2Ki 11:1 | KingComments | STEP | Now we go back twenty-eight years, to the beginning of the reign of Jehu. He had just killed Ahaziah. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah and daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, had seized power. She killed her own offspring. She didn’t have natural feelings. She did not need to kill many because Jehu had worked thoroughly in the execution of his commission. Behind this woman stands Satan himself, who was out to eradicate the seed of David to prevent the Messiah from being born. But the issue did not get out of God’s control. Jehosheba, the sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and thereby prevented the total extermination of the offspring of David. This child, like the Lord Jesus later, was taken away and hidden to stay out of the hands of murderers. Jehosheba means ‘the LORD is faithful’. The LORD would not destroy Judah and kept a lamp burning for the house of David until the birth of the Messiah. Joash was secretly fed and raised in one of the rooms of the temple and was therefore connected to the house of the LORD. He lived with the LORD. Through this hidden place he was as it were in death. When he became king, it was, so to speak, through death. At the same time, during all that period, the faithful thought that it was over and out with the kingship according to God’s thoughts. Christ is also now “hidden in God” ( ) and waits until the moment He can show Himself to His people. For the faithful now this is no hidden thing, for they see Him in glory, while the world does not see Him. Athaliah thought she could control everything. She had the power. It was a representation of the power of the papacy, of the roman-catholic church, which kills all who do not subject themselves to her ( ). She has felt supremely powerful and has absolutely no consideration for the coming of Christ. In this woman we see the mystery of lawlessness that develops in the bosom of Christianity, i.e. the professing church.

‏ 2 Kings 11:1

Jehosheba Hides Joash

Now we go back twenty-eight years, to the beginning of the reign of Jehu. He had just killed Ahaziah. Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah and daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, had seized power. She killed her own offspring. She didn’t have natural feelings. She did not need to kill many because Jehu had worked thoroughly in the execution of his commission.

Behind this woman stands Satan himself, who was out to eradicate the seed of David to prevent the Messiah from being born. But the issue did not get out of God’s control. Jehosheba, the sister of Ahaziah, hid Joash, the son of Ahaziah, and thereby prevented the total extermination of the offspring of David. This child, like the Lord Jesus later, was taken away and hidden to stay out of the hands of murderers. Jehosheba means ‘the LORD is faithful’. The LORD would not destroy Judah and kept a lamp burning for the house of David until the birth of the Messiah.

Joash was secretly fed and raised in one of the rooms of the temple and was therefore connected to the house of the LORD. He lived with the LORD. Through this hidden place he was as it were in death. When he became king, it was, so to speak, through death. At the same time, during all that period, the faithful thought that it was over and out with the kingship according to God’s thoughts. Christ is also now “hidden in God” (Col 3:3) and waits until the moment He can show Himself to His people. For the faithful now this is no hidden thing, for they see Him in glory, while the world does not see Him.

Athaliah thought she could control everything. She had the power. It was a representation of the power of the papacy, of the roman-catholic church, which kills all who do not subject themselves to her (Rev 17:6). She has felt supremely powerful and has absolutely no consideration for the coming of Christ. In this woman we see the mystery of lawlessness that develops in the bosom of Christianity, i.e. the professing church.