A Reformation in the Real World Text: 2 Chronicles 23:1-11
Introduction: The Myth of Neutrality
We live in an age that is besotted with the myth of neutrality. The secularist insists that the public square must be stripped of all religious conviction, particularly the Christian kind. He wants a government, a school system, and a culture that are religiously naked. But nakedness is not neutrality; it is simply another kind of uniform. When you expel God from the public square, you do not create a vacuum. You create a space that will be immediately filled by other gods, uglier gods, bloodthirsty gods. Nature, and politics, abhors a vacuum.
The story before us in 2 Chronicles 23 is a stark and bracing refutation of this modern delusion. For six years, the kingdom of Judah had been under the thumb of a murderous, idolatrous, and illegitimate queen named Athaliah. She was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, a viper from a viper's nest, and she had seized power by slaughtering the royal seed. She represented a hostile paganism, a Baal worship that was actively trying to extinguish the line of David and, with it, the promise of the Messiah. Her reign was the Old Testament equivalent of a radical secularist state, a regime founded on bloodshed and a hatred for the true God.
Into this darkness steps a man of God, Jehoiada the priest. What we are about to read is not a quiet prayer meeting. It is a coup. It is a holy and righteous conspiracy. It is the church, in the person of the high priest, taking decisive, political, and military action to unseat a tyrant and restore the rightful king to the throne in accordance with the covenant of God. This is not a story for the faint of heart or for those who believe the church's only job is to manage a private spirituality club. This is a story that demonstrates that when the state becomes apostate, the church has a solemn duty to act as the conscience of the nation and, at times, its catalyst for reformation.
This passage is a detailed, strategic, and covenantal overthrow of a wicked regime, orchestrated by the priesthood. It teaches us that there is no sphere of life over which Christ is not king, and that includes the civil sphere. It shows us that godly order does not happen by accident; it must be planned, covenanted for, and, if necessary, fought for.
The Text
Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took commanders of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. And they went around Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. Then all the assembly cut a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David. This is the thing which you shall do: one-third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers at the thresholds, and one-third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of Yahweh. But let no one enter the house of Yahweh except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of Yahweh. And the Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be put to death. And be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.” So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions. Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. And he caused all the people to stand, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”
(2 Chronicles 23:1-11 LSB)
A Holy Conspiracy (v. 1-3)
We begin with the catalyst for this reformation, Jehoiada the priest.
"Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took commanders of hundreds... and they entered into a covenant with him. And they went around Judah and gathered the Levites... and the heads of the fathers’ households... and they came to Jerusalem. Then all the assembly cut a covenant with the king in the house of God." (2 Chronicles 23:1-3)
The action begins with a single man deciding that six years of tyranny is enough. "Jehoiada strengthened himself." Reformation does not begin with a committee vote. It begins when one man, filled with the Spirit of God, decides to be courageous. For six years, he had protected the young king Joash in the temple precincts. This was an act of faith, but faith without works is dead. The time for quiet preservation was over; the time for public action had come.
And what is his first step? He does not act alone. He builds a coalition. He approaches the military leaders, the "commanders of hundreds," and brings them into a covenant. This is not a mere handshake agreement. A covenant is a sworn oath before God. Jehoiada understands that a reformation requires binding, solemn commitments. He then expands this network, gathering the Levites, the spiritual backbone of the nation, and the clan leaders, the civil representatives of the people. This is a grassroots movement, organized from the top down by godly leadership. He is uniting the church (Levites), the state (commanders), and the people (household heads) under one covenantal purpose.
Notice where this all culminates: "in the house of God." The political restoration of the nation is planned and covenanted for in the temple. This is scandalous to the modern pietist. But for Jehoiada, it was obvious. The health of the nation is a spiritual issue, and therefore the church is necessarily involved. The covenant they make is "with the king," the seven-year-old boy Joash. They are not seizing power for themselves; they are restoring the legitimate, God-ordained authority. Their actions are based on God's prior Word: "Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David." This is not rebellion; it is counter-rebellion. They are overthrowing a usurper to re-establish the rule of law, God's law.
A Liturgical Coup (v. 4-7)
Next, Jehoiada lays out the brilliant and detailed logistics of the operation.
"This is the thing which you shall do: one-third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers... one-third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation... But let no one enter the house of Yahweh except the priests and the ministering Levites... And the Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand..." (2 Chronicles 23:4-7 LSB)
This is a masterstroke of strategy. Jehoiada schedules the coup for the Sabbath, during the changing of the Levitical guard. This allows him to double his manpower without raising suspicion, as one shift is arriving while the other is departing. He uses the ordinary structures of worship as the framework for a political revolution. This is applied theology at its finest.
