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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're reading from Second King's
Speaker 1: Chapter eleven and we're in the New English translation today.
Speaker 1: When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son
Speaker 1: was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line.
Speaker 1: So Jehoshiba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah,
Speaker 1: took Ahaziah's son, joe Ash, and sneaked him away from
Speaker 1: the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed.
Speaker 1: She hid him and his nurse in the room where
Speaker 1: the bedcovers were stored, so he was hidden from Athaliah
Speaker 1: an escaped execution. He hit out with his nurse in
Speaker 1: the lord temple for six years while Athaliah was ruling
Speaker 1: over the land. In the seventh year, Jehoiada summoned the
Speaker 1: officers of the units of hundreds of the Carians and
Speaker 1: the royal bodyguard. He met with them in the Lord's temple.
Speaker 1: He made an agreement with them and made them swear
Speaker 1: an oath of allegiance in the Lord's temple. Then he
Speaker 1: showed them the King's son. He ordered them, this is
Speaker 1: what you must do. One third of the unit that
Speaker 1: is on duty during the sabbath will guard the royal palace.
Speaker 1: Another third of you will be stationed at the foundation gate.
Speaker 1: Still another third of you will be stationed at the
Speaker 1: gate behind the royal Guard. You will take turns guarding
Speaker 1: the palace. The two units who are off duty on
Speaker 1: the sabbath will guard the Lord's temple and protect the King.
Speaker 1: You must surround the king. Each of you must hold
Speaker 1: his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must
Speaker 1: be killed. You must accompany the King wherever he goes.
Speaker 1: The officers of the units of hundreds did just as
Speaker 1: Jehoyata the Priest ordered. Each of them took his men
Speaker 1: those who were on duty during the sabbath as well
Speaker 1: as those who were off duty on the sabbath, and
Speaker 1: reported to Jehoyata the Priest. The priest gave to the
Speaker 1: officers of the Units of Hundreds King David's spears and
Speaker 1: the shields that were kept in the Lord's temple. The
Speaker 1: Royal bodyguard took their stations, each holding his weapon in
Speaker 1: his hand. They lined up from the south side of
Speaker 1: the temple to the north side and stood near the
Speaker 1: altar and the temple, surrounding the king. Jehoyata let out
Speaker 1: the king's son and placed on him the crown and
Speaker 1: the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive
Speaker 1: oil on his head. They clapped their hands and cried out,
Speaker 1: long Live the King. Atheliah heard the royal guard shout.
Speaker 1: She joined the crowd at the Lord's temple. Then she
Speaker 1: saw the king standing by the pillar. According to custom,
Speaker 1: the officers stood beside the king with their trumpets, and
Speaker 1: all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets.
Speaker 1: Atheliah tore her clothes and screamed treason, treason, jehoya to
Speaker 1: The priest ordered the officers of the units of hundreds,
Speaker 1: who were in charge of the army, bring her outside
Speaker 1: the temple to the guards, put the sword to anyone
Speaker 1: who follows her. The priest gave this order because he
Speaker 1: had decided she should not be executed in the Lord's temple.
Speaker 1: They seized her and took her into the precincts of
Speaker 1: the royal palace through the horse's entrance. There she was executed.
Speaker 1: Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the Lord and
Speaker 1: the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal
Speaker 1: to the Lord. The people of the land went and
Speaker 1: demolished the temple of Bail. They smashed its altars and
Speaker 1: idols to bits. They killed Matan, the priest of Bail,
Speaker 1: in front of the altar Jehoiada. The priest then placed
Speaker 1: guards at the lord's temple. He took the officers of
Speaker 1: the units of hundreds, the Carians, the Royal Bodyguard, and
Speaker 1: all the people of Land, and together they led the
Speaker 1: king down from the lord's temple. They entered the royal
Speaker 1: Palace through the gate of the Royal Bodyguard, and the
Speaker 1: king sat down on the royal throne. All the people
Speaker 1: of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now
Speaker 1: that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the
Speaker 1: royal palace. Jehoash was seven years old when he began
Speaker 1: to reign. Let's pray, Lord, we thank you for your word,
Speaker 1: and we thank you for the privilege of being able
Speaker 1: to look at it today. And Lord, we're grateful that
Speaker 1: we can continue to see that you cared for the
Speaker 1: people of Israel, as you were looking after them, as
Speaker 1: you were providing leadership for them, as you were calling
Speaker 1: them back to worship you with sincerity. Time and time again,
Speaker 1: we can see that you cared for them. Lord. We
Speaker 1: know that our hearts go in the same direction as
Speaker 1: those who came before us. We need reminders to be
Speaker 1: focused on our walk with you, and Lord, you encourage
Speaker 1: us in your word to love you with all our heart,
Speaker 1: with all our mind, with all our body, with all
Speaker 1: our strength. And we know Lord that that's possible because
Speaker 1: of the work of your son Jesus Christ, and the
Speaker 1: fact that he lives within every single person who trusts
Speaker 1: in him. And being that Christ lives within us, he
Speaker 1: empowers us. And were granted the supernatural ability to see
Speaker 1: with the eyes and the mind of Christ. So we
Speaker 1: pray Lord that that would be a strength that we
Speaker 1: would exercise today in your power. And we thank you,
Speaker 1: Lord for the fact that you are present with us
Speaker 1: in all circumstance. We love you, Lord, and we commit
Speaker 1: this day to your care. And we pray this all
Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. Amen.