STEVE WEBB - 0:00 Don't take it for granted. INTRO S12E293 - 0:09 This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California. Podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we're reading through the entire Bible in a year and today's History Tuesday, and we'll read 2 Chronicles 21 through 24. After the reading, I've got some comments for you. And there's an On This Date in Church History segment, and I've got a comment to share with you today. I'm calling today's episode, “The Evil Queen”. The show notes page is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e293, if you'd like to leave a comment or you can send me an email at steve@lifespringmedia.com. Let's get started. 2 CHRONICLES 21 (ERV) - 0:48 2 Chronicles, chapter 21. (1) Then Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son, Jehoram became the next king. (2) Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. They were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. (3) Jehoshaphat gave his sons many gifts of silver, gold, and precious things. He also gave them strong fortresses in Judah. But Jehoshaphat gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his oldest son. (4) Jehoram took over his father’s kingdom and made himself strong. Then he used a sword to kill all his brothers. He also killed some of the leaders of Israel. (5) Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to rule. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. (6) He lived the same way the kings of Israel lived. He lived the same way Ahab’s family lived. This was because Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter. And Jehoram did evil in the Lord’s sight. (7) But the Lord would not destroy David’s family because of the agreement he made with David. He had promised to keep a lamp burning for David and his children forever. (8) In Jehoram’s time, Edom broke away from under Judah’s authority. The people of Edom chose their own king. (9) So Jehoram went to Edom with all his commanders and chariots. The Edomite army surrounded Jehoram and his chariot commanders. But Jehoram fought his way out at night. (10) Since that time and until now the country of Edom has been rebellious against Judah. The people from the town of Libnah also turned against Jehoram. This happened because Jehoram left the Lord God. He is the God Jehoram’s ancestors followed. (11) Jehoram also built high places on the hills in Judah. He caused the people of Jerusalem to start worshiping other gods. He led the people of Judah away from their God. (12) Jehoram received this message from Elijah the prophet: “This is what the Lord, the God your father David followed, says, ‘Jehoram, you have not lived the way your father Jehoshaphat lived. You have not lived the way King Asa of Judah lived. (13) But you have lived the way the kings of Israel lived. You have caused the people of Judah and Jerusalem to stop doing what God wants. That is what Ahab and his family did. They were unfaithful to God. You have killed your brothers, and they were better than you. (14) So now, the Lord will soon punish your people with terrible suffering. He will punish your children, your wives, and all your property. (15) You will have a painful sickness in your intestines that will get worse and worse. Your intestines will finally come out.’” (16) The Lord caused the Philistines and the Arabs living near the Ethiopians to be angry with Jehoram. (17) They attacked Judah and carried away all the riches in the king’s palace. They also took Jehoram’s sons and wives. Only Jehoram’s youngest son, Ahaziah, was left. (18) After this happened, the Lord made Jehoram sick with a disease in his intestines that could not be cured. (19) His intestines fell out two years later because of his sickness. He died in very bad pain. The people did not make a large fire to honor Jehoram as they did for his father. (20) Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. No one was sad when he died. The people buried Jehoram in the City of David, but not in the graves where the kings are buried. 2 CHRONICLES 22 (ERV) - 4:16 2 Chronicles, chapter 22. (1) The people of Jerusalem chose Ahaziah to be the new king in Jehoram’s place. Ahaziah was Jehoram’s youngest son. The people who came with the Arabs to attack Jehoram’s camp killed all of Jehoram’s older sons. So Ahaziah began to rule in Judah. (2) He was 22 years old when he began to rule. He ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah. Her father’s name was Omri. (3) Ahaziah also lived the way Ahab’s family lived because his mother encouraged him to do wrong things. (4) Ahaziah did evil in the Lord’s sight. That is what Ahab’s family did. Ahab’s family gave advice to Ahaziah after Ahaziah’s father died. They gave Ahaziah bad advice that led to his death. (5-6) Ahaziah followed the advice of Ahab’s family and joined King Joram to fight against King Hazael from Aram. They fought near the town of Ramoth in Gilead. Joram, who was the son of King Ahab of Israel, was wounded in the battle. He went back to the town of Jezreel to heal from the wounds he suffered at Ramoth. King Ahaziah went there later to visit him. (7) God caused Ahaziah’s death when he went to visit Joram. Ahaziah arrived and went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi. The Lord chose Jehu to destroy Ahab’s family. (8) Jehu was punishing Ahab’s family. He found the leaders of Judah and Ahaziah’s relatives who served Ahaziah. He killed the leaders of Judah and Ahaziah’s relatives. (9) Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah. Jehu’s men caught him when he tried to hide in the town of Samaria. They brought him to Jehu. They killed Ahaziah and buried him. They said, “Ahaziah is the descendant of Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat followed the Lord with all his heart.” Ahaziah’s family had no power to hold the kingdom of Judah together. (10) Athaliah was Ahaziah’s mother. When she saw that her son was dead, she killed all the king’s children in Judah. (11) But Jehosheba took Ahaziah’s son Joash and hid him. Jehosheba put Joash and his nurse in the inside bedroom. Jehosheba was King Jehoram’s daughter. She was also Jehoiada’s wife. Jehoiada was a priest, and Jehosheba was Ahaziah’s sister. Athaliah did not kill Joash, because Jehosheba hid him. (12) Joash was hidden with the priests in God’s Temple for six years. During that time Athaliah ruled over the land as queen. 