Daily Manna 17 November
KEY VERSE: “And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain.” – (2 Kings 11:16)
TEXT: 2 Kings 11:13-21
13 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. 14 When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”
15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.
17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed [c]officers over the house of the Lord. 19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. 21 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.
Read yesterday’s Daily Manna here
Many passages of the Scriptures comment on the seeming triumph of the wicked. In each case, God’s word affirms that a sad end is their lot.
One eloquent illustration of this truth is the case of Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, married to Jehoram, one time king of Judah. Jehoram was succeeded by his son Ahaziah who was eventually slain by Jehu. A rather strange twist was introduced when Athaliah became aware that her son had been killed. In her lust for power, she usurped the kingship and, for fear of any possible rivalry, killed all the king’s sons. By divine providence, one year old Joash escaped her sword. He was hidden six years in the house of God by his aunt, Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the priest.
Athaliah was as wicked as her parents and as vicious as her husband who maliciously slew all his brothers when he ascended the throne. Her action was aimed at ending the reign of the house of David and thereby hindering the fulfilment of God’s covenant with David. But how futile it is to fight against God’s plan! Just when Athaliah thought her government was established, God by the agency of Jehoiada the priest, plotted her overthrow and she was killed after six years of reign of terror and tyranny.
The death of Athaliah marked the beginning of Joash’s reign. Good will ultimately overcome evil. Those who by violence and fraud seek to deprive others of their rightful position will certainly receive their just recompense because God hates injustice and wickedness.
Are you overwhelmed by the seeming success of wicked people in your neighbourhood or workplace? or are you oppressed by powerful, proud and evil ones? Keep on the path of righteousness with the Lord. It will not be too long; you will see the defeat and downfall of the wicked and oppressor.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Elevation through wickedness ends in humiliation.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezekiel 22-24
Thank you for studying today’s Daily Manna – End To Tyranny – by Pastor Enoch A.
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Daily Manna 17 November 2021
