This study deals with the destruction of Athaliah, the descendant of Ahab and Jezebel, and her followers by Jehoiada the priest. It is a picture of the Lord’s dealings with His people in the last days of this age. (This study is actually part of a bigger study entitled Gates And Gatekeepers. It is also part of the Bible study and book called Satan’s Fall.)
(This passage of Scripture and the following insight are taken from the section called Grasping The Serpent By The Tail within the Bible study Satan’s Fall.)
2 Samuel 23:20-22- One of David’s warriors named Benaiah kills a man with only a “stick” in hand.
20 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.
21 And he killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club [7626] and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.
(NAS)
7626 shebet (shay'-bet)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan:
KJV-- X correction, dart, rod, scepter, staff, tribe.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
a rod, a staff, a branch, an offshoot, a club, a scepter, a tribe
a) a rod, a staff
b) a shaft (used of a spear and a dart)
c) a club (used of a shepherd's implement)
d) a truncheon, a scepter (a mark of authority)
e) a clan, a tribe
“In this passage, Benaiah, one of David’s warriors, killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand (the weapons of man). All Benaiah had was a ‘club,’ which is defined as a rod, a staff, or a stick. His name means ‘Jehovah has built,’ or ‘Yahweh has built up.’ Once again, God defeated the enemy through simple means.
George Warnock in his book From Tent To Temple speaks of this event in Scripture saying;
‘Oh, how God yearns over His people that they might discover His ways! When are we going to get away from the notion that every time the Enemy challenges the people of God, we have got to come forth and meet the challenge with equal kinds of weapons and with equal strategy? In obedience to God, and with nothing but the dry stick that we are, the devices of the Enemy become his own destruction’
(p. 91)
In Christ, the ordinary can suddenly become extraordinary in order to defeat our enemies. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world (2 Cor. 10:4). The ways of God will almost always go against our natural instincts. In His economy, an unimpressive ‘stick’ can become the rod of judgment. Apart from God that is all we are; a stick. Under His anointing and authority we become the rod of iron that rules the world.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Definition says that Benaiah was ‘one of David's mighty warriors, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, a Levite, set by David over his bodyguard, later having remained faithful to Solomon during Adonijah's attempt on the crown, was raised into the place of Joab as commander-in-chief of the army.’ As we will see next, the Jehoiada priesthood will play a crucial role at the end of this age.”
Occupations And Trades
Porter- A keeper of the door. This person guarded the entrance to a city, public building (John 18:17), temple, rich man's house (Mark 13:34), and sheepfold (John 10:3). A guard was stationed at any entrance through which someone unwanted might enter, especially at night. This must have been a lowly job because of the contrast implied in Psalm 84:10 where “doorkeeper” is the opposite of the most luxurious and favorable position. Porters were also called gatekeepers.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Gate, City
A massive wooden door in a city wall through which traffic passed. Often reinforced with brass or iron for greater security, these gates were opened during the day to allow the city's citizens to come and go. But they were generally closed at night as a safety measure. In the event of attack, the gates were closed and barred to keep out the enemy.
Goods were often bought and sold and important legal matters were discussed just inside the city gate (Ruth 4:11). Because of their central location, gates were often spoken of in the Bible as symbols of power and authority. God promised Abraham that his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies (Genesis 22:17).
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
2 Chronicles 23:19- The gatekeeper’s responsibility was to keep the “unclean” from entering the house of the Lord. (See 2 Kings 11 for the same story.)
19 And he [Jehoiada the priest] stationed the gatekeepers [7778] of the house of the LORD, so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean [2931]. [See Revelation 22:14-15]
(NAS)
7778 shower` (sho-are')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
or shoer` (sho-are'): active participle of 8176 (as denominative from 8179); a janitor:
KJV-- doorkeeper, porter.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
a gatekeeper, a porter
2931 tame' (taw-may')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from 2930; foul in a religious sense;
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
unclean, impure
a) ethically and religiously
b) ritually
c) used of places
The rest of the story leading up to the stationing of the gatekeepers;
King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was known as a man “who sought the Lord with all his heart” (2 Chronicles 22:9). Before he died, he gave his first-born son, Jehoram, the kingdom. Jehoram then killed all his brothers to secure his position (2 Chronicles 21:1-4).
