What is the meaning of 2 Kings 11:17? Then Jehoiada made a covenant Jehoiada, the high priest, steps forward at a decisive moment. • He is acting as God’s ordained leader (2 Chron 23:1–3), taking responsibility to restore true worship. • His initiative mirrors earlier covenant renewals under leaders like Moses (Exodus 24:3–8) and Joshua (Joshua 24:25–27), emphasizing continuity in God’s redemptive plan. • By making this covenant, Jehoiada publicly acknowledges that Judah’s crisis was spiritual before it was political (cf. 1 Kings 18:18–21). between the LORD and the king and the people Three parties are named, underscoring unity under God’s rule. • The LORD: the covenant Lord who never breaks His promises (Genesis 17:7; Psalm 105:8–10). • The king: Joash, newly crowned, must submit to God’s authority (Deuteronomy 17:18–20). • The people: they affirm their corporate obligation to obey (Exodus 19:5–8). This arrangement foreshadows the New Covenant’s call for every believer—leaders and followers alike—to yield to Christ’s lordship (Hebrews 8:10). that they would be the LORD’s people The covenant’s goal is identity and allegiance. • “Be the LORD’s people” echoes Exodus language: “I will take you as My own people” (Exodus 6:7). • It demands exclusive devotion, rejecting idolatry introduced by Athaliah (2 Kings 11:18; Deuteronomy 6:13–15). • Such language points to holiness—being set apart for God’s purposes (Leviticus 20:26; 1 Peter 2:9). He also made a covenant between the king and the people Jehoiada ensures accountability horizontally as well as vertically. • The king pledges to govern justly; the people promise loyalty (2 Samuel 5:3; 2 Chron 23:16). • This echoes David’s covenant with the elders and anticipates Paul’s teaching that governing authorities are God’s servants for the people’s good (Romans 13:1–4). • When leadership and laity honor their obligations, national blessing follows (Proverbs 14:34). summary Jehoiada’s twofold covenant repairs the broken relationship with God and with one another. By uniting LORD, king, and people under the same divine standard, he restores true worship, secures righteous governance, and reaffirms Judah’s identity as God’s treasured possession. |
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