Priest and King in Judah

GOLDEN TEXT: “The Priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” —Malachi 2:7

II KINGS 11:4, 9-12, 17-19, 21; 12:2

JEHOIADA is the priest referred to in the caption of this lesson, and Joash, or Jehoash, is the king. Joash came to the throne of Judah through a series of unusual circumstances. He was the son of King Ahaziah of Judah. When Ahaziah was slain, his mother, Athaliah, a daughter of the wicked queen, Jezebel, attempted to have all his sons put to death, and she established herself as queen upon the throne of Judah.

She thought that all of Ahaziah’s sons had been killed. She did not know that Jehosheba, a sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, and “stole him” from among the other sons of Ahaziah, and that, together with his nurse, he was hidden away in a bedchamber in the house of the Lord for six years.

There is more to this rescue of the child Joash than appears from a casual reading. God had promised David, through the prophet Nathan, that there would not fail a seed to sit upon his throne, and here we find his overruling providences in connection with the fulfillment of his promises. (II Sam. 7:16) While later David’s kingdom was overthrown so far as a succession of earthly rulers was concerned, according to the Lord’s promise its re-establishment is accomplished by Jesus, the antitypical David.—Isa. 9:6,7

But while the typical kingdom continued, God’s providences overruled to provide one of the natural descendants of David to be king. Attempts were made to prevent this, as in the slaying of Ahaziah’s sons, but the Lord caused his sister to rescue Joash from this plot, and thus a rightful descendant of David was kept alive to occupy the throne.

Jehoiada, the priest, played a prominent role in bringing Joash to the throne. Since Joash was kept in the house of the Lord, the priest was doubtless in contact with him and would have been instructing him in the way of the Lord, instructions which he remembered and heeded in later years. We read that he “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”—II Kings 12:2

When, at the tender age of seven, the priest decided it was time that Joash should be brought to the throne, he made very thorough arrangements with the “rulers over hundreds, with the captains, and the guard” for the young king’s protection. These were loyal to the priest, and followed his instruction. (II Kings 11:4,19) When the proper time came, the priest “brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.”—vs. 12

Athaliah, who had supposed this boy, together with the other sons of Ahaziah, had been slain, and who had usurped the throne, hearing the commotion, rushed into the temple to see what was happening. When she realized the situation she cried, “Treason.” But this availed her nothing. The rightful heir had been established upon the throne of the kingdom of Judah, and she was taken out of the temple and put to death for her crimes.

Since he was only seven years old when he came to the throne, naturally Joash would be merely the nominal ruler of the kingdom. But when he attained a responsible age, he gave instructions concerning the repair of the temple of the Lord.

When Jehoiada, the priest, who tutored Joash, brought the young king to the throne, he “made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people.” (vs. 17) All the people of Judah, professedly, were the Lord’s people; but in many instances this was only in a nominal sense. It was true then, even as it is in the professed Christian world today, that the vast majority gave little consideration to the Lord, or to the will and service of the Lord.

With a new king coming to the throne, Jehoiada decided that it was an opportune time to remind the people of their responsibility to Jehovah, their God, and he did this by calling upon them to enter into a covenant with him, and with the new king who was to sit upon the throne of the Lord.

The whole nation of Israel had entered into a covenant with the Lord under Moses as mediator. The covenant which Jehoiada instituted was probably merely an agreement that they would adhere more faithfully to their original covenant, and thus demonstrate their desire and worthiness to be the Lord’s people. Even today, those who wish to be “the Lord’s people” must enter into a covenant with him. In this age it is a covenant to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, a “covenant … by sacrifice.”—Ps. 50:5

QUESTIONS

Who are the priest and the king referred to in the lesson caption?

Explain the circumstances under which Joash came to the throne.

Can we be the Lord’s people today without entering into a covenant with the Lord?

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