2Ch 23:17 | KingComments | STEP | When the pretentious woman is killed, first a covenant is made ( ). Jehoiada is taking the initiative. It is a covenant between the LORD on the one hand and all the people and the king on the other hand. In this covenant the people and the king commit themselves “that they would be the LORD’s people”. Then the idols are torn down and they kill Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the place where he offered to the idols ( ). It is not possible to acknowledge the king in his rights and God not. Therefore, she who wanted to be queen is killed in favor of the true king, the idols are torn down in favor of the true God, and the imitation priest is killed in favor of the true priests. When all counterfeiting has been eradicated, there is room for true service to God ( ). Now sacrifices can be made “as it is written in the law of Moses”. To that end, Jehoiada reinstated the offices to do that service. He dedicates the care of the temple to the priests so that they may bring sacrifices. The main purpose is to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD. The burnt offerings are brought “with rejoicing and singing” i.e. with joyful songs. This is done by the Levites, who follow “the order of David” and do not work according to their own insight. It shows us that a true revival is centered around Christ and that it is about presenting Him to God as a true burnt offering. To us, this is the service of worship, in which we worship the Father “in spirit and truth” ( ), which means in a spiritual manner and in accordance with the truth of God’s Word. There are revivals that bring dedication, or interest in the Word. However, here it is about worship. Unfortunately, Christians in general understand little of what this means. Jehoiada also makes sure that nobody enters the temple who is unclean ( ). He stations gatekeepers for this purpose. There must be supervision and discipline. On the one hand there is joy and song in the sanctuary and on the other hand there is an awareness of God’s holiness. What Jehoiada does is an indictment of the often light-hearted way in which Christians today can partake of the Supper in many groups. Without any investigation one can partake of the Supper in many places, because one leaves this to no more than the own responsibility of the one who wants to partake. It is not thought that the Supper is celebrated at the Lord’s Table. The Table is the Lord’s Table. He decides who may partake and who may not. Then it is time for the accession to the throne ( ). A large and diverse group is taken by Jehoiada to the house of the LORD, which until then was the residence of the king. The whole company is united, because they all have the same goal. It’s about giving the king the place where he belongs: the king’s throne. If all believers today have that goal in relation to the Lord Jesus, they will also go up together harmoniously. When the king has taken his place on the throne, all of the people of the land rejoice ( ; ). The city has peace after Athaliah is killed. So there will be peace and joy when we judge evil and separate ourselves from religious corruption because we have given the Lord Jesus the place on the throne of our lives.

‏ 2 Chronicles 23:17

Service to God Restored

When the pretentious woman is killed, first a covenant is made (2Chr 23:16). Jehoiada is taking the initiative. It is a covenant between the LORD on the one hand and all the people and the king on the other hand. In this covenant the people and the king commit themselves “that they would be the LORD’s people”. Then the idols are torn down and they kill Mattan, the priest of Baal, at the place where he offered to the idols (2Chr 23:17). It is not possible to acknowledge the king in his rights and God not. Therefore, she who wanted to be queen is killed in favor of the true king, the idols are torn down in favor of the true God, and the imitation priest is killed in favor of the true priests.

When all counterfeiting has been eradicated, there is room for true service to God (2Chr 23:18). Now sacrifices can be made “as it is written in the law of Moses”. To that end, Jehoiada reinstated the offices to do that service. He dedicates the care of the temple to the priests so that they may bring sacrifices. The main purpose is to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD. The burnt offerings are brought “with rejoicing and singing” i.e. with joyful songs. This is done by the Levites, who follow “the order of David” and do not work according to their own insight.

It shows us that a true revival is centered around Christ and that it is about presenting Him to God as a true burnt offering. To us, this is the service of worship, in which we worship the Father “in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23), which means in a spiritual manner and in accordance with the truth of God’s Word. There are revivals that bring dedication, or interest in the Word. However, here it is about worship. Unfortunately, Christians in general understand little of what this means.

Jehoiada also makes sure that nobody enters the temple who is unclean (2Chr 23:19). He stations gatekeepers for this purpose. There must be supervision and discipline. On the one hand there is joy and song in the sanctuary and on the other hand there is an awareness of God’s holiness. What Jehoiada does is an indictment of the often light-hearted way in which Christians today can partake of the Supper in many groups. Without any investigation one can partake of the Supper in many places, because one leaves this to no more than the own responsibility of the one who wants to partake. It is not thought that the Supper is celebrated at the Lord’s Table. The Table is the Lord’s Table. He decides who may partake and who may not.

Then it is time for the accession to the throne (2Chr 23:20). A large and diverse group is taken by Jehoiada to the house of the LORD, which until then was the residence of the king. The whole company is united, because they all have the same goal. It’s about giving the king the place where he belongs: the king’s throne. If all believers today have that goal in relation to the Lord Jesus, they will also go up together harmoniously.

When the king has taken his place on the throne, all of the people of the land rejoice (2Chr 23:21; Pro 11:10). The city has peace after Athaliah is killed. So there will be peace and joy when we judge evil and separate ourselves from religious corruption because we have given the Lord Jesus the place on the throne of our lives.