Bloody Drama

"He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong." ~2 Chronicles 22:3

The story of 22-year-old Ahaziah just drips with drama. It's almost like he had everything going against him from the start.  His father had passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. His mother encouraged him to do wrong and all his older brothers had been killed. The youngest of Jehoram's sons, he was crowned king of Jerusalem. He sat on the throne one year. One whole year and then he was hunted down and killed in judgement at 23-yrs-old.

When Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, finds out about his death, she murders the whole royal family of the house of Judah so that she could rule the kingdom in his stead. Ahaziah's sister conspired to save her little nephew from his wicked grandmother and she secrets him away in the temple of God. God had arranged little Joash to be stashed away at the one place Athaliah certainly held in scorn. All that blood and she ruled the land for all of six years. Six whole years.

All the while, Joash grew up with his aunt and uncle in the temple of God. His uncle, Jehoida, was a priest. During that six years, I'm certain that the Levites were acutely aware that they had the last true remaining heir to the throne of David in their care. They declare Joash king and the coup begins. It's not until Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king that she even catches a clue. She races to the temple and finds a coronation complete with warriors.

What a shocking scene it must have been for Joash to see his grandmother whip into the temple with flowing robes screaming and tearing her clothes. How confusing to be up on a pillar at the entrance of the temple with a crown on his head and armed warriors surrounding him. To see the ranks part and soldiers stepping forward in support of Athaliah that were taken out and slaughtered. He must have been bewildered by the flurry of activity and excited by the noises. After all, Joash was only seven years old when he became king! The sum total of his father and his grandmother's complete reign.

"Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever." ~David