Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Year 8, Day 9: 2 Kings 11


Theological Commentary: Click Here



This is such an interesting chapter.  Athaliah hears about the death of her son at the hands of Jehu.  What makes this chater so interesting is that the Queen Mother then turns and starts to kill all the other children who might become king.  She slaughters child after child while being on a rampage.  If her child won’t reign, then nobody else’s child would reign, either.



There are two really neat things about this chapter.  The first neat concept is that one child, Joash, is smuggled into safety.  News of him is kept silent from Athaliah’s ears for six years.  That alone is an amazing feat.  The lineage of David is saved when all hope appears lost.



The other neat dynamic comes out of this reality.  When we start this chapter, it looks bleak.  This chapter starts with the death of innocent people.  The chapter starts with awful news.  Yet, look at what God does in this chapter.  God brings forth a complete reset of the southern kingdom.  In the salvation of Joash comes a king who is dedicated to the God whose house he quite literally was saved and raised in.  The worship places of Ba’al are removed.  A renewal of the pact between God and His people comes into being.  A chapter that starts out so bleakly ends with a great story of success.



For the record, this is often the modus operandi of God.  The story of Moses begins with the Hebrew people enslaved and the Hebrew children being killed.  When Jesus is born it begins with no room at the inn and the slaughter of innocent children.  Paul’s story begins with the death of Stephen and the absolute persecution of the early church.  So often it is in the darkest moments that we see the light of God most brightly.



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