2. The Divided Kingdom: a. Israel -- Jeroboam and those who followed his evil ways. b. Judah -- mostly men who followed David s ways to some extent.

Transcription

1 GREAT EVENTS OF THE BIBLE -- THE DELIVERANCE OF JOASH FROM MURDEROUS QUEEN ATHALIAH. (Slide #2) Introduction: A. History Of Israel: 1. The United Kingdom -- Saul, David, Solomon. 2. The Divided Kingdom: a. Israel -- Jeroboam and those who followed his evil ways. b. Judah -- mostly men who followed David s ways to some extent. 3. There was one attempt to usurp the kingdom of Judah that was driven by PURE EVIL! B. (Slide #3) Evil People Can Have SUCH VILE INTENTIONS! C. ( ) Evil Women Can Be SO Devious And Evil That Their Names Are Forever Associated With Evil! Tonight -- Two Of The Most Devious Women In The History Of The World! 1. Jezebel! 2. Athaliah! I. (Slide #4) Jezebel A. ( ) She Was A Phoenician, The Daughter Of Ethbaal, The King Of Sidon. She Was A Worshiper Of Baal. I Ki. 16:31 B. This Phoenician City Was Just North Of Tyre On The Mediterranean Sea, And Due West Of Damascus. C. ( ) She Became The Wife Of Ahab, King Of Israel. (Slide #5) He Built Her A Temple Of Baal In Samaria, The Capital Of Israel! I Ki. 16:32,33 (Imagine This Happening!) 1

2 D. (Slide #6) She Was EVIL TO THE CORE! E. Jezebel Killed God s Prophets! I Ki. 18:4,13 [Obadiah, Who Was In Charge Of Ahab s House, Hid 100 Of Those Prophets To Spare Their Lives.] F. After Elijah s Dynamic Victory Over The 450 Prophets Of Baal And The 400 Prophets Of The Asherah On Mt. Carmel And Execution Of Those Idolatrous Prophets, I Ki. 18:19-46, Jezebel Threatened That She Would Kill Elijah In The Next 24 Hours! I Ki. 19:2 G. Jezebel Had Honorable Naboth Accused Of Blasphemy And Stoned To Death So She Could Give His Vineyard To Her Pouting Husband, Ahab, Who Coveted That Vineyard. I Ki. 21:16-22 H. Elijah Prophesied That Jezebel Would Die And Be Devoured By Dogs; That Is Exactly What Occurred! 1. The prophecy by Elijah: And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. 24 The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field. I Ki. 21:23,24 2. Jehu, Jehoshaphat s son, made the same prophecy. II Ki. 9: That is exactly what happened to her! II Ki. 9:30-37 I. Her Influence Upon Ahab: But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the LORD, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. I Ki. 21:25 J. Her Name Is Synonymous With EVIL! K. The Name Jezebel Was Ascribed To A Lewd Woman Of Thyatira Who Encouraged Christians to Commit Fornication And To Practice Idolatry Was Given The Moniker Jezebel! Rev. 2:20,23 2

3 II. (Slide #7) Historical Events Between Jezebel And Athaliah. A. ( ) The Alliance Between Ahab And Jehoshaphat! I Ki Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went to Samaria to visit Ahab, king of Israel. I Ki. 22:2 2. Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to ally with him to fight the Syrians; Jehoshaphat agreed. I Ki. 22:4 3. Jehoshaphat asked Ahab to inquire of the LORD about making this attack. I Ki. 22:5 4. Ahab called 400 prophets who all said, Go! I Ki. 22:6 5. Jehoshaphat asked if there was a prophet of the LORD; Ahab said, There is only one, Micaiah, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. I Ki. 22:8 6. Micaiah prophesied that Ahab would die in the battle; I Ki. 22: Ahab put on a disguise; he convinced Jehoshaphat to wear Ahab s kingly robes. I Ki. 22: A Syrian soldier shot a random arrow; it struck and killed Ahab! I Ki. 22: ( ) Ahab was succeeded by his son, Ahaziah, I Ki. 22:40; he fell through a lattice, was bed-ridden, and died after two years of reign. II Ki. 1:1-18 B. ( ) After Ahaziah Died, His Brother Jehoram, Another Of Ahab s Sons, Became The King. II Ki. 3:1 1. He Requested The King Of Edom And Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah to help him defeat the king of Moab. II Ki. 3: During Jehoram s fifth year as king, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah died. Jehoshaphat s son, Jehoram, became the king at age 32; he reigned 8 years. II Ki. 8:17. C. ( ) Jehoram, King Of Judah Was A Wicked Man! 1. Why? 2. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. II Ki. 8:18 3

