RAISED IN THE CHURCH
2 Chronicles 22:10-12
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
April 26, 2009
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The name Jezebel is synonymous with evil. She is undoubtedly the most reviled queen of Israel, and may well be the most hated woman in the entire Bible. She brought Baal worship to Israel with a power and a vengeance. In her efforts to make Baal worship global, she married her daughter – Athaliah – to prince Jehoram, in the southern nation of Judah (2 Kings 8:18). Athaliah was just as fervent about Baal worship as her mother. Many weeks ago we talked about idolatry, and about Baal worship. Baal worship focused on greed and self indulgence. It doesn’t matter who else gets hurt, as long as I get what I want.
Athaliah’s husband, Prince Jehoram, was the firstborn of seven sons. As such, he was the automatic heir to the throne when his father died. And yet, as soon as the old king died, Athaliah convinced her husband to murder all six of his younger brothers so they could never challenge him (2 Chronicles 21:4-7). With his wife constantly nagging him Jehoram became an evil king. He made Baal worship acceptable; in fact it became the preferred religion of the country. He was cruel to his subjects, and tyrannical in his politics. No act was too despicable, as long as it brought Queen Athaliah more money and more power. When Jehoram died the Bible says, “no one regretted his passing” (2 Chronicles 21:20). Imagine being such a horrible man that when you die no one misses you.
Athaliah and Jehoram had several sons, but they were incompetent and selfish oafs. All of them had died in battle against the Philistines; except for the youngest. When Jehoram died Athaliah crowned her only remaining son – Ahaziah – as the new king of Judah. Athaliah was very involved in her son’s government. She wielded an exceptional amount of power and control over her son (2 Chronicles 22:3-4). Not surprisingly, he became a very evil king. He only ruled for one year before he was assassinated.
All of her sons are now dead; and at this point Athaliah does something that is off the charts when it comes to evil. She calls the Captains of the army to the royal palace, and orders them to murder all of her grandchildren. Then, Athaliah has herself crowned as the supreme ruler of Judah. Remember, in Baal worship it doesn’t matter what happens to everyone else as long as you get what you want.
You might wonder why the people of Judah would let her get away with such horrible violence. She was considered a ‘modern’ and progressive thinker. If morality keeps us from making a lot of money, and living any way we want, then morality has to go. Old family values should never keep you from having what you want. She appealed to the prurient interests of sinful people. That stodgy old God is a spoilsport and a killjoy. Forget about Him. Worship Baal, and do whatever you want to. So, the people of Judah embraced the ‘modern’ Queen.
Athaliah only made one mistake. She had a daughter she wasn’t very fond of. Just to get her out of the house, and to make a little money on the side, she had married her daughter to the High Priest of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple of the one true God. When the Captains of the army came through the palace murdering Athaliah’s grandchildren, her daughter grabbed a one year-old baby boy named Joash, and fled with him to the Temple. In all of the screaming, and crying, and chaos, no one noticed that little Joash was gone.
For the next six years Joash grew up in the church. Imagine being raised in the Temple, as if the church were your home. Joash grew up with the High Priest as a father and counselor. He learned to read by reading the Bible. He grew up knowing how to light the candles, when to light the candles, and (most importantly) why to light the candles. Joash understood the deepest traditions and purposes behind the beautiful ceremonies of the church. Everyday he heard the important men in his life discuss Scripture; what it means and how to apply it to life. Joash got to see grown men struggle daily with trying to be better husbands, better fathers, and better servants of those who were less fortunate. Joash grew up in an environment that was exactly the opposite of Baal-ism. What is the price of an education like that?
Because Athaliah hated the true God, she never set as much as a foot in the Holy Temple. She never saw the little boy who lived there. It never crossed her mind to ask, “Who is that child?” She also failed to notice a growing dissatisfaction with her ‘modern’ policies. Living in a corrupt and decadent society isn’t nearly as wonderful as you might think. People began to get tired of always being cheated on their taxes; always being cheated at the grocery store; paying too much for cheap and useless products. Wives became tired of their husbands blowing their paychecks on Baal-temple prostitutes. Mothers and fathers became tired of their children disrespecting them in public places. The collapse of morality does not bring happiness.
When Joash was seven the High Priest made his move. First, he secretly summoned all of the Levites to Jerusalem; the religious leaders of the tribes. He introduced them to Joash, and then asked them to swear their allegiance to the boy-king who would worship Yahweh – and not Baal. A godly boy raised in the Temple. Obviously, the Levites were overjoyed at the opportunity.
Next, he summoned the Captains of the army. The Levites explained to the Captains that it was their religious duty to support the boy-king; God would be watching them, and judging their behavior. The Captains swore their allegiance. Finally, the High Priest implemented his plan. Normally, two thirds of the army was on duty – guarding various building and places. One third of the army was off duty, sleeping and eating. At the next changing of the guard no one went home. Instead, every soldier stayed on duty. No one noticed how quietly and effectively the Holy Temple was suddenly sealed off and defended.
Under fierce protection, with all of the Levites and the Captains of the army present, seven year old Joash was anointed the king of Judah. A crown was placed on his head to signify his royal blood, and a heritage traced back to King David. A copy of the Law of Moses was placed in his arms to signify his selection by God to take the nation back to holiness. When the people worshipping in the Temple that day saw what was happening they began to cheer. The noise of their excitement was so loud that you could hear it in the royal palace.
Athaliah and her personal guard raced to the Temple. When she saw that a child survived, and that he was being anointed king, she was furious. She began to scream, “Treason! Treason!” Funny, how when you don’t get what you want – then we need to have some rules. We can’t have just anyone appointing themselves ruler of Judah. The Captains of the army arrested Athaliah, took her from the Holy Temple to the stables at the palace, and executed her there in the horse dung.
An impromptu parade broke out. The Levites, the army, and the cheering people walked with the boy-king from the Holy Temple to the palace, where he would now live. Although Joash was now the king of Judah, he was not completely ready to rule. After all, he was only seven. He would continue to use the Temple priests as advisors and counselors. These good men, these men who had struggled with righteousness, would help the new king to develop a conscience of love for his subjects.
We have three Confirmands present today. When I look at you, I see Joash. You have been raised in the church. This is not a strange and foreign place to you. You come here several times each week, and this place is as comfortable to you as your own home. You know our traditions. You’ve memorized prayers and songs that go back thousands of years. You know when to light the candles, how we light the candles, and (most importantly) why we light the candles. You know the different colors of the church year, and what the symbols on the cloths mean. You’ve touched the big Bible, the offering plates, the communion ware, and the baptismal font – and you understand their purposes. You have been raised in the church.
Like Joash, you are the hope for a righteous future. We live in a society that is rapidly giving in to Baal-ism. But, someday people will get tired of moral decay and decadence, and they will want someone to lead us back to godliness – when that time comes, they will look for you. Today you are going to mark yourself as different from those around you. Today you are going to make a public profession of faith. You are going to stand in front of God, and this church, and swear your allegiance to Jesus Christ.
Today you will take your place as an adult in our faith community. You have already led us in worship. This morning you have helped the rest of us to praise Jesus and worship the Lord who is God. You have led us in witnessing our faith, which many adults find frightening. No one expects you to have all of the answers. Like Joash, I hope you will continue to use the wise people of this church to guide and counsel you. This church is filled with brave men and women who strive to be the best husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, employees and servants of Jesus Christ that they can possibly be. You will do well to listen to them, and learn from them.
Your time has come. Would the Confirmands please step forward?
Kenneth L. Barker & John R. Kohlenberger III, Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary, Volume 1: Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 550.