The assignments are precise. One-third of the men secure the temple gates. Another third secures the palace. The final third secures a key strategic gate. The rest of the people are to remain in the outer courts, providing a massive, supportive presence. This is a popular uprising, but it is an orderly and disciplined one. Jehoiada is careful to maintain the holiness of God's house even in the midst of a military operation. Only the consecrated priests and Levites are to enter the temple proper. The people are to "keep the charge of Yahweh." This means that even in a time of crisis, the law of God is not set aside. The reformation must be conducted righteously if it is to succeed.
And the central task is clear: protect the king. The Levites are to form a human shield around Joash, armed and ready. "Whoever enters the house, let him be put to death." These are not ushers with felt offering bags. These are Levites with swords, prepared to use lethal force to defend God's anointed and God's house from defilement. This demonstrates that there are things worth fighting for, and the life of God's anointed king is one of them. The church is not a pacifist society when it comes to defending righteousness against tyranny.
Executing the Plan (v. 8-10)
The plan is put into motion with precision and faithfulness.
"So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded... Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the commanders of hundreds the spears and the shields... which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. And he caused all the people to stand, each man with his weapon in his hand..." (2 Chronicles 23:8-10 LSB)
The people's obedience is highlighted. They did "according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded." A successful reformation requires submission to lawful, godly authority. This was not a chaotic mob; it was a disciplined army under the command of the high priest.
And where do the weapons come from? They come from the house of God. Specifically, they are the weapons of King David, which had been stored in the temple. This is dripping with theological significance. First, it shows that the temple was not just a place of prayer, but an armory. It was the spiritual and, in this case, military center of the nation. Second, by using David's weapons, Jehoiada is symbolically connecting this action back to the foundation of the covenant dynasty. They are not inventing something new; they are restoring the old paths. They are fighting in the spirit of David, the warrior-king who established the throne they are now reclaiming.
The entire assembly is armed and positioned, forming a perimeter from the right side of the temple to the left, surrounding the altar and the king. The picture is one of total commitment. The worship of God (at the altar) and the government of God (in the king) are standing together, protected by an armed and willing populace.
The Coronation (v. 11)
The climax of the operation is the coronation of the rightful king.
"Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, 'Long live the king!'" (2 Chronicles 23:11 LSB)
Here are the three essential elements of a godly enthronement. First, they put the crown on him. This signifies his royal authority, his right to rule. He is the legitimate heir of David.
Second, and most importantly, they "gave him the testimony." What is this? The "testimony" refers to the law of God, likely a scroll of Deuteronomy. This is the foundation of biblical government. The king is not the source of law; he is subject to the law of God. His first act as king is to receive the Word of God as his standard. A king who rules without the testimony is a tyrant. A government that legislates without reference to the law of God is an illegitimate government. This single act establishes the principle of constitutional monarchy, where God's law is the constitution.
Third, Jehoiada and his sons "anointed him." This is the act of consecration, setting him apart for his holy office. The anointing signifies that the king's power comes from God, and he is accountable to God for how he uses it. The state is an institution ordained by God, and its leaders are ministers of God (Romans 13). The church, represented by the priesthood, is administering this rite, reminding the king and the people of this foundational truth.
And the people's response is a joyous acclamation: "Long live the king!" This is not the fearful silence of a people living under tyranny. It is the glad shout of a people liberated, a people whose rightful king, under God's law, has been restored. True liberty is not freedom from all authority; it is freedom under godly authority.
Conclusion: Reformation is Always Necessary
This is not just a fascinating historical account. It is a paradigm for us. We do not live under a monarchy, and our high priest is in heaven. But the principles are permanent.
Our nation is currently held captive by a ruling class that is every bit as hostile to the covenant of God as Athaliah was. They are systematically trying to erase the knowledge of God from public life, redefine the most basic created realities like male and female, and murder the unborn by the millions. They have seized the levers of power and are waging war on the line of David, which is the Church of Jesus Christ.
What is the church's response to be? Are we to hide in the temple, quietly preserving a remnant, hoping the storm passes? There is a time for that. But there also comes a time when the Jehoiadas must strengthen themselves. There comes a time for faithful men to make covenants, to strategize, to speak publicly, and to act decisively. The church is the pillar and buttress of the truth, and that truth has implications for every square inch of creation, including the halls of government.
Our weapons are not carnal, but they are mighty. Our primary weapon is the proclamation of the gospel, the testimony of God. We must, like Jehoiada, insist that our leaders receive this testimony. We must anoint our culture with the truth of God's Word. We must be willing to form strategic alliances, to plan, to organize, and to work for the restoration of a truly Christian consensus. We must teach our people that there is no neutrality, and that Christ must be king over all. We are not planning a military coup, but we must be planning a spiritual, intellectual, and cultural one. We must work and pray for the day when the joyful shout goes up from a repentant people, "Long live the King", and the king they mean is Jesus.