2Ch 22:10-11 | KingComments | STEP | When Ahaziah is dead, Athaliah kills “all the royal offspring of the house of Judah” ( ). The murderousness of Athaliah must have focused mainly on the sons of her son Ahaziah. After all, there is not much else to eradicate, given the two previous slaughters. That she is out to kill even her own grandchildren, proves once again that she is a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She wants to have the power herself and strengthen herself against Jehu to avenge himself against him. All this is the result of the marriage connection Jehoshaphat arranged between his son and the daughter of Ahab ( ). Then the miracle of God’s grace happens. He has Joash, who is a baby, rescued by his aunt Jehoshabeath ( ). Jehoshabeath is a daughter of Jehoram, but of another mother. She is a special woman. Twice she is referred to as the daughter of the king, while she is also “the wife of Jehoiada the priest”. We can say that she is a ‘royal-priestly’ woman. It gives her a great dignity which makes her far superior to the pretentious person Athaliah. Jehoshabeath is out for salvation, Athaliah is out for destruction. Jehoshabeath serves God’s people, Athaliah serves herself. There is another God-fearing woman who, together with Jehoshabeath, withstands the wicked woman Athaliah. That is the nurse of Joash. Joash is still so little, that the nurse has to come along to feed and care for him in secret. What an important task this unknown woman, whose name we do not even know, gets! Joash is raised in the temple for six years ( ). Like Samuel, from his earliest existence he has been in a place where God is present more than anywhere else, and he is formed by the atmosphere that prevails there. Unlike Samuel, Joash lives six years in the deepest secrecy of the temple. No one knows that a descendant of the house of David is alive. The thought that there is no one left of David’s house must be a great trial for the faithful for six years. Joash passed through death, as it were, because he is kept hidden. The time of the apparition comes and then he starts to reign, along with Jehoiada, the priest. Here we see a reference to the kingdom of peace. After being hidden with God, the Lord Jesus appears to establish His kingdom of peace ( ). Moses is also hidden for a time ( ). While Joash is hidden, Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel, reigns over the house of David. She is connected in name with God’s people, but she is essentially a great enemy of God. We see this in the great Babylon of which she is a picture. About Babylon we read that she sits as queen and rules over God’s people (Revelation 17-18). Babylon does not tolerate opposition and does not live in the lack of the beloved ( ). But it will not always remain like that.

‏ 2 Chronicles 22:10-11

Slaughter by Athaliah; Joash Saved

When Ahaziah is dead, Athaliah kills “all the royal offspring of the house of Judah” (2Chr 22:10). The murderousness of Athaliah must have focused mainly on the sons of her son Ahaziah. After all, there is not much else to eradicate, given the two previous slaughters. That she is out to kill even her own grandchildren, proves once again that she is a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. She wants to have the power herself and strengthen herself against Jehu to avenge himself against him. All this is the result of the marriage connection Jehoshaphat arranged between his son and the daughter of Ahab (2Chr 18:1).

Then the miracle of God’s grace happens. He has Joash, who is a baby, rescued by his aunt Jehoshabeath (2Chr 22:11). Jehoshabeath is a daughter of Jehoram, but of another mother. She is a special woman. Twice she is referred to as the daughter of the king, while she is also “the wife of Jehoiada the priest”. We can say that she is a ‘royal-priestly’ woman. It gives her a great dignity which makes her far superior to the pretentious person Athaliah. Jehoshabeath is out for salvation, Athaliah is out for destruction. Jehoshabeath serves God’s people, Athaliah serves herself.

There is another God-fearing woman who, together with Jehoshabeath, withstands the wicked woman Athaliah. That is the nurse of Joash. Joash is still so little, that the nurse has to come along to feed and care for him in secret. What an important task this unknown woman, whose name we do not even know, gets!

Joash is raised in the temple for six years (2Chr 22:12). Like Samuel, from his earliest existence he has been in a place where God is present more than anywhere else, and he is formed by the atmosphere that prevails there. Unlike Samuel, Joash lives six years in the deepest secrecy of the temple. No one knows that a descendant of the house of David is alive. The thought that there is no one left of David’s house must be a great trial for the faithful for six years.

Joash passed through death, as it were, because he is kept hidden. The time of the apparition comes and then he starts to reign, along with Jehoiada, the priest. Here we see a reference to the kingdom of peace. After being hidden with God, the Lord Jesus appears to establish His kingdom of peace (Col 3:3-4). Moses is also hidden for a time (Exo 2:2).

While Joash is hidden, Athaliah, the daughter of Jezebel, reigns over the house of David. She is connected in name with God’s people, but she is essentially a great enemy of God. We see this in the great Babylon of which she is a picture. About Babylon we read that she sits as queen and rules over God’s people (Revelation 17-18). Babylon does not tolerate opposition and does not live in the lack of the beloved (Rev 18:7). But it will not always remain like that.