2 Chronicles 23 - Joash's Reign in Judah | Bible Podcast, David Alley, Peace Christian Church
The Bible by David Alley · David Alley
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Show Notes
In this video listen to 2 Chronicles Chapter 23, read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.
In 2 Chronicles 23 Jehoida initiates a coup to put Joash on the throne. Usually a coup is to take power, but in this case it was to re-establish the rightful power. This was a brave move for a priest. Scripture says he “strengthened himself” and in other versions “showed his strength,” or “took courage.” Either way, he did a brave thing in organising a coup.
It could well have resulted in the loss of his life, but the Lord was with him. It’s time to take courage, show your strength and in doing so strengthen yourself. Notably under Athaliah, prior to the coup, there was a house of Baal in Jerusalem. Can you believe a temple to Baal was built in Jerusalem? Under Joash with Jehoiada’s guidance this is removed. In Judah at the time, one of the struggles was polytheism of a type.
It wasn’t that people didn’t believe in Yahweh, but that they believed in both Baal and Yahweh. This type of thing happens in India when Jesus is preached, because he is simply added to the collection of gods that Hindu people believe in. When I was in India, we visited the Mt of St Thomas, and also the Cathedral of St Thomas in Santhome, Chennai, where people were worshipping the statue of Thomas.
They saw him as a saint, like a kind of god to be worshipped alongside other Indian Hindu gods. But this displeases the Lord. He becomes jealous of this type of thing. So when something stands in the place of God, and we remove it, this represents real progress. What stands in the place of God in your life?
It is worth noting, that with every king of Judah there is a designated set of things they say about them, such as their age when they reigned, for how long, who their mother was etc. The standard things are not said about Athaliah, giving us the clear idea that she was not considered a real ruler.