13 When Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of the LORD. 14 And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.
Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”
15 And Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of hundreds in charge of the army, “Bring her out between the ranks, and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the house of the LORD.”
16 So they seized Athaliah as she reached the horses’ entrance to the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.
18 So all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
And Jehoiada the priest posted guards for the house of the LORD. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace by way of the Gate of the Guards.
Then Joash took his seat on the royal throne, 20 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been put to the sword at the royal palace.
21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.
REFLECTIONS
Written by Stephen Shead
In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul talks about various Old Testament rules and institutions, and then he says: “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (NIV). For some reason, as I read today’s passage, it felt like an Old Testament shadow of the whole gospel – like a tiny preview the great story of Jesus’ victory. Just switch Athaliah to Satan and the forces of evil, and Joash to Jesus.
This world is under the rule of Satan, the great usurper and leader of all those who oppose God’s purposes. Jesus came as the infant king, born (like Joash) as the true heir to David’s throne. As a baby, Jesus was whisked away to protect him from the murderous King Herod, and as an adult he was protected from those who sought to destroy him, until the time of his choosing.
When that time came, he cast down the devil and defeated him – not by the sword, but by his own death and resurrection. By his death, he broke the devil’s power and “freed those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Through his victorious death, Jesus has instituted a new covenant between God and people. Just as the people of Judah smashed their old altars and idols of Baal (v 18), Jesus calls us to get rid of the things that threaten to take first place in our hearts instead of God. And just as Joash’s victory brought joy and peace to the land of Judah (v 19-20), so also the result of Jesus’ victory is that we have joy and peace with God.
Does that seem like a stretch? Well, I don’t mind if it is, because it’s a great story – and it’s true. I’ll take any excuse to tell it again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen is our senior minister.