2 Kings 11-12

A Brand Plucked From the Burning

 

                       Intro Wesley Story see notes

Intro: At this point in our study of the Book of 2 Kings the writer Flip/flop – No. & So. Kingdoms

A) Israel in the North – Judah in the South

 

B) Focus of Ch.11-12 is on Judah –

 

C) Now the Kings of Israel have been ruled by a long line of wicked Kings/ Beginning w/ Ahab – Jezebel

 

D) But in Judah Jehoshaphat had been King for 25yrs {Godly for the most part

1) One major mistake – He sought an alliance with the ungodly family of Ahab  

 

E) His Son Joram married – Ahab’s daughter

Ath/a/lyiah

 

F) We see the Fruit of that union come into full force in 2 Kings 11

1)   Athaliah ends up being a very wicked woman just like her mother Jezebel.

 

Thru the influence of Ath/a/lyiah Joram turned from the Lord – walked in the ways of Ahab

A)When he took over the throne he had all of his siblings murdered – Secure himself on the throne

 

B) Well Joram died and his Son Ahazaih became King and he was just like his father

C) When Ahaziah died – we are told in 2 Chron.22 that there was no one strong enough in Ahaziah’s house to retain the kingdom

 

D) SO Ath/a/lyah decided to fill the void. RDV.1

 

Ath/a/lyah seizes the throne and murdered all of her grandchildren in the Process

A) Brutal picture of the depths of Human depravity  

            She was one wicked woman!

 

B) Instrument of Satan: Always a descendant of David on the throne.

 

C) Thru her Satan attempted to wipe out the line of David so that the Savior would not be born.

 

Down through the ages the devil has tried to eliminate the Jews.

A) In Egypt the Lord preserved Moses, and the Jews were not slain but allowed to leave Egypt.

 

B) Haman, in the Book of Esther, attempted to exterminate the Jews but was foiled.

 

C) Satan was behind each of these attempts.

1)Now here is this woman Athaliah attempting to exterminate the line of David.

 

D) Although she thought she had killed all of them, she missed one, as we are told here.  RD V.2-3

Jeho/sheba was the ½ sister of Ahaziah – {different mothers – 2 Chron. 23 – Wife of Jehoiada the priest

A) She along with her husband was part of a godly remnant in Judah.

 

B) We learn in this Chapter as well as in 2 Chron 24 Ath/a/lyah had promoted Baal worship in Judah

 

C)But these 2 were part of that remnant that remained true to the Lord

1) Always a remnant!

 

This little-known woman & her husband had an important place in God’s plan of the ages.

A) Through their courage and ingenuity, they preserved the royal line of David through which the Messiah would come.

 

B) They stand out to us as an example of a godly couple that made a stand for the truth.

1) Courageous thing hiding little Joash

 

C) The Church needs couples like this today who will make a Stand – Model godly marriage

A) Make a Stand to save a Child

 

B) Little Joash would grow up in the temple

1) Church is a good Shelter

   a) Kids from the world

   b) Drugs / lust pursue righteousness

 

C) SO they hid little Joash for 6yrs – 6yrs they waited for the right time

1) For six yrs they endured this wicked woman

 

Tenacity is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to transpire. Tenacity means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Tenacity is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered.  Chambers

 

                    Be Spiritually Tenacious

 

 

One reason Athaliah was able to reign for six years was that no one knew any alternative.

A) Many people live under the reign of Satan because they don’t really know there is a legitimate king ready to take reign in their life.

 

B) King Jesus

                                   RDV.4-9

 

 Jehoiada chose the Sabbath for the day of the coup, because that was the day when the guards changed their shifts.

 

This would make it easier to assemble two groups of guards at the temple at the same time without attracting attention.

                                       RD V.10-12

The weapons he took of King David were more than 200yrs old now.

A) Their use was symbolic rather than military.

    

B) Reminders of David. so that everyone involved would recognize the significance of what they were engaged in.

 

C) This went beyond getting a wicked woman off the throne this was about –

1) Getting the rightful Family on the throne

 

the Testimony: The king’s son had to come with the Word of God.

A)Joash appeared before the people holding the scrolls of God’s Word.

 

B) Deuteronomy 17:18 says that the king should have his own copy of the Scriptures.

 

“This is the basis for the British custom of presenting the monarch with a copy of the Bible during the coronation service

Monumental moment – Autistic B ball player

                    

                         RD V.13-16

 

So the over throw was complete – the people rejoiced – they were tired of Ahaliah –

                                                

                         RD V.17

This was a new movement in the nation a priest rather than a prophet following God’s law to bring about reformation

A)Jehoida makes a covenant between the Lord, the King, and the People.

 

B) The People recommitted themselves to the Lord

1) Because the central issue was not Judah’s relationship to the Davidic King – but the Divine King

 

C) Same is true for us – Who is on the throne in your Life.

                       

D)What follows next are the reforms led by Jehoida

                        RD V.18- Ch.12 v.1-3

 

 

He reigned forty years in Jerusalem: This was a long and mostly blessed reign.

A) Joash fell short of full commitment and complete godliness,

 

B)but he did advance the cause of God in the kingdom of Judah.

