In 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, we read of the beginning of the brief reign of Athaliah in Judah following the death of her son Ahaziah. Ahaziah was not a good king but Athaliah was worse. The old phrase, “out of the pan and into the fire” comes to mind.
To consolidate her reign by eliminating challengers, Athaliah had the entire royal family put to death. Suffice it to say that she was not what we would consider a good person, she was willing to do anything or kill anyone she saw as a threat to her power.
She held this power for six years. To the true followers of Yahweh in Judah, this must have caused great unease. They had to wonder if God would ever restore right practice to the nation. It probably seemed like everything had gone wrong and that God had abandoned them. Six years is a long time to suffer under evil leadership.
There are two lessons that came to mind as I read this story.
The first lesson is that we cannot look to political leaders to provide moral leadership and stability. Too often, the motivation for seeking political position is the desire for power. They seek power to control other people, and power to manipulate society for their own benefit.
We are not given many details of what happened during Athaliah’s reign, but given the way that it started, knowing that she killed what she thought was the entire royal family, her reign was certainly not benevolent. The good people in Judah had to be vexed at how things were going.
In my own country, there is an ongoing discussion about the ability of our political leaders to practice legal insider trading. Since they know what laws are likely to be enacted, they can change their investment portfolios based on which companies will be winners and losers as a result of the new laws. This is hardly fair, and it is not what we elect our leaders to do.
I cannot place my sense of security in the hands of such people. They cannot bear that weight.
The second, and more important, lesson is that even when it looks hopeless, God is working behind the scenes to accomplish His purpose for humanity. In the case of Judah under Athaliah’s reign, God raised up Jehoshabeath to hide Josiah so that he could later become king and restore order to Judah.
I am encouraged by this. Yes, in the United States, we get to vote for who we want to lead our country. But often, someone other than my choice gets the position. I have seen laws enacted that go against my Christian principles. I have seen politicians seemingly sell their souls to advance their careers.
But this passage specifically, and the rest of Scripture in general, teaches me that God’s plan cannot, and will not, be thwarted.
No matter how it seems to be going in the moment, it is too early for despair.
