The Deadly Consequence of the Evil Queen’s Sowing

2 Kings 11:1-20, NKJV

Athaliah was the wicked daughter of King Ahab and also the mother of Ahaziah.  Ahaziah, son of Jehoram, became king of Judah after his father died; he was killed in the first year of his reign. “When Athaliah, his mother, saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs” (v.1).   This is the Davidic line through which the Messiah was to come. The devil never ceases attempting to abort God’s plans. Athaliah took over and reigned for six years as queen over the land of Judah. During her six-year reign, she didn’t know that a rightful heir to the throne was alive. “Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid Joash, from Athaliah so that she did not kill him” (1 Chronicles 22:11b). For six years “the child was hidden with his nurse in the house of the Lord” to preserve the royal seed.

In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest rebelled against her and crowned Joash king of Judah (vv.4-12). ¹³ Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!” ¹⁵ And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.” ¹⁶ So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

¹⁸ And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. ²⁰ So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. If we sow evil; like Athaliah, we will reap evil. Remember, God uses whomsoever He chooses to accomplish His purpose. For He is a purposeful God.