(Please read the passage above before reading the commentary.)
At one time, during the reigns of David and Solomon, all the Israelites formed one united kingdom. After Solomon, the land was split, the northern ten tribes making one kingdom and the southern two tribes forming the Kingdom of Judah.
Elijah and Elisha worked in the northern kingdom, but their work affected the southern kingdom as well. The kings of the two kingdoms sometimes intermarried. This brought Athalia, the granddaughter of a northern king, to Jerusalem. When her son died, she plotted to kill off his heirs and take over governance of the southern kingdom.
Athalia killed off the royal princes, her sons and grandsons. She didn’t bother about the princesses because they could not inherit, but missed her six-year-old royal grandson, Jehoash.
This was a dark time in the history of the kings. The royal line of David was threatened with extinction as was the monarchy connected with it. The monarchy, however, was saved by the resourcefulness of Athalia’s daughter who had married the high priest, which enabled her to hide the rightful heir in the temple for six years.
The reading describes a palace coup, a threat to the line of kings, and the restoration of law and order. Out of all the intrigue, plotting, and bloodshed, God was able to preserve his plans and confirmed his power over the events of history.
Despite human plans to the contrary, God is able to bring his plans for each of us to completion. The end of some aspects of our plans does not affect the outcome of any of God’s plans. We can be sure of this. We reflect on God’s word in history and apply it to God’s word in our history.