I know that YOU can do all things
And that no purpose of YOURS can be thwarted
Job 42:2

When I asked our Beloved LORD GOD what the title of HIS message in 2 Kings Chapter 11 is. HE told me “MY purpose will not be thwarted.” I then asked HIM for a foundational Scripture, HE gave me Job 42:2. And then HE had me re-read the very first Scripture in 2 Kings Chapter 11, Wowzer! Didn’t see it until HE showed me, from verse one of 2 Kings Chapter 11, Satan tried to use Athaliah, to thwart, hinder, or stop HIS WORD from being fulfilled. Why? Good question, you will learn exactly why, as we examine that message, in addition to three more as follows:

• Satan cannot thwart GOD’s purpose (2 Kin 11:1)
• When Hidden in GOD (2 Kin 11:2-3)
• GOD keeps HIS Purpose Moving to the Goal (2 Kin 11:4-19, 2 Kin 11:21)
• People rejoice when GOD steps in (2 Kin 11:20)

I love, love, love GOD’s WORD, for so many, many reasons. And in this study of HIS WORD, HE gives four messages that will bring comfort and continue to build our trust in our Beloved LORD GOD.

Before we begin, let’s first briefly look at some historical background that will provide understanding of information, that might be overlooked.

Background:
By way of reminder, Athaliah is:
• Granddaughter of the deceased wicked king of Israel, Omri (1 Kin 16:23-26)
• Daughter of Omri‘s deceased son Ahab, and his wife Jezebel (1 Kin 16:28-33)
• Sister of Jehoram king of Israel, who is also the son of Ahab & Jezebel (2 Kin 3:1-3)
• Wife of Jehoram deceased king of Judah (2 Kin 8:16-18)
• Mother of Ahaziah king of Judah (2 Kin 8:25-27)
• Grandmother of Joash future king of Judah (2 Kin 11:2)

Carites (2 Kin 11:4) also known as the Cherethites (pronounced “KER-ih-thites”), were a tribe inhabiting the Negev, or southern country (1 Sam 30:14, Eze 25:15-16, Zep 2:5). This tribe of Cherethites, along with the Pelethites and Gittites, were the six hundred men who came with David from Gath of the Philistines (1 Sam 23:13, 1 Sam 25:1-13, 1 Sam 30:1-25, 2 Sam 15:18). These men formed his personal army of mighty men. These men continued to personally surround him, even after he became king (2 Sam 8:15-18; 2 Sam 20:7, 1 Kin 1:38). From David’s reign onward, the Carites or Cherethites became the trusted bodyguards of the king of Judah (2 Chr 17:12-19).

Satan cannot thwart GOD’s purpose (2 Kin 11:1)
We must remember that our struggles are not with flesh and blood but with Satan and his demonic angels (Eph 6:12). Satan does this by holding people captive to do his will (2 Tim 2:26). We see our Precious LORD & SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST address this when Peter was being held to declare his own interests instead of CHRIST’s (Mat 16:21-23).

As previously mentioned, this study opens up with Satan trying to thwart GOD’s purpose. Satan uses Athaliah to try and stop The WORD of our Beloved LORD GOD from being fulfilled concerning the sons of David (2 Sam 7:12-13, 2 Sam 7:16, 1 Kin 11:36, 2 Kin 8:19). He knows JESUS is the descendant of David, that will sit on his throne forever (Luk 1:32-33, Eph 2:19-22, Heb 3:6). Satan deceives Athaliah into thinking she can seize the throne if she kills all her grandsons (the royal offspring) of the house of David. Athaliah’s deadly actions, was the third time Satan tried to destroy all David’s sons. Satan first tried it through Jehoram king of Judah, when he killed all his brothers, to prevent rivals for his throne (2 Chr 21:4). Satan tried a second time, when Philistine and Arab invaders came and killed all Jehoram’s sons, with the exception of Ahaziah, his youngest, who became king in his place (2 Chr 21:16-17, 2 Chr 22:1). We have this anchor in our very soul, our Beloved LORD GOD is faithful (2 Tim 2:13, Deu 7:9) and HIS WORD will not fail (Isa 55:10-11, Hab 2:2-3, Mat 5:18).

When Hidden in GOD (2 Kin 11:2-3)
We are truly hidden in HIM (Psa 31:20)! So much so, that HE even prepares a banquet table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psa 23:5). Precious little Joash was hidden in our Beloved LORD GOD’s house for six years, right next to the palace where his grandmother resided. I am in awe how HE did it. HE used the sister of Ahaziah, Jehosheba, to rescue her nephew by taking him and his nurse to a bedroom in the house of our GOD, because she had married the high priest in Judah (2 Kin 11:2-3, 2 Chr 22:11)! GOD not only hid Joash in HIS own house, HE also hid:
• Elijah by the brook Cherith in the land of Israel (1 Kin 17:3-5, 1 Kin 18:1-10)
• Jeremiah and Baruch the scribe from the evil king of Judah, Jehoiakim (Jer 36:26)
And HE hides us who have died to sin (Rom 6:2) with CHRIST in HIM (Col 3:3, Psa 27:5, Psa 63:7-8, Psa 91:1-4)!!! If GOD is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31)

GOD keeps HIS Purpose Moving to the Goal (2 Kin 11:4-19, 2 Kin 11:21)
This BIBLE study so blessed me!!! Watching our powerful, amazing GOD keep HIS WORD moving toward its goal. If we could only see, how HE moves the promises in our lives forward to fulfillment! I was so blessed to watch our Beloved LORD GOD at work in the 11th chapter of 2 Kings. Our Awesome GOD delivered David’s young descendant safely to his rightful throne by:

