How does 2 Kings 11:3 connect to God's covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7? Setting the Scene • 2 Kings 11 opens with Athaliah’s bloody coup. Determined to exterminate every royal heir, she “destroyed all the royal seed” (11:1). • Yet, “Jehosheba… took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away… and he remained hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land” (2 Kings 11:2–3). • Joash is the last surviving male descendant of David. If he dies, the covenant line ends—humanly speaking. God’s Covenant with David (2 Samuel 7) • 2 Samuel 7:12–16 contains God’s unbreakable promise: – “I will raise up your descendant after you… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” – “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.” • The covenant is unconditional. God Himself guarantees a perpetual dynasty culminating in the Messiah (cf. Psalm 89:3–4, 35–37; Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:32–33). The Crisis in 2 Kings 11 • Athaliah’s massacre appears, on the surface, to jeopardize God’s oath. • Six years of her rule represent six years in which the Davidic promise seems silenced and forgotten. • But the sovereign Lord is quietly at work: the Temple becomes a literal sanctuary preserving His word. Joash: A Hidden Seed of the Covenant • Joash’s concealment is no accident of history; it is divine preservation. • By keeping the boy in the very “house of the LORD,” God visibly links the covenant promise (a throne) with the covenant presence (His sanctuary). • 2 Chronicles 22:11–12 retells the same event, underscoring the priestly guardianship over the kingly seed—two offices that ultimately unite in Christ (Hebrews 7:25–26). Connecting the Dots 1. Human Threat vs. Divine Promise – Athaliah’s sword cannot nullify God’s spoken word (Numbers 23:19). 2. Covenant Memory – Jehoiada the priest later presents Joash to the people with the cry, “Behold, the king’s son!” (2 Kings 11:12). He consciously appeals to the covenant memory of the nation. 3. Providential Timing – Joash is revealed in the seventh year (11:4). The number seven often marks completion in Scripture, hinting that God’s plan reaches fullness right on schedule. 4. Forward Look – Preserving Joash ensures the genealogical line that leads to Jesus, “the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1), whose throne truly is “forever.” What This Teaches Us • God’s promises are historically reliable; they stand even when circumstances scream otherwise. • The Lord works through faithful, sometimes hidden, obedience (Jehosheba, Jehoiada) to safeguard His redemptive plan. • The preservation of Joash is a tangible preview of God’s ultimate preservation of the greater Son of David, guaranteeing our salvation and His eternal kingdom. |
    |