Elijah prophesied against him because he led the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, causing them to play the harlot. In 2 Chronicles 21:12-15 he said;
“This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘You have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or of Asa king of Judah. But you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and you have led Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab did. You have also murdered your own brothers, members of your father's house, men who were better than you. So now the LORD is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’”
The Philistines and the Arabs who bordered the Ethiopians carried out the Lord’s will. After they invaded Judah and carried off all of his possessions including his family, except for his youngest son Ahaziah, the Lord struck him with an incurable disease of the bowels and he died. 2 Chronicles 21:20 says “he departed with no one’s regret.”
The inhabitants of Jerusalem then made Ahaziah king. 2 Chronicles 22:2-4 says;
“Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. And 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.”
His mother, Athaliah, whose name means “afflicted of the Lord” was, according to Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Definition; “the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and the wife of king Jehoram of Judah; killer of all the members of the royal family of Judah with the exception of one baby named Joash who was hidden by the high priest Jehoiada until six years had passed and Jehoiada led the revolution to put him on the throne, overthrowing Athaliah and putting her to death.”
One day Jehu, whom the Lord had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab, killed Ahaziah. In 2 Chronicles 22:10 we see the following, “Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah.” This daughter of the wicked Jezebel had learned her mother’s evil ways well. In order to gain control of the kingdom when her son died, she killed her own grandchildren!
The Lord spared one of the grandchildren, named Joash, whose name means “given by the Lord,” through his aunt, Jehoshabeath (”Jehovah-sworn”, “Jehovah is an oath”). She hid him for six years in the house of the Lord while his wicked Grandma reigned. In 2 Chronicles 23:1 we are told that in the seventh year, or when Joash was seven, Jehoiada the priest “strengthened himself” [2388- “To fasten upon; hence, to seize, to bind, restrain, conquer, to strengthen, to prevail, to harden, to be strong, to become strong, to be courageous, to be firm, grow firm, to be resolute, to be sore.”] and entered into a covenant with the “captains of hundreds.”
When it was time for the spared, protected child who was “given by the Lord” to become king, in his seventh year (I think this speaks of the millennium reign of Christ in the seventh period of the earth, the seventh thousand, the seventh day), Jehoiada (yeh-ho-yaw-daw’), whose name means “Jehovah-known”, courageously prevailed [2388], becoming an “overcomer”, and entered into a covenant with the leaders in Israel.
The Jehoiada-priesthood represents those who are “known by God” because they have resolutely “fastened” themselves to Christ. They will draw near to Him (see Bible study called The Return Of Jesus Christ) at the end of this age (the sixth year, or six thousandth year), overcoming “because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony ([3141] - for more revelation concerning the “testimony” see The Testimony, The Witness below), and they did not love their life even to death” (Revelation 12:11).
They are the trusted servant in Genesis 24 who overcame (Rev. 3:21) and then “brings out” Joash, the king’s hidden, protected son (sonship) who is granted kingdom authority (see Rev. 3:21 below). The leaders, the “captains of hundreds”, entered into a covenant with Jehoiada, the priest who walked in intimacy with the Lord. They, in turn, gathered (see Bible study called The Gathering Of The Third Day) the Levites and the heads of the “father’s households” from all the cities who enter into another covenant with the new king Joash, the one “given by the Lord” (2 Chronicles 23:1-3). These covenant-keepers were then made gatekeepers of key locations (v.4-6).
At the end of this age, the Lord is sending out His trusted servants who will gather His people, preparing them for his return by turning their hearts back, where necessary, to Him. Through repentance they will reenter the covenant they have broken, and destroy the self-glorifying “Athaliah” leadership that has been seductively leading God’s people into Baal worship within His “house.” The sword of the Lord will be given to them, just as Jehoiada placed weapons in the hands of the Levites in 2 Chronicles 23:7-10.
Psalm 149:5-9 declares;
“Let the godly ones exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishment on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the judgment written; this is an honor for all His godly ones. Praise the LORD!”
(See Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16, 2:12)
Revelation 3:19-22- The “overcomers” are those who, because of repentance, have opened the door to the Lord and are granted His authority.
19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 'Behold, I stand at the door [the gate] and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.
21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' "
(NAS)
Jehoiada- To be “known by God”
He represents the priests, or believers, who walk in obedient communion with the Lord. They are “known” by Him because they are intimate with Him. [In my book Walking In The Light~ Small Groups And Discipleship see chapter 3 titled Walking In The Light)
Galatians 4:9- To be “known by God” is to be intimate with Him. This is the definition of the Greek word “koinania”. It means “fellowship, partnership, association, community, communion, joint participation, (social) intercourse, the share which one has in anything, intimacy.”
