The story of the one true God, His chosen people, and the historic line of promise that culminates with Jesus Christ’s perfect fulfillment of God’s plan is permeated with fierce conflict and an ultimate victory. The battle rages still today for the hearts of those who are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. Join us as we explore the faith lessons and challenges of 2 Kings, chapters 11 and 12.
11:1 – 3: Athaliah, worshipper of Ba’al, usurps the royal throne by killing the king’s sons.
11:2 – 3: Joash, heir to the line of promise, is hidden and protected for six years of Athaliah’s illegitimate reign.
11:4 – 16: Jehoiada, the priest of God, intervenes, calls the military to action, proclaims Joash
as the rightful ruler, and has Athaliah and her followers killed.
11:17: Jehoiada renews the covenant with Yahweh and between the king and the people.
11:18a – b: The people of Yahweh destroy the temple, elements of worship, and the priest of Ba’al.
11:18c – 20: Jehoiada, with the military, set Joash on the throne of the kings. The people rejoice that the
rightful king and proper worship of Yahweh have been restored.
12:1 – 3: For forty years, Joash demonstrated equivocal leadership and worship of the LORD, only doing what was
right in Yahweh’s sight when instructed by Jehoiada the priest. The people continued in apostasy and false worship of Ba’al.
12:4 – 6: Joash calls for repair to the temple, implying return to worship of Yahweh, which is delayed for 23 years by the priests.
12:7 – 16: Priests agree to and execute a plan to fund the repairs to the temple.
12:17 – 18: Joash capitulates to Hazael, the Aramean king, when he threatens to besiege Jerusalem, and gives as tribute the wealth
of his forefathers and of the temple.
12:19 – 20: The epitaph of Joash: After a long reign, he is betrayed and killed by his servants. He was buried with his ancestors in
the city of David.
Which of the following themes most resonates with and/or challenges you personally? Why?
– Yahweh is the one and only true God, and He, alone, demands to be worshipped.
– Covenant relationship with His chosen people is established by Yahweh.
– The true faithful of Yahweh are contrasted with unfaithful worshippers of other Gods.
– The Davidic line of promise persists and culminates in the Messiah.
How does the battle, throughout history, for the wholehearted worship of the Israelite people for Yahweh pertain to us today?
What are some aspects of a Christological reading of this Old Testament Scripture?
