Today I want to draw your attention to a man who took his life in his hands and did what was right. In 2 Kings 11-12 and 2 Chronicles 22-24 we can read about Jehoiada and his service before the Lord in the kingdom of Judah. He served during the reigns of some good kings, but we first hear about him when things got dark, which is a lesson in itself. When King Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram ruled in his place and began a time of rebellion against the Lord. In fact, 2 Chronicles 21:19-20 records that when he died of a horrible sickness in which "his bowels came out," that "his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers," and that "he departed without desire," and was not buried in the tombs of the kings. His son Ahaziah ruled after him and, like his father, did evil and died for it. Upon hearing of his death, his mother Queen Athaliah killed all of the royal offspring, so she could rule. But, she didn't count on one good priest. Joash, who was about one year old at the time, was rescued by his sister, who was also Jehoiada's wife, and Jehoiada the priest hid him along with his nurse for six years in the house of God (2 Chronicles 22:12). When Joash was seven years old, the Bible says that Jehoiada "strengthened himself" and entered into a covenant with some of Judah's military men to restore the throne to the rightful king. The plan involved a guard being set around young Joash, so we know that Jehoiada foresaw trouble. And, sure enough, verse 13 of chapter 23 says that "When [Athalaih]looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance" of the temple, where it was customary for the newly anointed and crowned king to stand and be presented to the people. Athaliah cried "Treason! Treason!" But her cries went unheeded since she herself had taken the crown by treachery.
Chapter 24, verse 2 teaches us that "Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest." And, verses 15-16 record that Jehoiada "grew old and was full of days" when he died at the age of 130. "And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house."