4 3. He married Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab And Jezebel!!!! a. Athaliah adopted the evil ways of her evil mother! b. Imagine having Ahab and Jezebel for in-laws!!!!! 3. When Jehoram died, his son, Ahaziah, began to reign. D. ( ) Ahaziah, King Of Judah. 1. Remember, he is the son of Athaliah! 2. He was 22 years old; he reigned one year. II Ki. 8:25, He was just like his parents: a. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. II Ki. 8:27 b. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother advised him to do wickedly. 4 Therefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab; for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction. II Chr. 22:3,4 4. Ahaziah went to see Jehoram, king of Israel. He happened to be there when Jehu was destroying the house of Ahab; he was killed too! a. Jehu killed Jehoram. b. Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? So he answered, What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many? 23 Then Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, Treachery, Ahaziah! 24 Now Jehu drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. II Ki. 9:22-24 c. Jehu came to Jezreel; he called upon eunuchs to throw Jezebel out of the window; they did. II Ki. 9:30-37 d. Jehu killed all of Ahab s descendants who were left, II Ki. 10:1-11,17; he also killed Ahaziah the king of Judah and all his brothers! II Ki. 9:27; 10:13-15 e. Jehu called all the Baal worshipers and killed them all! II Ki. 10: ( ) Jehu became the king of Israel. 6. Ahaziah had no children to succeed him on the throne! II Chr. 22:9 4

5 III. ( ) Athaliah A. (Slide #9) How In The World Did Athaliah Come To Seize The Throne Of Judah? B. ( ) She Was The Daughter Of Ahab And Jezebel! C. Her Son, Ahaziah, Became King When He Was 22 years Old; HE REIGNED ONE YEAR IN JERUSALEM. II Ki. 8:25,26 D. ( ) When Ahaziah, King Of Judah, Died, His Mother, Athaliah (Daughter Of Ahab And Jezebel) Determined That She Would Kill All The Royal Heirs (HER OWN GRANDSONS) And Assumed The Throne Herself! II Ki. 11:1 E. (Slide #10) One Woman Courageously Rose Up And Saved The Kingdom! Jehosheba, The Daughter Of King Jehoram, Sister Of Ahaziah, And Wife Of Jehoiada The Priest II Chr. 22:11, Took Joash (Her Nephew; She Was His Aunt), The Son Of Ahaziah And Hid Him And His Nurse In The Bedroom; He Was Then Hidden In The Temple! [Athaliah Killed All The Rest Of The King s Sons!] II Ki. 11:2,3 F. He Was Hidden For Six Years! During That 6 Years Athaliah Reigned Over Judah! II Ki. 11:3 G. (Slide #11) In The 7 th Year Of Her Reign, Jehoiada Led A Revolt Against Athaliah! He Brought The Captains Of The Army To The Temple, Showed Them Joash, And They Anointed Him And Cried, Long Live The King! II Ki. 11:4-13. (Slide #12) When Athaliah Heard The Joyous Commotion She Came To The Temple And Saw Joash Being Anointed, She Tore Her Clothes And Cried Out, TREASON! TREASON! II Ki. 11:12-14 H. Jehoiada Commanded The Captains Of The Army To Kill Athaliah; Just Do Not Do It In The Temple. They Killed Her As She Returned To The King s House! II Ki. 11:16 I. Jehoida Led The People To Make A Covenant With God To Return To Him; They Tore Down The Temple Of Baal [Built By Ahab For Jezebel], And Killed The Priest Of Baal! II Ki. 11: They Killed All Who Followed Athaliah! II Chr. 23:14. They Reinstituted Proper Oversight At The Temple. II Chr. 23:18,19 5

6 J. Joash Became The King When He Was 7 Years Old! II Ki. 11:21 1. He reigned 40 years in Jerusalem. II Chr. 24:1 2. He was faithful to God all the days of Jehoiada the priest. II Chr. 24:2 3. He determined that the Temple would be repaired! II Chr. 24:4-7. Athaliah had taken the dedicated items in the Temple and put them in the Temple of Baal! IV. (Slide #13) Why Is This One Of The Great Events Of The Bible? A. ( ) If Athaliah Had Been Successful, She Would Have Turned Judah Into Another Israel -- An Idolatrous Nation! Such An Event Could Have Destroyed Judah And The People Through Whom God Was Going To Bring The Messiah Into The World. B. Thank God For Jehoiada And Jehosheba -- A Priest And His Wife Who Were DETERMINED To Save The Kingdom And To Preserve Its Allegiance To God! C. The Lesson For Us -- We Need Courageous Men And Women Who Love The Lord, Love His Church, And WILL NOT STAND BY IDLY And Watch People Pervert And Attempt To Destroy Congregations And Take Them Into Apostasy! 6