Her name was Athaliah, and yes, she was bad to the bone!
Tell it! Who in the world was she?
Who was she really? Athaliah — she bad! Yes, she was one really wicked girl that’s who she was.
How’d she get that way?
I’m not totally sure. The bad behavior is not really beyond any of us, so lets walk wisely. She bad, but now is sad.
Athaliah was a very evil person in the Bible and guess what.. she had become queen of Judah from 841–835 BC.
Factoid: She was the only female monarch to sit on David’s throne in biblical history.
Athaliah was the daughter of two very evil parents, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of Israel. It’s true, and she married Jehoram, the eldest son of Judah’s King Jehoshophat.
Yep, her time as a ruler is right between centuries of evil monarchs who ruled ..and where? Right amids some rulers who reigned over Judah and Israel. Please learn never to think or act like her or them.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!” Psalm 139:23 esv
You know that selfishness and selfish ambition are rooted in our sinful nature.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life— is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15–17 esv
Every leader will be tempted to operate in selfishness — some have even gotten into that position by selfishness. Watch over your heart (thankfully, I’m not currently around such self-promotion tactics).
It seems to me like “the authority test” regarding Direct and delegated human authorities seems to come back around again and again for us all no matter where we might live. Hey, it’s important for each of us to quickly recognize who is in authority over us, how they got there (if we’re able to see it), and to submit to real authority.. always in a way that’s right/short of sinning. Ever had a person in authority tell you to do something wrong?.. or a right thing in the wrong way? Who hasn’t right? Let’s humbly appeal, but not to the wrong thing or the right thing in the wrong way. Duh.
The authority test comes around in workplaces, in nations, in local churches, in homes, in schools etc., and yes, it’s so important to pass the tests that God allows us to experience.
Seems like when I go easy on myself (as my old fleshly nature demands), life just seems to go tougher on me. But when I go tough on me (in the right kind of way [dying to my fleshly nature]), then life goes easier on me in the right kind of way.
When someone is selfishly ambitious and acts upon this to gain power at any cost..hey, that is a bad thing. It’s bad for people. It becomes bad for a few and then for a lot of people.
When an individual (or even a so called Chrsitian individual..) becomes eager or over-eager to quickly be promoted upwards, then what good will come from that? No good.
It’s seen as vogue in our world today — climbing the corporate ladder, and social climbing too (some put themselves up wrongly). Vogue in our world today is the social mobility, the status and position seeking, the cleaver vertical mobility.
Athaliah was that way. She was a passionate, avid Baal zealot, and she with her wickedness had rivaled the level of wickedness of those kings who came before and after her. Man, you’ve got to read and learn about her —what not to be. It’s such a unique story that can first be found in 2 Kings 11 and then 2 Chronicles 22–23.
“Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered, and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him. And he was hidden with them in the house of God for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.” (Verses 10–12) See the whole context.
What.. happened? Athaliah’s husband, Jehoram, was king of Judah until he died in 841 BC. Unlike his father, Jehoram who was a wicked king. Wicked Athaliah’s son, Ahaziah, at the age of 22, ascended to the throne, and proved himself just as evil as his own father (2 Kings 8:18, 25–27).
Athaliah of course counseled her son in his selfish/devilish schemes (2 Chronicles 22:3). Ahaziah served as king of Judah for less than one year, for he was assassinated along with Israel’s ailing king, Joram.
Their assassin was who? It was Jehu, who had originally been a commander in King Ahab’s army (2 Kings 9:5, 25).
Remember when Elisha the prophet of the Lord had anointed Jehu as the new king of Israel and had commissioned him as an instrument of the Lord to carry out God’s judgment on wicked King Ahab along with his entire idolatrous family (Yeah, they deserved it. See 1 Kings 19:1–17; 2 Kings 9:1–13).
Jehu’s mission of ending Ahab’s sick dynasty included putting even more wicked Jezebel and her sons to death.
Ahaziah happened to be visiting Joram when Jehu arrived to assassinate Joram, and Ahaziah was killed, too.
Then what happened? Well, when Athaliah received word that her son was dead, she decided to act. She seized the opportunity to self-exalt. She did a classic power grab. She usurped the throne by murdering Ahaziah’s sons — her own grandsons — thus eradicating the entire royal family so she could just take the throne for herself. But unbeknownst to Athaliah, a single grandchild escaped that horrific bloody massacre.
Remember, Mrs. Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram? She was the baby’s aunt and the wife of the high priest Jehoiada and she took the infant Joash and hid him and his nurse in a bedroom. Joash was later smuggled out of the castle and taken to the temple, where he remained hidden during the years (6 of em) while Queen Athaliah enjoyed the power. Yes, while she reigned over the land (2 Kings 11:1–3).