 

C) Except V.3 The high places were not taken away: 1) This indicates that Joash implemented a half-way reformation in Israel

 

D) The people were so fondly and strangely addicted to the high places

Secret sins – out of sight – out of mind

A)But always there when you want to indulge the flesh

 

B) Problem with the kings they didn’t deal with the High places

1)Stopped short of total Holiness –

 

Bb) And the Lord seems to acknowledge it over and over reminder -  THOSE THINGS MATTER.

1) Little secret sins – not a big deal

 

C) God mentions the high places over and over to say to us – What you do in secret matters

1) If it is good – He says I will reward you openly!

2) Not good he sees and takes into account.

 

Now we are also told here that Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him:

A)This implies that when Jehoiada died, Jehoash no longer did what was right in the sight of the Lord.

 

B)After the death of the godly high priest, Joash fell into the hands of godless advisors who turned his heart to Canaanite practices.

 

C) 2 Chronicles 24:15-23 tells us that he turned to idolatry when Jehoiada died, and judgment followed.

 

 

One thing Joash did do was institute the repairing of the temple!  RD V.4-5

A) Now the Priests were compensated thru the giving of the people.

 

B) They oversaw the collections –

1) Joash wasn’t suggesting that they stop being compensated – but he wanted them to begin to set money aside for the temple repairs

 

C) Problem was the Priest were taking the money that was supposed to be used for the temple and using it for other things                         RDv.6-8

                                                

So Joash has to rebuke the priest for their neglect of the temple

A)It is hard to believe that Jehoida would be guilty of such a thing –

 

B) But 2 Chron.24 tells us that he died at the age of 130 yrs old

1) So by this time he was an old man who perhaps did not have the energy to lead this Charge

 

C) As I thought about this today: It made me think of the things we know we are to do – we put off

1) We say I will get to that tomorrow

 

D) News for you – the older we get the harder it gets follow thru on those things – Less energy

1) Don’t say tomorrow – Seize the Day!  RDv.9-16

So godly responsible men were chosen to over see the temple repairs and the funds invested.

A) Those supervisors were Chosen to distribute the money to skilled workers who were responsible for the actual work

 

B) This whole process involved a major change in the way that the temple was viewed.

 

C) It was not a private royal chapel under the financial and personal control of the King

1) Nor was it a religious institution run by the priest for their own benefit.

 

D) It was the house of God – it was the place where people met w/ the Lord

1) God wanted them to invest in it – Financed thru their giving.

 

E) And the Priest were to be supported thru the money brought in from the trespass offerings

1) And the sin offerings

 

 

Well things were going well but at this point Joash makes a Critical error.   RD V.17-21

 

How could someone who started so well end so bad?

A)Key When Jehoida died –

 

B) Indication that Joash didn’t have a deep relationship of his own with the Lord

 

C) His walk was connected to Jehoida

 

What about you: A wife? A Husband?

A) A Parent –  Kids leave the Church after they get older – why? –

 

B) Often don’t have their own walks –

 

C) For some people their walks are attached to the ministry.

1) Serving and teaching – doing good because it forces them to be in the word

 

D) But then when they stop – their study

1) Stop being in the ministry- Problem

 

E) There is no depth to their walks

 

Joash Rescued from Certain death

 

 

But so have we – Make the most of it for Jesus!  

 

 

 

They may never stop talking about what they witnessed Wednesday at Greece Athena's final home boys varsity basketball game of the season.

And that would be a good thing.

Some in attendance at Athena's game against Spencerport will say it played out like a Hollywood script; like "Rudy," or "Radio;" stories about a long-shot and a water boy who inspired their teams by not letting their shortcomings stop them from giving their all.

In what Jason McElwain did during the waning moments of the "Senior Night" at Athena, there may be much more.

Jason is the trainer for the Athena varsity team. He is also Autistic – But he is a dedicated trainer.

 So dedicated is Jason, he has not missed a game or practice in the three years he's served the team.

Wednesday for "Senior Night," Athena coach Jim Johnson had Jason suit up for the game. He sat excitedly on the bench in his school colors, number 52; an acknowledgement of Jason's commitment to the program.

Athena moved to a comfortable 20-point lead against Spencerport. With the home crowd calling and classmates waving signs of support, Johnson called down the bench to number 52. Jason, headband and all, headed out onto the court.

"I just wanted to score a basket," McElwain said.

"I’m just sitting there saying `Let him score just one point,'" his mom, Deb said.

With the help of his teammates, Jason stared down a shot from the corner. The entire Athena bench and every person in the gym rose.

Jason missed... by six feet.

Moments later, Jason grabbed another pass and let it rain. The shot, from beyond the three-point arc, swished straight through. In unison, those in the gym screamed.

In the game's final four minutes, Jason shot five more times from behind the three-point arc. He made them all. Each time, teammates on the bench would hold their heads and scream, fans would stomp, tears would flow.

Jason scored 20 points. He set an Athena record with a half-dozen three-pointers. His teammates and friends stormed the court. They raised him on their shoulders... wide-eyed and in awe of what they had seen. They asked Jason for his autograph.

" I was focused on the game. You gotta be focused on the game. Not anything else," Jason said.