2 CHRONICLES 23 (NET) – 06:49 2 Chronicles, chapter 23. (1) In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. (2) They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family members. They came to Jerusalem, (3) and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. (4) This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. (5) Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. (6) No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. (7) The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.” (8) The Levites and all the men of Judah did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath and those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. (9) Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields that were kept in God’s temple. (10) He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king. (11) Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. They declared, “Long live the king!” (12) When Athaliah heard the royal guard shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd at the Lord’s temple. (13) Then she saw the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!” (14) Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. (15) They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. There they executed her. (16) Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord. (17) All the people went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. (18) Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to the law of Moses and the edict of David. (19) He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. (20) He summoned the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. (21) All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah. 2 CHRONICLES 24 (NKJV) - 10:49 2 Chronicles, chapter 24. (1) Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. (2) Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. (3) And Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he had sons and daughters. (4) Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the Lord. (5) Then he gathered the priests and the Levites, and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather from all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you do it quickly.” However the Levites did not do it quickly. (6) So the king called Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord and of the assembly of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?” (7) For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had also presented all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord to the Baals. (8) Then at the king’s command they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of the Lord. (9) And they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God had imposed on Israel in the wilderness. (10) Then all the leaders and all the people rejoiced, brought their contributions, and put them into the chest until all had given. (11) So it was, at that time, when the chest was brought to the king’s official by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, that the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it and returned it to its place. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. (12) The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the Lord; and they hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also those who worked in iron and bronze to restore the house of the Lord. (13) So the workmen labored, and the work was completed by them; they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it. (14) When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; they made from it articles for the house of the Lord, articles for serving and offering, spoons and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada. (15) But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. (16) And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house. (17) Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king. And the king listened to them. (18) Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. (19) Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen. (20) Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, who stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’ ” (21) So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. (22) Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son; and as he died, he said, “The Lord look on it, and repay!” (23) So it happened in the spring of the year that the army of Syria came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. (24) For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; but the Lord delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. (25) And when they had withdrawn from him (for they left him severely wounded), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died. And they buried him in the City of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. (26) These are the ones who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. (27) Now concerning his sons, and the many oracles about him, and the repairing of the house of God, indeed they are written in the annals of the book of the kings. Then Amaziah his son reigned in his place. COMMENTS - 15:42 Well, in today's chapters, we read about Joash, and how he was saved from the evil queen Athaliah, who killed every child of King Ahaziah, who was killed by Jehu, every child but one. Jehosheba was the sister of King Ahaziah, and when she heard that Athaliah wanted to kill all of the children, she hid one-year-old Joash with the priests in the Temple for six years. Well, that's quite a story in itself, but this next part is what I find most interesting. And this point, Joash is the only living descendant of King David. Remember, God's promised to David, that there would always be one of his descendants on the throne? Well, God made sure that Joash was not killed. And then, of course, many generations later, Jesus came from the line of David. Well, it would be nice if we could say that Joash grew to be a good and godly king, but that didn't happen. Yes, he did right before the Lord while Jehoiada the priest was alive. But once Jehoiada had died, Joash took a left turn, he turned away from God, and he and the leaders and the people of Judah began to worship false gods. And then God allowed Judah to be defeated by the smaller army of the Arameans. And Joash, was wounded. And then his own servants killed him on his own bed. And when he was buried, it was not in the place where the other kings were buried. Wouldn't you say this was a very sad ending to a life that was miraculously spared by God. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Would that Joash had kept his eyes on God. Coming from a believing family, Beloved, is no guarantee. He was literally raised in the temple with a godly role model in Jehoiada the priest. Beloved, if you're a parent or a grandparent, or anybody with influence over children, it's eternally important that you impress upon the children how important it is to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Don't take it for granted. I'd love to hear your thoughts, please go to lifespringmedia.com/s12e293. And leave a comment. Tomorrow being Wednesday, we'll read from the Psalms. We'll read chapters 122 through 124. Here's your cue to boost. EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SHOUT-OUT - 18:10 We have an Executive Producer today, John sent in his $50 monthly donation. Thank you, John, and God bless you. I appreciate your monthly support, my brother. And yes, this is a genuine, bonafide Executive Producer credit because producers are the people who help finance a media project, whether film, TV, music, podcast, or whatever. So this is the real deal. VALUE-FOR-VALUE - 18:32 Your donations to the Lifespring Family Audio Bible truly do make it possible for me to bring the show to you seven days a week. Of course, this is a value-for-value podcast, which means if you receive something of value from the show, if it adds to your life in some way, return some of that value in the form of time, talent or treasure in proportion to what you've received. It's an easy concept and one that truly is biblical. For example, Jesus said in Luke 10:7, “The worker is worthy of his wages”, and there are many other scriptures that express this same thought. To donate go to lifespringmedia.com/support and take a look around. Pray about what God would have you do, then obey is leading, lifespring media.com/support. FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS - 19:22 Got a comment from Denise on yesterday's episode Deuteronomy 1-3, “Moses On the Threshold”. She said, “In Deuteronomy 1:37 and 3:26, Moses seems to blame the Israelites for the fact that God would not allow him to enter the Promised Land. But we just read a few episodes ago in Numbers 20 that God prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land because of Moses’ disobedience at Meribah when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it.” She says, “Am I reading this right? Is Moses blaming others for something that was his own stupid fault?” Yes, you know, Denise, I wonder to say anybody was going to comment on that. That's a good catch. Yes, I do think that there may be some of that in Moses’ attitude. But we have to keep in mind that Moses was a flawed person just like you and me. But I also think that maybe there's a bit of room for this interpretation. Moses might have been saying, You're complaining made me mad, which caused me to disobey God's command. I take responsibility for my disobedience. I should not have done that. But it was caused by your whining. Maybe that's what Moses was saying. But I picked up on that attitude as well. Thanks for your comment Denise. ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY - 20:47 I have a first for on this date in church history. We've never had one of these were two things happened on the exact same day on the exact same year, June 21, 1821. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was formally constituted in New York City on this day, with 19 clergyman present representing six African-American churches from New York, Philadelphia, New Haven and Newark. And on this very same day, Henry W. Baker was born he was an English clergyman, musicologist and compiler of the hymnal called “Hymns, Ancient and Modern”, regarded today as the unofficial Anglican Church hymnal. He also wrote a hymn based on Psalm 23, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”. I can't help but think of Yoda when I read that title. I'm not going to do a Yoda voice, but think about it. The King of Love my Shepherd is. CLOSING PRAYER - 21:50 Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we ask that you help us as we press on toward the goal. May Your Holy Spirit continue to encourage us and grow the fruit of the Spirit in us. Make us like Jesus, Lord, and draws ever closer to you. Father, I ask that you bless the Lifespring family today. I thank you for each one that's listening right now. And I pray that they feel your presence with them today. I pray this in Jesus name, amen. If you have a prayer request or a praise, go to prayer.lifespringmedia.com. Give me whatever details you want me to have. And if you want to remain anonymous, you can do that as well. I'll pray for you in my private time and we'll pray together on the show. OUTRO S12E293 - 22:38 Comment on the show and lifespringmedia.com/s12e293. Email me at steve@lifespringmedia.com. Thanks to Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thanks to John for his support at the Executive Producer level, and thank you for inviting me into your life today. Support the show at lifespringmedia.com/support. And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb. Bye. Transcribed by https://otter.ai