The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-10-29
LESSON FUR OCTOBER 81


Vts9 ooV SoAose CROWNED KING.
LEssoa T1cxT-u x1aa. ii.~-,a.
GOLDEN TExT-TAe houes oe the
wicked shah ~ overthroWa: bWe the tent
n vesssht shall asarish.-Prov. u:
This ~ srsat and most ,n.ensely
neeraeting boyis stosy. For thirty
ysaza two great heroes, Elijah and
E1isha. fought against Baai. They
$1,000 up against kings and people.
ana fought for pure morals % the
champions OF Jehovah. Jehoshaphat.
2 rood man. allowed his con to marry
JexsDeIs daughter and the nation
reaped the results. The son OF this
union reigned v Judah but one year
and was slain by Jehu. the destroyer
q AhAbis dynasty. Athaliah. ~ dow
aeer queen regent ruled for six years
(See ; Chron- 22). General Jehu
wrought In the northern kingdom.
hence tho temporary Escape OF this
ectild OF Jexebel. the cursed queen.
!. ceaeealment. w. -. J~choshe0a.
b wife Of Jehoiada. the high priest In
charge OF the temple. 10 thought to be
the daughter OF Joram by another wife
than Athaliah. She was the agent In
Gods hands OF saving the boys life
q OF the nnal extinguishment OF the
seed Of Ahab. Jehosheba. -. daughter
OF one king. sister of another and high
priests wife. was familiar with every
nook and corner Of the temple. and
80 . woman's ruthlessness was out
wteted BY . woman's cunning."-Far.
. I. TAHs God saved the seed OF Da-
vfd according to his Word (Psalms
1913. -.
u. Conspiracy, w. -. Athaliah's
bloody reign 10 one OF the darkest
pages In the history Of Judah. She
murdered not her own children but
her grandchildren to gain. or rather to
continue. her rule. for as her sons
counselor she was the real ruler OF
the nation III Kings 8:26. "a: II Chron.
21:3. ~. God had made . promise
(ch. s:1s: Isa. 7:6: Jer. 80: 1926 and
that promise must be fulfilled. for no
evil can thwart his will. Athaliah Ia
. terrible example Of unrestrained
heredity. We have here the results Of
an unholy alliance. This 10 also an
appalling example Of the fruit OF
selfish ambition: (a) upon the nation.
(b) on the family. (c) on the individ-,
ual.
Az against this picture We see q coz
secrated woman, a devoted home aDdl
the teaching of q piousA priest. ~
0nal outcome Of which was tho cR
,thFow~-of ~evfi. This priest
wf1o took certain other trait.
Inherited frum hta vile ancestor
aoscoueaGA, onergy. akin and psfs
right and pious envlronment. turned
them to the blessing Of the nation.
The early formative period OF this
boys life was thus spent In such q
way Al to result in continuous bless
Ing Throughout his reign s(l2:1. -.
Jeh6aada, knowing Athnliah. proceeded
with Groat caution In his plan, but he
| must have known the readiness OF the
people to respond I'll Chron. 1919.
Having chosen his men. he appeals to
their loyalty to God. their faith in him
and his Word. and covenanted them
In Gods house and In his very pres
ence ". -. He also gave explicit d.
rections ". 81. Even 90 the Word Is
our guide (Psalms 1ls:l1).
~. Drowning. w. STA (te v. 1s). It
WAS . great service the priest and his
wife rendered to Judah to save and TO
train Q child. So likewise We are priv
ileged. and those who are truly saved
and rightly trained win also ulti.
mately be crowned III Tim. 4:S: I
Peter 5:14: Rev. 2:l0).
There are two accounts Of the coro-
nation ceremonies (see also II Chron.
32:1o-23:21); they differ but do not
conflict. The i've captains and 500
bodyguards wrought q great work on
that Sabbath day. Every man In the
conspiracy did exactly u told. Joash
10 brought out ut the exact moment.
So also will our king appear at Gods
appointed time. The law IL placed In
his hands ". IL, Elk. 25:16; Ps. 1875:
lisa. 8:16. 2O). This c%ontroverts those
who would have. Is believe the law
was not written until Joash reigned.
Aside from the law which was placed
in his hands . crown was placed OF
his head and there was also the Gus
tomary shouting and ~clapping Of hands
and cries OF God w the king" lam.
r.. W which accompany such occa-
siona. The noise Of the ceremonies
reached the ears Of Athaliah and she
rushed into the court of the temple
Looking upon the scene she cried
Treason! Treason!" Jehoiada direct.
cd the guard to open ranks and let
her. without attendants. pass through
to the palace. outside ~ the temple.
where she was slain.
~. Conclusion. ~ Our veuns
Kings (and oueens). For everyone of
. boys and girls there II awaiting .
kingdom. Each n surrounded by dan
gers even - Joash- Their only safety
- IN God. In the love and power OF
hie holy spirit. the knowledee OF his
word. the ARE and culture Of his
church. the guidance and influence OF
homes whlch belong 70 him.
co The 0tbss and the Coronation.
The chief and mast important part Of
tie cDronat1on wns to place the word
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