashing Baal

    18 And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

    1. Jehu in Israel had already done this for the Northern Kingdom.
    2. Why did Judah not learn from Israel?
    3. See Jeremiah 3.6–10
  7. Second Kings 11.19–21 | Rejoicing for a New King

    19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. 21 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

    1. The rightful king finally sat on the throne.
    2. All would be well in Judah, at least for a while.
    3. See Proverbs 11.10; 28.12