The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Kings 11:1,
"When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family."
Athaliah was a woman with a lust for power. Seeing that her son, the bad King Ahaziah, was dead, she sought to draw all power in Judah to herself. Destroying lives, the killing of others, nothing was so sacred to her to deny her the power she lusted for. She put to death her son's family and nearly succeeded in her wicked plans, save for the actions of Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister. Jehosheba squirreled way Joash, Ahaziah's son, in the temple to protect him from his grandmother.
Athaliah reigned over Judah for six years before finally being removed. The priest Jehoiada arranged with the military to protect the rightful heir to the throne, Joash, while he crowned him king. When Athaliah heard the commotion of Joash's coronation, she came out and was subsequently put to death.
The lust for power appears to be an overwhelming vice. It can be startling to see what those who are bitten by it are willing and capable of doing: lying, cheating, deceiving, even the killing others (including family members!) Not that it is mine to judge, but I suspect there is a special place in hell for those who destroy others in their lust for power.
This was nearly three millenia ago! Nothing ever changes, does it?!
While the six years she reigned must have seemed an eternity to those of faith in those days, the actions of the Lord were consistent with his intentions for the rebellious kingdom of Judah. Used by the Lord as a means of getting Judah's attention, he subsequently brought her to the violent end she so richly deserved.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family."
Athaliah was a woman with a lust for power. Seeing that her son, the bad King Ahaziah, was dead, she sought to draw all power in Judah to herself. Destroying lives, the killing of others, nothing was so sacred to her to deny her the power she lusted for. She put to death her son's family and nearly succeeded in her wicked plans, save for the actions of Jehosheba, Ahaziah's sister. Jehosheba squirreled way Joash, Ahaziah's son, in the temple to protect him from his grandmother.
Athaliah reigned over Judah for six years before finally being removed. The priest Jehoiada arranged with the military to protect the rightful heir to the throne, Joash, while he crowned him king. When Athaliah heard the commotion of Joash's coronation, she came out and was subsequently put to death.
The lust for power appears to be an overwhelming vice. It can be startling to see what those who are bitten by it are willing and capable of doing: lying, cheating, deceiving, even the killing others (including family members!) Not that it is mine to judge, but I suspect there is a special place in hell for those who destroy others in their lust for power.
This was nearly three millenia ago! Nothing ever changes, does it?!
While the six years she reigned must have seemed an eternity to those of faith in those days, the actions of the Lord were consistent with his intentions for the rebellious kingdom of Judah. Used by the Lord as a means of getting Judah's attention, he subsequently brought her to the violent end she so richly deserved.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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