Journal Through the Bible: Week 95 Saturday

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II Chronicles chapter 22

The youngest son of Jehoram, Ahaziah (also known as Jehoahaz orAzariah) ascended the throne upon his father's death because the Arabians had killed all of his older brothers. He was an evil king who followed the advice of his wicked mother, Athaliah. He reigned only 1 year and upon Ahaziah's death his mother seized the throne of Judah for herself after attempting to kill all of the seed royal. For a few years it appeared that Satan had found a way to keep the Messiah from coming to fulfill God's promise that a direct descendant would one day come to rule and reign.

Does God issue any commands?

• God had anointed Jehu the son of Nimshi to destroy the house of Ahab. This led to the deaths of both the king of Israel and the king of Judah.

Does God make any promises?

• God had previously made a promise to David that he would have an heir on the throne of Judah forever. For this to happen (which means for the line to be continuous from David to Jesus, who will one day reign on His father David's throne) the seed royal could not be totally annihilated. Ahaziah's sister, Jehoshabeath, hid the young Joash when Athaliah killed all the other heirs to the throne. Jehoshabeath and her husband, Jehoiada the priest, kept Joash hidden in the temple for six years while Athaliah, who thought she had successfully killed all legitimate heirs to the throne, reigned.

Does this chapter teach anything about Jesus?

• When Joash was an infant his guardian had to keep him secretly hidden from those who evilly desired to kill the rightful heir to the throne of David. When Jesus was an infant his guardian had to keep him secretly hidden from those who evilly desired to kill the rightful heir to the throne of David. In both cases, the descendant of David went undetected by Satan and those doing his bidding until such time as it was safe for the descendant of David to be revealed.

Does this chapter teach anything about yet-future events?

• Even today the world and its leaders thinks that it has seized rule by killing the rightful Ruler. One day Jesus will come and depose those who have no right to reign. He will then ascend the throne of His father, David, and rule the world.