2 Chronicles 23:1 - Homiletics

The time of action, after six years' waiting.

In the first verse of this chapter, so full of the indications of the ruling providence of God, alike in his raising up a priest like Jehoiada, and in the marriage alliance which Jehoiada had formed with the sister of the king, we are told that this priest "strengthened himself," or took courage, and proceeded also therewith to take measures to bring the hidden heir to the throne to light, and to place on his head the crown. It is not necessary to understand this to imply that courage had been lacking to him before for this work, but that, till the time was ripe, he had not girded himself to the enterprise. We may notice—

I. THE PATIENT WAITING OF JEHOIADA . To men of action, waiting is a hard task. Possibly simply the infancy and youngest childhood of Joash advised that waiting. How could the scene have been made one-half as effective as it was while Joash was but an infant? But there may have been other reasons, and some of them easily imaginable, in the state and temper of the kingdom, for the delay. Six years, at any rate, did he "rest, and the seventh" he rose up to work—six years, not one of which was free from anxiety and danger. Many a time must he have turned over the whole matter in thought, and prayed over it, and with his God-fearing wife developed the plan till now the seventh year came.

II. THE WISE ACTION OF JEHOIADA . As politician, statesman, Churchman, he is a good example. By concerting methods of proceeding with ever-widening circles of co-operation (the captains of hundreds, the Levites, the chiefs of the fathers, etc; 2 Chronicles 23:1 , 2 Chronicles 23:2 ), he obviates the danger and almost the possibility of any breakdown; he gains sympathy; he gives to enthusiasm its natural springs, and to public spirit legitimate impulse, and so carries all to a successful issue.

III. THE RELIGIOUS SERVICE OBSERVED , AND THE DISTINCTNESS AND DIRECTNESS WITH WHICH THE PRINCIPLE AND SANCTION OF RELIGION WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE WHOLE PROCEEDING . The meeting ("congregation") gathered in the house of the Lord. The meeting made a "covenant" with the king there—ha challenging it, evidently. And the priest, faithful to his knowledge, and faithful to his own faith, lays down distinctly the common ground and the sacred bond of their co-operation: "Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of David" ( 2 Chronicles 23:3 ).

IV. THE MODEL RELIGIOUS CARE WITH WHICH THE HOUSE OF GOD WAS GUARDED AGAINST ANY ACCIDENTAL PROFANATION . The priests and Levites on the one hand, and the people on the other hand, all had their places and work assigned to them, with every precaution and warning ( 2 Chronicles 23:6-10 ).

V. THE CEREMONY OF THE CORONATION , WITH ITS CENTRAL FEATURE — AN ALMOST SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION — OF THE TESTIMONY LAID UPON THE KING . Whether, as some think, that with the crown of gold, the testimony, the hook of the Law, was for a moment rested upon his head—the better crown by far of the two—or whether it was put into his hands, is very immaterial. The act was a most suggestive one, and a most impressive one, and one which, to the end of the life of Joash, now so young, might well be a memory of real religious usefulness. We do not read of any previous instance of the kind. It may be that it was thought of as a remembrancer specially suited to the very tender age of the young king.

VI. THE EVIL - DOING OF ATHALIAH NOW AT LAST SILENCED FOR EVER . The voice of priest and people was one now. And the voice of these was also one with the voice of God. And too surely, even if it were the first time, for "so long a time," the voice of fear and of conscience spoke at one, from the lips of the doomed woman Athaliah.

VII. THE VOWS TAKEN AFRESH HEREUPON BY HIMSELF AND ALL THE PEOPLE AND THE RING . These vows were in the shape, apparently, of a covenant—the contracting parties being the priest in the name of the Lord his God on the one side, and on the other the people and the king ( 2 Chronicles 23:16 ). Are we not forcibly reminded here how right it is and how needful that the servants of God, in the sense of being public ministers of his truth, of religion, of the Church, should feel it their solemn duty not only to give instruction and the best of it, but to make earnest appeal to the people, and from time to time urge and lovingly challenge them to decision in matters of their religious life?

VIII. THE WORK OF PRACTICAL REFORMATION AT ONCE BEGUN , THE PEACE OF THE LAND ENGAGED IN THAT WORK , AND THE GLADNESS OF THE WHOLE PEOPLE IN IT .