9 But now that you have come to know [1097] God, or rather to be known [1097] by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
(NAS)
1097 ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a prolonged form of a primary verb; to "know" (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):
KJV - allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know (-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
I. universally:
1. to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of
2. to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of
a. to understand: with the accusative (Luke 18:34)
b. to know (Luke 12:47)
3. by a Hebraistic euphemism
II. In particular
ginooskoo, to become acquainted with, to know,
a. the one, true God, in contrast with the polytheism of the Gentiles (Romans 1:21)
b. his blessings (Phil. 3:10)
c. gnoonai ... ta tou pneumatos the things which proceed from the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14)
1 Corinthians 8:1-3- If you truly love God, you can be assured that you are “known by Him.”
1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3 but if anyone loves God, he is known [1097]) by Him.
(NAS)
The Testimony, The Witness (2 Chronicles 23:11)
2 Chronicles 23:11- The “testimony”, the “witness” is given to the “king’s son,” Joash. Our testimony is the witness of Christ that is given to us. The witness is His Holy Spirit poured out within our hearts. The “testimony” (see Vine’s definition below) was also placed within the “Ark of the Covenant” (see Nelson’s definition below). The Lord told Moses in Exodus 25:16, “And you shall put into the ark [of the covenant] the testimony which I shall give you.” It was also called, the “Ark of the Testimony.” (See the Bible studies What Is A Christian and Evidence Of The Holy Spirit.)
11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony (5715), and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, "Long live the king!"
(NAS)
2 Chronicles 23:11- The NIV version of the same verse.
11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant [5715] and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"
(NIV)
5715 `eduwth (ay-dooth');
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
feminine of 5707 [see def. below]; testimony:
KJV-- testimony, witness.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
testimony
5707 `ed (ayd)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
contracted from 5749 [see def. below] concretely, a witness; abstractly, testimony; specifically, a recorder, i.e. prince:
KJV-- witness.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
Witness
a) witness, testimony, evidence (used of things)
b) witness (used of people)
5749 `uwd (ood)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to duplicate or repeat; by implication, to protest, testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass, restore (as a sort of reduplication):
KJV - admonish, charge, earnestly, lift up, protest, call (take) to record, relieve, rob, solemnly, stand upright, testify, give warning, (bear, call to, give, take to) witness.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) to return, to repeat, to go about, to do again
a) (Piel) to surround, to go round and round
b) (Pilel) to restore, to relieve
c) (Hithpalel) to be restored
2) to bear witness
a) (Qal) to bear witness, to say again and again
b) (Hiphil)
1) to testify, to bear witness
2) to cause to testify, to take or to call as witness, to invoke
3) to protest, to affirm solemnly, to warn, to exhort or enjoin solemnly, to admonish, to charge
c) (Hophal) to protest, to give warning
1 John 5:10-13- The “witness” of Christ is within us. This is the evidence of the Holy Spirit within us (see the Bible studies called Evidence Of The Holy Spirit and What Is A Christian). The life of Jesus is duplicated (see 5749 definition above) within us. People will only see Jesus when they see Him in and through us. John 1:4-9 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. He came for a witness [3141], that he might bear witness [3140] of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness [3140] of the light. There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”
10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness [3141] in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son.
11 And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.
(NAS)
3141 marturia (mar-too-ree'-ah)
from 3144; evidence given (judicially or genitive case)
KJV-- record, report, testimony, witness.
1) a testifying; the office committed to the prophets of testifying concerning future events
2) what one testifies, testimony, that is, before a judge
Revelation 19:10 - The “testimony” of Jesus, the witness of Him within, is the spirit of prophecy. Another witness, or evidence of Jesus being within someone is the words of God that they speak. John 3:32-34 says, “What He has seen and heard, of that He bears witness [3140]; and no man receives His witness [3141]. He who has received His witness [3141] has set his seal to this, that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words ([4487]- rhema - “the living word having a definite meaning”) of God; for He gives the Spirit [the evidence, the witness, the testimony] without measure.”
