THE WATCH OF THE LORD. 2nd Chronicles 23 It's not always easy to be patient and wait for the Lord's timing when things seem to be getting worse. However, people of grace, or those with a gracious nature, often hesitate to confront what is wrong until significant damage has already occurred. The "watch of the Lord" is like a guard duty where anything not of God must be kept out, and what is dedicated to God is brought in. As each group of Levites and princes arrived at the temple for their turn of duty, the previous group stayed so there would be no suspicion about what Jehoiada the priest was planning.
It is not arrogance or indifference that blocks entry to the fellowship of believers for those who do not know the Lord or those who do not accept the Bible as our only guide for church practice. Instead, it is a response to divine authority when we protect what is holy, in accordance with the word of our holy God. “The watch of the Lord” means we are to follow God's law, obey what He tells us, and live in ways that reflect Him in our service to Him. Even during dark days when evil and idolatrous worship are all around us, God can preserve His testimony and His people who love Him and love the truth.
The temple of God was a sacred place, and order according to the word of God was to be maintained there. A variety of men were responsible for "the watch of the Lord." Soldiers, Levites, and priests all participated in guarding what belonged to God. For six years, while the young child was growing in a hidden place, Athaliah ruled while most of the people suffered under her wicked rule. She was not only an idol worshipper, but she also promoted her religion.
Perhaps we wonder what will become of us as a nation because of the anti-Christian attitude in schools, governments, and society in general. The majority of the population is now committed to tolerance in almost everything except fundamental Christianity. They accuse Bible-believing Christians of being intolerant, as if that is a terrible thing. Tolerating immorality, covetousness, rioting in the name of some other religion or race is widely accepted. Seeing Bibles in schools, verses of scripture in public, the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, prayer at ball games or school events becomes a cause for antagonism, scorn, lawsuits, and even riots.
There comes a time when, guided by divine direction, people of faith must take appropriate action despite the risks and challenges they may face, and the effort required to do what is right. We must be ready at all times for those opportunities that clearly come from God to promote what we know aligns with His will.
Jehoiada led others to do what was right publicly when the child turned seven years old and could stand before the people. His wife, Jehoshabeath, did what was right by taking the child as an infant, keeping him safe, and preparing him for his day of coronation. She worked in private, while her husband worked in public, and the result was a blessing for everyone. Evil was defeated, and righteousness was promoted throughout the entire nation.
Resentment among the people toward the evil woman, Athaliah, simmered for six long years. There was clearly a desire among the people to return to the Lord, at least in words, and to reconnect with God's spiritual worship. When Jehoiada knew the time was right, he realized he needed to "strengthen himself" before expecting others to enter into "covenant with Him" and then "with the king in the house of God." Through careful planning, the high priest organized the entire event to ensure the child's safety and maintain visible unity among the priesthood, the Levites, and the military leaders.
Covenants are binding agreements that should not be taken lightly. The three covenants the chronicler mentioned were clear. There was a covenant between the high priest and the military leaders. Then, a covenant was made between the people and the king in the house of God. Thirdly, there was a covenant between Jehoiada the high priest, the people, and the king with the Lord, stating that they should be the "Lord's people." The changes being made could have led to bloodshed, but Jehoiada ensured that nothing would defile the temple in any way.
Expecting others to step out and do what we want, while only serving in an advisory role ourselves, does not encourage the Lord's people to act in faith. We must commit ourselves to uphold the holiness of God so that it remains unblemished when we gather as His people in His name. It would be terrible if any action we take tarnished the testimony of the assembly because we became careless about divine matters.
Unity is genuine only when we agree on the truth. It requires cooperation and teamwork to achieve unity. For believers, unity begins with being “like-minded.” Minds that are unified are similar in their compassion, sympathy, love, and family-like sensitivity to each other, and are courteous and kind. “Brethren dwelling together in unity” [Ps. 133] is connected to our dedication to the Lord.
The unity of “one faith” is possible when each member of the body functions in their designated role, just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one in unity, yet each has a unique role within the Godhead. The fellowship’s unity is demonstrated in the early church when believers gathered together with one mind and one purpose, striving collectively for the faith of the Gospel. Unity is preserved when the shared love for God inspires us to do everything for His glory.
The safety of the young king was secured by strong men who were armed and prepared for any situation. The location and timing of his coronation were important because they resembled those of David many years earlier. There was no chance of any link between the new king and those called "the Lord's people" and the wicked queen, Athaliah.
Therefore, no contact was made with her until she heard the sound of people running toward the temple and praising God aloud. The entire plan and its execution caught her off guard. She still held a defiant attitude toward God, His people, and the new king (her grandson). The writer of the chronicles made it clear to his contemporaries that this woman was a usurper of the throne and was not recognized as a ruler of Judah.
Willful wickedness and defiance of the truth go hand in hand. There can be no mixing of what is of God and what is of Satan. God's work does not rely on pleasing the will or opinions of men. There will likely be times when someone or a group claims a place they have no right to hold. When that happens, we must be wise—perhaps waiting for the right moment—and then act under our Lord's authority in dealing with that person so God's people can be confident that what is done is right. Some believers, especially those who are young or lack instruction, may still show the world's tendency to tolerate differences, even when those differences are evil.
The reforms that began after the child Joash was crowned king were guided by the high priest Jehoiada, who initiated a covenant and subsequently expanded it to include the destruction of idols, the cessation of idolatry, and the restoration of proper worship of God. Under the Lord's guidance and by His power, the nation’s course was changed in a day from the wrong way to the right way. "The watch of the Lord" functioned as it was meant to, and the results aligned with what God intended. Anything wrong among God's people must be removed, allowing for rejoicing in restored fellowship with God and His faithful people.
Do what is right. Sometimes, we fail to do what God demands. For a nation, a city, or an assembly, He has provided His plans, which include decisive action against sin and its corrupting influence. This is necessary to prevent the ongoing acceptance of evil from swallowing the people up, causing them to become accustomed to it and believe that God doesn’t see or care about what is wrong. When righteousness that exalts a nation weakens and evil becomes so dominant that God is ignored, people start to think that God is just like them. Godly order is abandoned, sin is glorified, and there is no longer a fear of God among men.
Even when departure is so clear that we wonder if God has abandoned us, there have always been a few people of faith who still believe “In God we trust.” Often, we wait until we have no other choice but to stand up and be counted aloud, thinking we are alone. Then, we are surprised to find others in the crowd who want what is right but were afraid to speak out, believing they were alone. Until one person does what is right before God, others who want something done hold back: one here, another there. Soon, those who stand together grow into a sizable group determined to do right, and the evil crowd begins to scatter.
Resisting the devil comes with a promise: God says that when we do it, the devil will flee. It is encouraging during dark days to see glimpses of light—one stands up here, another there—each with a desire to return to the ways of the Lord and step away from those who still spurn His Word. Acting in faith may initially bring fear, but when we do what God says is right, He gives us the strength to be the salt and the light in the darkness, supporting us with His indwelling Presence and helping us know what to do. Thus, the restoration of the covenant He made with us is achieved before we are done.
Seeing that young king with His Word in his hand must have pleased God. He relied solely on those who had previously learned to trust in the Lord. Now, it offers us a glimmer of hope that when we do what is right, God can accomplish what is needed through His people. I wonder if there are those among the crowd willing to do what is right?