The Obedience of Christ

After protecting the child Joash in the house of God, heir to the throne of Judah in the line of David, the high priest Jehoiada set about crowning him as king.  He gathered the Levites to Jerusalem and made a covenant with them.  At the time the wicked queen Athaliah reigned in Judah, having murdered her own grandsons so she could rule in the place of the deceased king.  The high priest Jehoiada organised the Levites on the appointed Sabbath to guard the door and only allow Levites to enter the temple court.  There was another group directed to stand guard around the king with weapons to protect him from any harm.  2 Chronicles 23:9-10 then says, "And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of God. ¹⁰ Then he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, along by the altar and by the temple, all around the king."

It is intriguing spears and shields which belonged to David were stowed in the temple, for David had passed away before his son Solomon built the temple.  At some point it seems Solomon or one of his sons after him took spears and shields of David and placed them there.  It would be ridiculous to suggest God needs protection from men, but the spears and shields were a useful deterrent to anyone coming against young Joash, the rightfully crowned king.  Looking at the scene unfold I believe it is insightful the Levites were not commanded to go find queen Athaliah and kill her so the coronation of the king could occur:  they crowned the king, handed him the testimony (God's Law he was to learn, follow and uphold), anointed him and praised the LORD.  By the simple act of placing the one God anointed on the throne, all the evil Athaliah could do was tear her clothes and ironically bellow, "Treason, treason!"  2 Chronicles 23:14-15 tells us what happened:  "And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, "Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not kill her in the house of the LORD." ¹⁵ So they seized her; and she went by way of the entrance of the Horse Gate into the king's house, and they killed her there."  The people of the land rejoiced to have the king on the throne, and the city was quiet after the rule of Athaliah suddenly ended.

Athaliah was a murderer and liar, and Jesus said Satan has been a liar and murderer from the beginning.  We are given the sword of the Spirit--the word of God--because He is sits enthroned as KING OF KINGS and our great High Priest.  Our call is not to go on search and destroy missions against Satan but to submit ourselves in faith and obedience to Jesus Christ who enables us to stand strong by His grace in the battle we fight.  2 Corinthians 10:4-6 shows us this battle is largely one enjoined inside our own minds and hearts:  "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵ casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, ⁶ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."  Unless we submit our will in obedience by faith to our LORD Jesus, the scriptures show God Himself will oppose us like an enemy.  I wonder if those who rail against the devil as they rebuke him in prayer, imagining him to be omniscient like God or one who shrinks from the empty threats of mere men because he must.  We should consider the Jude 9 mention of Michael the archangel who acted on God's orders did not revile Satan but said, "The LORD rebuke you."  As the high priest Jehoiada gave the command for Athaliah to be seized, thrown out and executed, vengeance and judgment belong to our everlasting King and High Priest Jesus.  Vengeance is God's, and He will surely repay.

There are Christians who are convinced when things go "wrong" they must be under satanic attack, for as children of God they are entitled to better than they are experiencing.  But consider Amos 3:6 dear brethren:  "If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid? If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?"  Are not all spirits under God's authority and command?  When king Saul was lifted up in pride and disobeyed God, God sent an evil spirit to chasten him (1 Samuel 18:10).  Job was a righteous man God allowed Satan to attack, destroy his possessions and ruin his health--not because of his sinfulness but because of his righteousness (Job 1:12; 2:6).  When Job prayed for his friends, when Job was restored to health and doubly blessed it furthered God's purposes to reveal His compassion and mercy (James 5:11).  God put a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab's false prophets (2 Chron. 18:22).  Ahab loved lies, so God gave him a gutful of them (along with a revelation of the truth)  so he might fall in battle.  Tell me:  what good would have rebuking the devil or demons done in these cases when they were permitted and authorised to do all they did by the almighty God?  Such resemble the devil in their self-righteousness, fighting against God!  Better than raising our voices in authority against Satan, it is best to humble ourselves before our Saviour Jesus Christ who sits enthroned in our hearts and before whom we fall in adoration.

By faith in Jesus Christ we have been filled with the Holy Spirit who protects and empowers us to take a righteous stand in a world filled with the corruptions of sin.  We wield the sword of the Spirit not to put Jesus on the throne but because He has sat down at the right hand of the Father, having accomplished the victory He promised to provide.  His ways are higher than ours, and His glorious rule is eternal.  So called prayer warriors do better to praise and magnify the name of the living God and rest in His goodness than raising their voices against Satan who will be bound in chains and cast into outer darkness where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched.  Our focus is not to be on the enemy of our souls, on mockers or those who cause divisions but on our Saviour as we keep ourselves in the love of God as it is written in Jude 1:19-25:  "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. ²⁴ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵ to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."  Let us joyfully surrender ourselves in praise and service in the obedience of Christ who sits on the throne now and forever!