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold [2192- “to have, that is, to hold; to own, to possess”] the testimony [3141] of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony [3141] of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
(NAS)
Testimony
This word refers to the Ten Commandments as a solemn divine charge or duty. In particular, it represents those commandments as written on the tablets and existing as a reminder and "testimony" of Israel's relationship and responsibility to God: "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God" (Exodus 31:18). Elsewhere these tablets are called simply "the testimony" (Exodus 25:16). Since they were kept in the ark, it became known as the "ark of the testimony" (Exodus 25:22) or simply "the testimony": "As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept" (Exodus 16:34)-- the first biblical occurrence of the word. The tabernacle as the housing for the ark containing these tablets was sometimes called the "tabernacle of testimony" (Exodus 38:21) or the "tent of the testimony" (Numbers 9:15).
(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Ark Of The Covenant
A sacred portable chest which-- along with its two related items, the MERCY SEAT and CHERUBIM-- was the most important sacred object of the Israelites during the wilderness period. It was also known as the ark of the Lord (Joshua 6:11), the ark of God (1 Samuel 3:3), and the ark of the Testimony (Exodus 25:22).
The ark of the covenant was the only article of furniture in the innermost room, or Holy of Holies, of Moses' tabernacle and of Solomon's Temple. From between the two cherubim that were on the ark of the Testimony, God spoke to Moses. Once a year the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, but only with sacrificial blood that he sprinkled on the mercy seat for the atonement of sin.
Description- The Hebrew word translated as ark is also translated as coffin. In the last verse of the book of Genesis, this word is used of the coffin in which Joseph's embalmed body was placed after he died in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). The ark of the covenant was also a "coffin," or chest 2 1/2 cubits long, 1 1/2 cucubits wide, and 1 1/2 cubits deep (or, in inches, about 45 by 27 by 27). The builder of the ark was a man named Bezaleel (Exodus 37:1).
The ark was made of acacia wood (shittim wood, KJV) overlaid with gold. It had four rings of gold through which carrying poles were inserted (Exodus 37:1-9). These poles were never removed from the rings, apparently to show that the ark was a portable sanctuary. Even when the ark was placed in Solomon's Temple, the poles stayed in place, and they could be seen from a certain point outside the inner sanctuary (1 Kings 8:8).
The ark had a gold cover known as the "mercy seat" (Exodus 25:17-22) because the Israelites believed the ark was God's throne. The ark had a gold molding or "crown" surrounding the top edge. The mercy seat was a slab of pure gold which fit exactly within the crown of the ark, so the mercy seat could not slide around during transportation.
Of one piece with the mercy seat were two angelic statues called cherubim. They stood at opposite ends of the mercy seat, facing each other with wings outstretched above and their faces bowed toward the mercy seat. They marked the place where the Lord dwelled as well as the place where the Lord communicated with Moses.
Contents- Within the ark were the two stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 25:16, 21), considered to be the basis of the covenant between God and His people Israel. Thus the ark was often called the ark of the Testimony. The golden pot of MANNA, which God miraculously preserved as a testimony to future generations (Exodus 16:32-34), was also deposited in the ark. The third item in the ark was AARON'S ROD that budded to prove that Aaron was God's chosen (Numbers 17:1-11).
While the New Testament states that the ark contained these three items (Hebrews 9:4), the ark must have lost two of them through the years. At the dedication of Solomon's Temple, Aaron's rod and the golden pot of manna were gone: "There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb" (1 Kings 8:9).
History- The ark was carried by the sons of Levi during the wilderness wanderings (Deuteronomy 31:9). Carried into the Jordan River by the priests, the ark caused the waters to part so Israel could cross on dry ground (Joshua 3:6-4:18). During the conquest of the land of Canaan, the ark was carried at the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6:4-11); later it was deposited at Shiloh, which had become the home of the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1).
Trusting the "magic power" of the ark rather than God, the Israelites took the ark into battle against the Philistines and suffered a crushing defeat (1 Samuel 4:1-11). The Philistines captured the ark, only to send it back when disaster struck their camp (1 Samuel 5-6). It remained at Kirjath Jearim until David brought it to Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 13:3-14; 15:1-28). Solomon established it in the Holy of Holies of the Temple which he built.
Nothing is known of what became of the ark. It disappeared when Nebuchadnezzars armies destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B. C., and was not available when the second and third temples were built. In the many synagogues that arose after the Captivity, a chest or ark containing the Torah (scrolls of the Law) and other sacred books was placed in an area shut off from the rest of the building, just as the original ark was placed in the Holy of Holies of the Temple.
