2 Kings 11 Church and Government Cooperation

We see in this chapter that when the enemy has attempted to destroy any part of or the Kingdom itself; that there will be a means or person by which such a threat will be not only resisted, but thwarted. In the case before us, we see that there were two individuals who were key players in seeing the “word of the Lord” given to David about having an heir on the throne; Jehosheba a relative of the royal family and Jehoiada a priest in the temple of the Lord.

Jehosheba had taken Joash and hid him with assistance of Jehoiada in the temple for seven years, when he was finally anointed and crowned king of Israel. This is the first record of such a young person being thrust into leadership of a nation that was at best challenging for every king; including David and Solomon. Jehoiada devised a strategy that would install Joash as king and destroy the evil woman Athaliah who had greedily usurped leadership to reign as queen.

As the people “clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king”, Athaliah came to the temple and saw the young monarch, standing by “a pillar”. Her response was “treason, treason”. She was escorted out of the temple and killed near the “horse gate” of the city.

Jehoiada made a covenant that included Joash and the people to be true followers of the Lord. In response to this covenant, the people destroyed the temple of Baal and tore it down. They also kill “Mattan the priest of Baal”, which was followed by the “appointed officers” leading Joash to the “king’s house” where he sat “on the throne of the kings”. Note at the emotional status of the city in response to this cooperative effort and interaction; “all the people of the land rejoiced” and there was peace and prosperity that came to pass for Judah.

There is a great need for this kind of covenant relationship between the CHURCH and Government today. Should such status be realized, then our nation will experience the “peace” Judah did when Joash assumed reign and Jehoiada was the representative from the religious body of the day. This illustrates but one reason why the saints of God must not abdicate their involvement in government; the minimum is voting, the maximum is being in office. In any case every saint is needed to pray for those who have the rule over us.