There once lived a little boy who was hidden away in the temple to save his life.
His name was Joash. He was only one year old when all his brothers were killed by a wicked old queen named Athaliah. But his aunt Jehoshabeath found means to save him, and she hid him with his nurse until he was seven years old. Was not that a long time for a little boy to be in hiding? There would be no nice walks in the country for him, no going fishing, no fun among the hay of the sweet-smelling fields, no gathering of wild flowers on the hills or in the valleys.
Only a few knew that the little boy had been saved; but they knew that he was the true king, and they looked for the day to come when he could be brought forth from the temple, where he was kept, and be crowned. And so six years went by. At last his friends made known that his life had been saved when his brothers were killed; they brought him out and crowned him and cried, “God save the King!”
We believe that Joash is a picture of the Lord Jesus, and Athaliah a type of Satan. While Satan reigns over this world, the Lord Jesus is hidden in heaven, yet the rightful heir and Lord of all. Soon He will come forth out of heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords. Once He died for sinners on the cross. Because He loved us and wanted to save us from our sins He laid down His life. But now He is alive again, and has gone back to heaven where He lives forevermore. Those He loves He never forgets, though we often forget Him. We cannot see Him with the natural eye, but He sees us. But soon those who believe on Him shall see Him when He comes again. He shall call them to meet Him in the air and shall be with Him in heaven forever. When He comes back to reign over this earth, they shall be with Him and reign with Him. What a wonderful future for the believer!
When the wicked old Athaliah heard the noise and the shouting, “God save the King!” she came out to see what was going on. When she saw little Joash dressed in royal robes and crowned as king, she cried, “Treason! Treason!” But the servants of the king quickly drove her out and she was slain. Thus shall all the enemies of the Lord Jesus perish in that day when He comes back to reign.
ML-12/16/1979