• Making sure baby Joash escaped death (2 Kin 11:2, 2 Chr 22:11)
• Moving on the heart of Jehoiada the high priest in Judah (2 Chr 24:6), in the seventh year of Joash’s young life, to sit him on his father’s throne. Jehoiada did this by:
  • First gathering the Carites, personal bodyguards to the king of Judah (2 Kin 11:4)
  • Making a covenant with them, putting them under oath, and revealing Joash to them (2 Kin 11:4)
  • Sending them throughout Judah to gather all the scattered Levites and heads of every tribe to the House of GOD (2 Chr 23:1-2)
  • Assembling the Priests, Levites, Carites, and Tribal heads, in the House of GOD to make a covenant with Joash and declare The WORD of The LORD concerning the sons of David. (2 Chr 23:3)
  • Assigning the Priests, Levites, and Carites particular duties to guard Joash and get him safely to his throne on the very next Sabbath. The one day of the week, our Beloved LORD GOD set aside as holy (Exd 20:11); the day when all the people of Judah, would be gathered together at the House of GOD to worship (2 Kin 11:5-12, 2 Chr 23:4-11):
    • The Priests and Levites were broken down into groups:
      1. the group coming on duty for the Sabbath, would guard the palace or king’s house in three different places (2 Kin 11:5-6, 2 Chr 23:4-5)
      2. the group scheduled to go off duty on the Sabbath, would remain at the House of GOD, in three groups. Two groups would guard the HOUSE of GOD (2 Kin 11:7), and a third group would completely surround Joash with weapons in their hands to protect him (2 Kin 11:8, 2 Chr 23:7).
    • The Carites received King David’s weapons in the House of GOD from Jehoiada, some guarded the Levites (2 Kin 11:9-10), some guarded the House of GOD (2 Kin 11:11, 2 Chr 23:9-10)
  • Crowning Joash as king of Judah (2 Kin 11:12), placing the written WORD of GOD in his little hands (Deu 17:14-20), and anointing him to serve GOD as king in Judah (2 Kin 9:6)
  • Removing the new king’s enemy by death (2 Kin 11:13-16, 2 Chr 23:12-15)
  • Setting the nation in order, by having every citizen enter covenant with GOD to be HIS people (2 Kin 11:17, 2 Chr 23:16); every citizen enter covenant with their new king, to be loyal (2 Kin 11:17); destroyed Baal worship in Judah (2 Kin 11:18, 2 Chr 23:17); set the House of GOD in order (2 Chr 23:18-19); and finally placed the king on David’s throne in David’s palace (2 Kin 11:19, 2 Chr 23:20)

People rejoice when GOD steps in (2 Kin 11:20)
Our Beloved LORD GOD tells us “when a wicked man rules, people groan” (Pro 29:2), and hide themselves (Pro 28:12). Why? Because they are cruel taskmasters (Exd 1:8-14), their compassion is heartless (Pro 12:10); they strike fear in the hearts of those who are ruled by them (Pro 28:15); they lack understanding (Pro 28:16). Athaliah was a wicked daughter from a long line of wicked people. In her wickedness, she:

• tried to destroy the royal household of Judah (2 Kin 11:1, 2 Chr 22:10-12)
• brought Baal worship into Judah (2 Kin 8:16-19)
• allowed her sons who were murdered by the Philistine and Arab invaders (2 Chr 22:1), to break into the house of GOD and use HIS holy things in the house of Baal (2 Chr 24:7)

Our Beloved LORD also tells us “when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting” (Pro 11:10). The people are shouting for joy because their time of suffering has passed. When Athaliah was put to death, a young king from the house of David, who had been directed and protected by the high priest, was crowned (2 Kin 11:12-16, 2 Chr 23:11-15). However, we must not miss the compassion of our Beloved LORD GOD on full display, in 2 Kings 11:20. GOD tells us all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house. They rejoiced that GOD had moved on their behalf, but they did not rejoice that the life of their oppressor was taken (Pro 24:17-18). HIS desire is to preserve life, not destroy it (2 Sam 14:14, Jhn 6:37-40), to save life, not have it perish (Eze 18:23, Eze 33:11, 2 Pet 3:9).

Just one final thought before we end this study. Our Precious ABBA FATHER throughout The BIBLE teaches us:

• the power of words (Pro 18:21, Pro 13:3, Pro 12:18)
• the source of the words we speak (Mat 15:18, Isa 32:6, Mat 12:34-35, Luk 6:45)
• how to use words (Eph 4:29, Col 4:6)
• how not to use words (Eph 5:4, Col 3:8-9)
• when to restrain words (Pro 17:27, Mat 7:6, Jam 1:19)
• the consequences of unrestrained words (Pro 10:19, Mat 12:36-37, Jam 3:1-12)

Therefore, knowing the weight our Beloved ABBA FATHER gives words, and that each one of HIS WORDS are tested and refined (Psa 12:6, Pro 30:5, ), and they serve a purpose that will be accomplished (Isa 55:10-11, Rom 15:4, 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:20), and they will stand forever (Psa 119:89, Psa 119:151-152, Isa 40:8). I asked my Beloved LORD GOD about 2 Kin 11:21. Why did HE close this chapter with a single Scripture, “Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.” HE has not yet revealed it to me, so I can’t discuss it with you. I am HIS humble messenger and patiently wait for HIS message. When HE reveals it to me, with HIS permission I will reveal it you.

It is HE who reveals the profound and hidden things
HE knows what is in the darkness
And the light dwells with HIM
Daniel 2:22