JOASH, THE BOY KING.

(2 Kings xi:1-16.)

I. The Analysis.

1. The Reign of Athaliah (verse i).—The annals of human wickedness contain no record more evil than this, for Athaliah destroyed her own grandchildren. How brief the record, how awful the deed!

2. God's Promise Cannot Fail (verses 2, 3).—See Heart of the Lesson.

3. The Wise Measures of Jehoiada (verses 4-12). —The guidance of God is by His Spirit, and He is the Spirit "of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. i:7). All these attributes are manifest in Jehoiada's actions toward Joash.

4. The Pate of Athaliah (verses 13-16).—It should be remembered in reference to all such instances of retribution as this in the Old Testament, that they are not massacres but executions, in accordance with Gen. ix:6.

II. The Heart of the Lesson.

The immutability of God's covenants is, of course, the outstanding truth of this lesson. More than a century and a half before the birth of Joash, Jehovah had entered into a voluntary, unconditional covenant with the great ancestor of Joash, King David, by which He pledges Himself to give to David an undying posterity, an unending kingdom (2 Sam. vii:7-14). In the 89th Psalm Jehovah confirmed that covenant by an oath. One proviso was made:If David's posterity should become disobedient or apostate, then Jehovah would "visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes" (Psa. lxxxix:28-36); but even here He is careful to add, "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."

This covenant becomes the great theme of the prophets. Isaiah tells us that Jerusalem will be the capital of the promised kingdom, and that the final King, born of a virgin, will be "Immanuel," "the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace." And, lest this should be interpreted as of some so-called "spiritual" and invisible kingdom, he is careful to tell us that it shall be "upon the throne of David" (Isa. ii:i-3; vii:13-14; ix:6-8).

Jeremiah takes up the theme: "The days are come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and justice m the earth;" and he adds a detail of the establishment of the kingdom which is never afterwards lacking —the promise of the restoration of Israel to their own land (Jer. xxiii:3-8; Ezk. xxxvii:21-25). See, also, Hos. iii:4-5; Joel ii:i-7; Luke i 126-33; Acts xv:14-17). The promised chastisement has fallen upon the Davidic family; the ultimate Heir has appeared, been rejected, crucified, and raised from the dead, and is coming again to sit on the throne of His father David.

So much by way of explanation. Now read the history of the kings of Judah, descendants of David, in the light of Satan's endeavors to frustrate the covenant. King after king wa5 led into disobedience and apostasy; and now, through Athaliah, the Adversary seeks to exterminate the royal seed. Well he knew that if that were done he need no longer dread the Head-Bruiser of Gen. iii:15. Almost he succeeds, but Joash was saved. Again, when the final Heir appeared Satan seemed to have succeeded, for during three days and nights the Son of David lay dead. But God had resurrection in reserve.