So what did that really bad ruler do with all her power? As queen, Athaliah proactively used her influence to help and motivate the people to get right with God, and to serve and worship Him alone. Nope, that didn’t happen because she was wicked. She didn’t do that even a little, but she did further establish Baal worship in Judah, installing weird priests and building weird altars for her weird idol (all idolatry is super weird..) in the very temple of the Lord (See 2 Kings 11:18; 2 Chronicles 24:7). In this way Athaliah followed in the footsteps of her super weird, blood-thirsty mother, Jezebel. Interestingly, the name Athaliah means either “God is exalted” or “dealt violently with by God.” Queen Athaliah did not exalt God with her life but exalted herself; instead, and God dealt violently with her.
After Athaliah had reigned six years (can you imagine, God actually allowed that to happen for a time!!), the high priest Jehoiada set guards around the temple and publicly crowned the young Joash as the rightful king. As the new king was anointed, “the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’” (2 Kings 11:12).
Ms. Athaliah heard the commotion, wondered about it, then realized what was happening, and she ran out of the palace shouting (falsely), “Treason! Treason!” (verse 13).
Jehoiada then commanded the troops to capture Ms. Athaliah and just execute her, and so they quickly killed that queen “where the horses enter the palace grounds” (verse 16). Seven-year-old King Joash, under the direction of the faithful high priest (under Direct Authority [God] and under delegated authority), did some good! He tore down the temple of Baal, smashed the altars and images of Baal, and killed the priest of Baal. And “all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain” (verse 20).
A person who would properly function under authority must properly be and live under authority. Sure, and to obey is better than sacrifice. Have you ever sinned one time with your attitude or actions? Hint: We all have. You could repent and put yourself under Direct Authority today if you choose. That’s a good and wise place to start.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 kjv
The Bible warns us all, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked [He will not allow Himself to be ridiculed, nor treated with contempt nor allow His precepts to be scornfully set aside]; for whatever a man sows, this and this only is what he will reap.” Galatians 6:7 amp
Yep, whatever a man, woman, boy, or girl sows.. that they will also reap.
Check The Motives of Your Heart…
1.) In your quiet time of prayer, ask God to search you thoroughly (Psalm 139:23).
2.) Ask yourself the hard questions of life.
- Am I self-exalting myself, drawing attention to myself, or rebelling against authority?
- Must I be a deligated authority no matter what.. why? Do I feel that I need Jesus inside plus something more? Do I crave the applause of the crowd or from God alone?
- Am I doing things to be recognized by some people, or to gain a position of “power”.. to become seen, to become respected, or just to be loved by others?
- If no one expressed appreciation or rewarded me for the things I do would I continue to do it? Would I do things God’s way for God’s glory alone?
- Would I do whatever the Lord asks of me even if it seems minor, low or insignificant?
- If criticism and attacks are launched against me for what I’m doing the right way.. will I walk away and quit?
- Do I manipulate others to get my way or my position above others?
- Do I have a bad case or mild case of “I”itus. It really isn't about me or you. Am I always “me”, “myself”, “mine” and “I” focused? Am I only in it when there’s something for me?
3.) Ask God the Father to align you with His world-changing biblical plan of JOY (Jesus first, others second, yourself last).
What does the Bible say about humility?
What does the Bible say about vanity?
What does it mean to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (Philippians 2:3)?
What does the Bible say about selfishness? ..or say about jealousy? ..or say about envy?
Are you an American and sometimes wonder about our President and how he got to be in power? Do you wonder about that in another Land regarding your leader? Are the people of the nation..for the most part.. godly? Has God allowed this to happen? For what purpose? What can we learn?
What are some modern forms of idolatry? Are you your idol?
What does the Bible say about putting self first — what are we to apply in this selfie culture?
When we ask God to search us, guess what.. He indeed will. And when He searches us, He will reveal the inner unseen motives of our heart. He will expose the things that need to be exposed in order for there to be correction before things get really bad. He wants to bless you, so never forget that He can help you correct it. Tell on yourself to Him before sin hurts and destroys and then others tell on you to Him and to others. God can make repentance easier.
After you ask God to search you.. after you truly repent when needed, then ask Him to align you in your mind and spirit with His eternal purpose. Yes, with His world-changing will for your life. He can do that for you when you first check your INNER M O T I V E S!
Ever read about the self-promotion of Adonijah? Can we learn from him what not to do or be? Yes. I just love how the Bible doesn’t hide the sins of the slightly or very flawed people.
“Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also [was a] very goodly [man]; and [his mother] bare him after Absalom. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped [him].” 1 Kings 1:5–7 KJV
"Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, 'Why are you doing that?' Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome." nlt
What was the true issue between Adonijah and Solomon over Abishag?
Jesus, help us to walk humbly with you as Lord instead.
Q: Need some level of recommitment leading to a real and personal revival inside?
Can experience.. can indeed have. We all can.
