Jehoiada

 Jehoiada, a priest in the temple of the Lord, saw his wife running towards him with a baby in her arms. “What’s wrong, Jehosheba?”

Eyes wide, cheeks streaked with tears, she gasped. “King Ahaziah is dead, and his mother is murdering his sons so she can be the queen!” Jehosheba held the baby close. “I brought Joash here as quickly as I could.” She sobbed. “Oh, Jehoiada. The baby’s grandmother, Athaliah, is a crazy woman! Can you imagine someone killing all her grandsons to make herself queen? What are we going to do?”

Jehoiada thought quickly. “There is only one thing to do, keep Joash safe. He must be the next king.” Jehoiada took the baby inside the temple and kept him well hidden in a bedroom there. 

Joash’s wicked grandmother, Athaliah, did make herself queen and ruled over the people. She built temples and made altars where people could worship false gods. She put idols everywhere! She even paid false priests to lead the people away from the Lord!

Jehoiada kept Joash safe. The priest spent hours with the boy every day, caring for him and teaching him. He loved Joash as much as if the boy had been his own son. Jehoiada wanted to train the child to be a good king. “You must learn the Law of God, Joash. Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. God will direct your steps, and you will be able to rule our people wisely.”

When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada called the captains of the army to the temple. They came quickly because they had great respect for this man of God. Jehoiada told the captains it was time for Joash to become the king. 

The captains gathered many leaders. Then Jehoiada brought Joash out to them and said, “Surround Joash.” Jehoiada gave the men spears and shields that had belonged to King David. “Keep the true ruler of Judah safe!”

Jehoiada took Joash outside and stood him beside one of the large pillars of the temple. There he put a crown on Joash and made the seven year old boy the king of Judah. 

The people cheered and shouted,”Long live the king!”

Jehoiada sent soldiers after Athaliah. Now it was her turn to die for murdering her grandsons. The people tore down the temples to false gods, smashed the altars and idols and killed the priests the queen had hired to lead her people into sin. 

For as long as Jehoiada lived, he showed Joash how to be a good king. And as long as Jehoiada lived, King Joash followed the Lord and ruled wisely. 

 

 

 

I would love to leave the story there with its happy ending, but King Joash forgot the things he had learned about God from Jehoiada after the priest died. The king even had Jehoiada’s sons stoned for telling people that they were sinning against God. Why do you think the king stopped following God after Jehoiada died? Do you think that Jehoiada’s time was wasted, since Joash didn’t always do what was right? Why or why not?

 

Many people teach and look after you. What are some of the things your parents or teachers have told you about God and what he wants for you, and for you to do? 

They want you to do what’s right, and they can’t always be with you. How do you behave when they aren’t around? Do you have habits you need to break? Who can help you with that?