Mon.’s Devo - From the Temple to the Throne

Read: 2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21; Romans 11:13-36; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 20:7 Jehoshaphat made his oldest son, Jehoram king before he died. He was the son he had given Ahab’s daughter in marriage. Her name was Athaliah and she taught Jehoram to worship Baal. As soon as he had the kingdom, he had all his brothers killed. *** The Edomites rebelled against Judah and elected their own king to rule them, so Jehoram led his army against them. Judah lost control over Edom and Libnah because Judah abandoned the Lord. *** Elijah wrote Jehoram a letter rebuking his rebellion, murder, and worshiping false gods. He wrote that Jehoram would die a terrible death with an intestinal disease. *** God stirred up the Phillistines against Judah who came and plundered his palace and killed all his sons but the youngest, Ahaziah. Jehoram was struck with an incurable intestinal disease and died. Shariah was made king and his mother, Athaliah encouraged him to worship false gods and to join Joram, king of Israel in a war against the Arameans. Joram was wounded in the battle so Azariah went to Israel to visit him. Azariah was killed by Jehu who had been commissioned by the Lord to bring judgement against the family of Ahab. *** When Athaliah learned her son was dead, she began to kill all of Judah’s royal line so she would have no competition and could rule Judah. Azariah’s sister hid Azariah’s infant son, Joash. He was raised in the Temple by Jehoiada, the priest. They hid Joash for seven years then staged a coup. No one wanted Athalia to rule them so five army commanders rounded up Levites and clan leaders in all the towns to come to Jerusalem and crown Joash king and kill Athaliah, which they did. *** Jehoiada made a covenant with the Lord to make God their Lord. They tore down the temple of Baal and killed its priest. The Levites and priests took their places in the temple and they began offering sacrifices to the Lord. They escorted Joash from the temple to the throne. All the people in the land rejoiced. *** In Romans, Paul makes it clear that the root of God’s vine is Christ. The Jews who rejected Christ were broken off because they didn’t believe and Gentiles were grafted in. They too can be cut off if they don’t believe. When the full number of Gentiles come in, it will be time to graft the Jews back in to the vine. How glorious it will be when the branches from the root are grafted back in and bear fruit. There are many branches in God’s tree, so there is room for us all. *** Lord, may we trust in your kindness and goodness to us. Thank you that we must first go to the temple to ascend to the throne.