Reading
SAA Notes
Athaliah was as murderous as her mother Jezebel. After her son’s death, she had all the royal children killed and took power. Only her grandson Joash survived, hiding with his uncle Jehoiada the high priest. After Jehoiada’s death, Joash turned from the Lord to idolatry and even had Jehoiada’s son Zechariah murdered for opposing his idolatry. See 2 Chronicles 24:20-25.
SJA Notes
* God of Light, let Your steadfast love come to us, Your salvation according to Your promise.
“And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days, because Jehoida the priest instructed him.”
(note here: “Jehoash” == “Joash”)
We read here of the king who was saved from an evil grandmother, saved to reign well and do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
But.
We read in 2 Chronicles 24 (a different lens-telling of these same timelines),
“Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoida, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son.”
How frail and broken we are!
God’s word tells us the truth of how people are, no sugar-coating or turning a blind eye.
Today’s passage speaks of Joash in the same way we read of David – doing right in the eyes of the LORD all his days.
This does not mean the person is without sin, or never does _wrong_ in the sight of the Lord.
One thing this passage does is points us to this – If not for Jesus, what would we be?
Praise God that in Jesus we have a king who is not going to turn away from righteousness, is not going to become old (and frail), is not going to wander off – He is the ever-living God, and He is perfectly and always righteous!
* Lord God above,
Thank You for Jesus, our ever-living King!
Thank You for His righteousness that we have, through His sacrifice for us – given to us though so unworthy.
Thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness to us, day in and out.
Amen.