2nd Kings chapter 11.
Personally, I don't get it. I know it happens, I just don't understand how a mother can be so power hungry that she attempts to kill all her sons so she can reign over Judah rather than her sons reign.
Perhaps, we could pat ourselves on our back on how we are not so power hungry. But perhaps we are, it just comes out in a different form. No, we don't kill anyone, but here's what I have observed in a workplace for someone who wants to be in charge and wants others to think they are in charge:
* I've seen new employees work in a certain department and totally disrespect their manager or boss or authority and act as if they are in charge instead of their authority. As a result, it makes life miserable for the other workers, and definitely for the authorities. When a worker like that leaves or is fired, I've seen great relief amongst the other employees. They basically rejoice, perhaps like the people of Judah did when Athaliah had been killed. It says the city was calm, a place of peace.
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority because they keep watch over you as ones who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy and not a burden.”
To disrespect one's authority is to be a “joy sucker!”
The sad thing is, when a person disrespects their leader, they justify themselves. They think they have every right to and when they are fired or disciplined they complain to all the other employees or their “friends” as if they themselves were mistreated. Just like when Athaliah saw her son was King, she yelled out treason treason. Like she was the good person and they were the bad persons.
So if a person can be so bad or evil and not recognize it, then I totally believe we have to honestly self-examine ourselves and see if we are obeying and submitting to all our authorities or are we being Joy Suckers? We might think people are admiring us but in reality we are sucking the joy out of the workplace and makes it not a fun calm place.
When I was the youth pastor in Butler, I butted heads with the senior pastor. As a result, I made decisions I shouldn't have, but have since apologized to him for my joy sucking behaviors.
I want to be like the priest, Jehoiada, and make a covenant with the Lord and the people of the camp ministry that I keep Jesus first in all things and that I treat the people correctly, including my authorities.
It did seem strange to me that a mother would be against her own sons like Athaliah was, but we have definitely seen families divided and turned against each other before in the Bible. We could look all the way back to the time that Cain killed his own brother in the 4th chapter of Genesis. Jealousy, greed, selfishness, and anger in our hearts lead to wrong decisions and negative consequences.
May we love God and people as we seek to continually serve the Lord and may our minds be set on things that are above as we read in Colossians 3:1-4.
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
When Athaliah (daughter of King Ahab & Jezebel) tried to kill all her grandson’s (male heirs of King Ahaziah), she was in effect trying to bring the house of David’s line to an end. But the Lord had promised David that the Messiah would come from his line. God used Ahaziah’s half-sister and her husband, the high priest, to save one baby grandson, Joash. They used weapons David had captured from his enemies, dedicated to the Lord, and stored in the temple for exactly this time. Joash becomes king of Judah and David’s line continues. God is in control – He reigns today as He did yesterday and tomorrow. We may not understand the reasons, methods, etc., but we can trust that He is in control! Thank you, Lord!