It was a smackdown for the ages. It was a true slobberknocker which began when Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead and decided to slaughter all the people connected to the royal lineage of King David (2 Kings 11). Crazy old Athaliah intended to set herself up as a tyrannical queen and rule God’s people with a wicked hand.
Whose music would play and who would come down the isle to stop this villain?!
Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.
2Kings 11:2
A little servant girl digs through a pile of dead bodies to find one child left alive. She had to have been terrified but she rose to the occasion and saved the Davidic seedline (and therefore the promise of the Messiah). She hid the child for seven years, until…
And he brought forth the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.
2 Kings 11:12
And what about “Queen” Athaliah?
And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.
And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.
But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.
And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king’s house: and there was she slain.2 Kings 11:13-16
Okay, I admit, it ended up being not much of a rumble since God easily dispatched the villain, but it’s still a thrilling event recorded in your Bible: A wicked old woman tries to usurp, not only the rightful king, but also the plans of God. To resist her, there was a brave and righteous young woman who took the lead in protecting the true king (Jehoash) until he could take the throne and continue the royal lineage that would ultimately produce the Savior.
Thank the Lord for such bravery!
~ Matthew