Today we reach a couple of short chapters that are a part of the same narrative in 2 Chronicles 22 and 23. As a quick recap and reminder, we are in the southern kingdom Judah. Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, was the king but he killed all his brothers and worshiped the pagan gods, so his insides rotted out. His son, whom I believed was named after an evil king of Israel, Ahaziah is now in the throne.

2 Chronicles 22:1 Then the people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, their next king, since the marauding bands who came with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah.

2 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri. 3 Ahaziah also followed the evil example of King Ahab’s family, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. 4 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, just as Ahab’s family had done. They even became his advisers after the death of his father, and they led him to ruin.

Now, if you remember, Omri was king in Israel and Ahab’s father, which again proves my point that Jehoram had a relationship with the evil king Ahaziah of Israel because he married his sister Athaliah. (Also, Ahaziah in the north also named a son Jehoram) Guess who Athaliah’s mother was… Yes, Jezebel. Because of Jehoshaphat’s soft heart towards the kings in the north, the sins of the north had crept in and caused ruin. Folks, let me reiterate. Protect your family’s spiritual health at all costs.

Ahaziah, now king of Judah, lets Ahab’s family advise him, which points out one of the major themes of the Kings and the Prophets series: Be careful who you allow to influence you! God was not going to allow the Southern Kingdom to fall into the massive sins of the North.

5 Following their evil advice, Ahaziah joined Joram, the son of King Ahab of Israel, in his war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. When the Arameans wounded Joram in the battle, 6 he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received at Ramoth. Because Joram was wounded, King Ahaziah[f] of Judah went to Jezreel to visit him.

7 But God had decided that this visit would be Ahaziah’s downfall. While he was there, Ahaziah went out with Joram to meet Jehu grandson of Nimshi, whom the Lord had appointed to destroy the dynasty of Ahab.

8 While Jehu was executing judgment against the family of Ahab, he happened to meet some of Judah’s officials and Ahaziah’s relatives who were traveling with Ahaziah. So Jehu killed them all.9 Then Jehu’s men searched for Ahaziah, and they found him hiding in the city of Samaria. They brought him to Jehu, who killed him. Ahaziah was given a decent burial because the people said, “He was the grandson of Jehoshaphat—a man who sought the Lord with all his heart.” But none of the surviving members of Ahaziah’s family was capable of ruling the kingdom.

Well, that was a short reign. The Bible says that none of Ahaziah’s family was capable of ruling, mainly because the next king in line was a tiny tot. So naturally the worst selection for the leadership of Judah emerges… The Daughter of Jezebel, of course. How is it these evil women keep finding power?

10 When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah’s royal family. 11 But Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king’s children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jehosheba, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him. 12 Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.

So, Ahaziah’s sister has more righteousness and boldness than many of the kings we have met. She is the wife of a priest in the temple named Jehoiada, and they take the child and raise him in the temple.

Guess what we find out about being raised “in church” and having Godly instruction? It matters.

2 Chronicles 23:1 In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest decided to act. He summoned his courage and made a pact with five army commanders: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zicri. 2 These men traveled secretly throughout Judah and summoned the Levites and clan leaders in all the towns to come to Jerusalem. 3 They all gathered at the Temple of God, where they made a solemn pact with Joash, the young king.

Jehoiada said to them, “Here is the king’s son! The time has come for him to reign! The Lord has promised that a descendant of David will be our king. 4 This is what you must do. When you priests and Levites come on duty on the Sabbath, a third of you will serve as gatekeepers.5 Another third will go over to the royal palace, and the final third will be at the Foundation Gate. Everyone else should stay in the courtyards of the Lord’s Temple. 6 Remember, only the priests and Levites on duty may enter the Temple of the Lord, for they are set apart as holy. The rest of the people must obey the Lord’s instructions and stay outside. 7 You Levites, form a bodyguard around the king and keep your weapons in hand. Kill anyone who tries to enter the Temple. Stay with the king wherever he goes.”

8 So the Levites and all the people of Judah did everything as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended. 9 Then Jehoiada supplied the commanders with the spears and the large and small shields that had once belonged to King David and were stored in the Temple of God. 10 He stationed all the people around the king, with their weapons ready. They formed a line from the south side of the Temple around to the north side and all around the altar.

11 Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out Joash, the king’s son, placed the crown on his head, and presented him with a copy of God’s laws. They anointed him and proclaimed him king, and everyone shouted, “Long live the king!”

Every evil ever defeated happened because good people stood up in the face of fear to do what was right. Jehoiada had to summon the courage to begin speaking to the army commanders and restore the rightful king. He was a righteous man who was such a positive influence on Joash! And because of his bravery, and faithfulness to God, Athaliah’s sinful reign came to an end.

12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and the shouts of praise to the king, she hurried to the Lord’s Temple to see what was happening. 13 When she arrived, she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar at the Temple entrance. The commanders and trumpeters were surrounding him, and people from all over the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Singers with musical instruments were leading the people in a great celebration. When Athaliah saw all this, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

14 Then Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders who were in charge of the troops, “Take her to the soldiers in front of the Temple, and kill anyone who tries to rescue her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be killed in the Temple of the Lord.” 15 So they seized her and led her out to the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and they killed her there.

I bet you didn’t realize there was so many people being put to death in the Bible, huh? She had lead Israel in the ways of the pagans, and her family, and the price for that was her life. Jehoiada placed Joash as king, but as he was so young, Jehoiada had great influence in Judah, and used that to bring revival. And sometimes revival means cleaning out your house of all the idols.

16 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and the king and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. 17 And all the people went over to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They demolished the altars and smashed the idols, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Jehoiada now put the priests and Levites in charge of the Temple of the Lord, following all the directions given by David. He also commanded them to present burnt offerings to the Lord, as prescribed by the Law of Moses, and to sing and rejoice as David had instructed. 19 He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s Temple to keep out those who for any reason were ceremonially unclean.

20 Then the commanders, nobles, rulers, and all the people of the land escorted the king from the Temple of the Lord. They went through the upper gate and into the palace, and they seated the king on the royal throne. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was peaceful because Athaliah had been killed.

2 Chronicles 24:1 Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest. 3 Jehoiada chose two wives for Joash, and he had sons and daughters.

Thank God for the faithful people throughout history who summoned the courage to follow His lead and do the right thing, lead in His ways, and teach others His ways. Jehoiada was used by God to revive for a time the Southern Kingdom’s heart or worship.

I went into chapter 24 to highlight that second verse, it is a little worrisome foreshadowing, but it absolutely proves the point that Godly influences have a massive impact on young lives! During our prayer and fasting, Ask God to give you the opportunity to have that influence! That’s why at New Covenant we spend so much energy and effort into our children and youth! If you haven’t got involved there, you don’t know what you're missing! We are praying and fasting for our Children, Schools, Administration, Teachers, and Staff. Let’s not let our words be void of action! Find a way to impact the lives of the children in your sphere of influence for Jesus!