2 Kings 11:15-21: a reflection

15Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks. Kill anyone who follows her with the sword.” For the priest said, “Don’t let her be slain in the LORD’s house.” 16So they seized her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house, and she was slain there. 17Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people; also between the king and the people. 18All the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and broke it down. They broke his altars and his images in pieces thoroughly, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. The priest appointed officers over the LORD’s house. 19He took the captains over hundreds, and the Carites, and the guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the LORD’s house, and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king’s house. He sat on the throne of the kings. 20So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. They had slain Athaliah with the sword at the king’s house. 21Jehoash was seven years old when he began to reign.

After the wicked Athaliah had usurped the throne and reigned by violence, the priest Jehoiada brings her rule to an end and restores the rightful order: the young king Joash, of David's line, is brought out and set on the throne, a covenant is made that the people should be the LORD's people, the temple of the false god is torn down, and the land finds peace. So all the people of the land rejoiced, the account says, and the city was quiet. After a time of usurpation and wrong, rightful order is restored, the true king enthroned, right worship renewed, and the people rejoice in the peace that follows. God brings his purposes through even the dark time of usurpation to the restoration of what is right. The usurper's wrong did not have the final word; rightful order was restored, and the land was at peace. After the time of wrong, God restored what was right, and the city was quiet.

Notice the movement of the account: from a time of usurpation and wrong to the restoration of rightful order and peace. Athaliah had seized the throne by violence and reigned wrongly; but her wrong did not stand forever. The rightful king was restored, the covenant renewed, right worship recovered, and the people rejoiced as the city grew quiet. The time of wrong gave way to restoration; what had been usurped and disordered was set right. God did not let the usurpation be the end; he brought about the restoration of rightful order and the peace that followed. This is often how God works through history: the time of wrong is not the final word, but gives way, in God's time, to the restoration of what is right. The usurper falls; the rightful order is restored; the people find peace. God's purposes move through the dark time toward restoration.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can bring, after a time of wrong and usurpation, the restoration of rightful order and peace. When wrong seems to have seized control, when what is right has been usurped and disordered, we can feel that the wrong will stand forever; but Athaliah's usurpation gave way to the restoration of the rightful king, right worship, and peace. God does not let the time of wrong be the final word; he can bring, in his time, the restoration of what is right. When wrong seems to have taken control, take heart that God can restore rightful order and peace, as he did after Athaliah's usurpation. Take heart that after a time of wrong and usurpation God can restore rightful order and peace, as the wicked Athaliah's rule gave way to the rightful king enthroned, right worship renewed, and the people rejoicing in a city grown quiet; for the time of wrong is not the final word, and God's purposes move through even the dark seasons of usurpation toward the restoration of what is right and the peace that follows, so that the usurper's wrong does not stand forever.

Lord, after the wicked Athaliah had usurped the throne and reigned by violence, the priest Jehoiada brings her rule to an end and restores the rightful order: the young king Joash, of David's line, is brought out and set on the throne, a covenant is made that the people should be the LORD's people, the temple of the false god is torn down, and the land finds peace. So all the people of the land rejoiced, the account says, and the city was quiet. After a time of usurpation and wrong, rightful order is restored, the true king enthroned, right worship renewed, and the people rejoice. The usurper's wrong did not have the final word. Show me the movement of the account: from a time of usurpation and wrong to the restoration of rightful order and peace. Athaliah had seized the throne by violence and reigned wrongly; but her wrong did not stand forever. The rightful king was restored, the covenant renewed, right worship recovered, and the people rejoiced as the city grew quiet. The time of wrong gave way to restoration. You did not let the usurpation be the end; you brought about the restoration of rightful order and the peace that followed. This is often how you work through history: the time of wrong is not the final word. Take that to my heart, for you can bring, after a time of wrong and usurpation, the restoration of rightful order and peace. When wrong seems to have seized control, when what is right has been usurped, I can feel that the wrong will stand forever; but Athaliah's usurpation gave way to the restoration of the rightful king, right worship, and peace. You do not let the time of wrong be the final word. When wrong seems to have taken control, help me take heart that you can restore rightful order and peace, Lord, as you did after Athaliah's usurpation, bringing the rightful king to the throne and quiet to the city.