(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Destruction Of Athaliah And Her Followers(2 Chronicles 23:12-15)
2 Chronicles 23:12-15- This passage of Scripture deals with Athaliah, the daughter of the wicked, adulterous Queen Jezebel who manipulated her husband, King Ahab of Israel, and led the nation of Israel into Baal worship. She was the power behind the throne. A strong Jezebel type spirit needs a weak Ahab to manipulate and carry out her dirty work. Elijah prophesied during her oppressive reign. She was a fearsome woman who massacred the prophets of the Lord. Eventually, per the prophecy of Elijah, she was killed at Jehu’s command.
Athaliah’s leadership was just as wicked as her mother’s. She had learned her evil ways well. After Joash was installed on the throne, Jehoiada, the priest who was “known by the Lord,” told the captains over the army to bring her out of the house of the Lord and kill her, along with all of her followers. This is a picture of what will take place among the wicked in the house of God at the end of this age.
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the LORD to the people.
13 And she looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, "Treason! Treason!"
14 And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army, and said to them, "Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword." For the priest said, "Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD."
15 So they seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king's house, they put her to death there.
(NAS)
Athaliah represents the self-exalting, conniving leaders of God’s people today. They manipulate their way into a place of ruling authority, “killing” with their murderous hearts those who would be a threat to their position. They are those spoken of in Jude who have gone the way of Cain. Remember, Cain killed his brother. (See chapter one, Shedding Innocent Blood; The Spirit Of Cain in my book The Plague Of Abortion.)
In this position they lead many of God’s people, through a spirit of control and deception, into spiritual adultery. They cause God’s people to commit acts of idolatry, leading them away from His Lordship over them. They want to be king, or queen, in charge themselves. They desire the worship that is God’s alone.
The Lord rebuked the church in Thyatira for not standing against “the woman Jezebel” who led His people astray. He said in Revelation 2:20-23;
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent; and she does not want to repent of her immorality. Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence; and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”
The Athaliah/Jezebel spirit always leads God’s people astray. Anyone that will not separate themselves from these leaders will be killed with them. They will be cast into the “great tribulation” that is quickly coming upon us (see the Bible studies The Tribulation, Jacob’s Trouble, and Elul; The Season Of Preparation And 40 Days Of Favor). In 2 Chronicles 23 God’s covenant people were the ones who carried out their sentence. What will this look like at the end of this age?
In Exodus 32:25-29, when Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get out of control, he stood in the gate, the place of authority, within the camp of Israel and called those who were for the Lord to come to him. He then instructed them to kill the rebellious ones among them who would not draw near in obedience to the Lord. They were to “go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp.” These were the openings to the different areas, or tribes within the encampment of God’s people.
It is similar today within the Lord’s camp. Our leaders have allowed the people, through neglect and disrespect of the Lord’s name before our enemies, to get out of control. They have not enforced church discipline to keep us pure (see the Bible study Church Discipline). What, therefore, is about to take place at the “gates” of our tribes (denominations)?
After Athaliah and her followers were destroyed, 2 Chronicles 23:16-17 says, “Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they should be the LORD'S people. And all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.” The rest of the people now joined themselves through a covenant and destroyed the altars of idolatry, as well as its leader.
It is at this point that the gatekeepers are stationed in verse 19 “so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean” (see the Bible study Touching The Unclean). This is the charge of all who are appointed as gatekeepers. They have been given the authority by God to guard the entrances and exits of the Kingdom of God’s gates. When the gatekeeper sleeps on duty, the enemy sneaks into our midst. This is true individually and corporately. The enemy seeks an opportunity when we are not guarding our hearts through dependent obedience toward the Lord. We must watch our own hearts, keeping them in purity and holiness, not only for our sakes, but for the sake of those who are dependent upon us. We truly are our brother’s (gate)keeper as well.
Verse 21 ends by saying, “So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.” Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan.” There is always a sigh of relief when the oppressive government of the wicked is overthrown. One day soon, Satan’s temporary rule over fallen mankind will have ended. I believe that day draws near (see the Bible study Satan’s Fall). Believing this, let us be “dressed in readiness”, purifying our hearts by faith in anxious expectation that He will soon come for those who are diligently watching and waiting for His return (see the Bible study called The Return Of Jesus Christ). Let us be diligent in keeping the chosen gates ready for the arrival of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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