Joash: Di Small King Wey Dem Hide for Temple

One woman dey hurry pass di dark corridors of di palace, she hold one baby close to her body. For her back, terrible things dey happen. For her front na di one place wey nobody go think to check. Di house of God.

Dis na di kingdom of Judah, almost three thousand years ago. Dem don just kill King Ahaziah, far from house. Im mama, Athaliah, see her chance. She want di throne for herself, so she begin to destroy di whole royal family, every pikin from King David line wey fit stand for her way. But one woman get courage pass Athaliah wickedness. Jehosheba, di dead king sister, enter quietly among di royal children, carry her baby nephew Joash, and hide am and im nurse for one bedroom. Then she carry am enter di temple. And there, for di house of Di Lord, one small boy grow up for secret for six long years, while Athaliah dey rule di land.

For di seventh year, Jehoiada di priest make im move. E call di captains of di royal guard and bring dem enter di temple. E make dem swear oath. Then e show dem di king son. Imagine dia face. David line never finish after all. Jehoiada give dem plan. On di Sabbath, when di guards dey change shift, dem no go leave dia post. Dem go surround di boy, weapon for hand, and follow am anywhere wey e go. Then di priest share spears and shields wey once belong to King David imself, wey dem don keep for di temple all dis years.

Then Jehoiada bring di boy come out. E be seven years old. Di priest put di crown for im head and give am di testimony, one copy of God law. Dem anoint am king. And di people clap dia hand and shout, Long live di king!

Athaliah hear di noise, and she come inside di temple courts. Na there di boy stand near di pillar, where kings dey stand, with di captains and di trumpet blowers round am, and di people dey rejoice and dey blow trumpet. She tear her clothes and shout, Treason! Treason! Jehoiada give di order. Make she no die for inside di house of Di Lord. So di guards carry her go out reach di palace, and na there dem kill her. Then Jehoiada make covenant between Di Lord, di king and di people, say dem go be Di Lord people. Di people scatter di temple of Baal, and break im altars and im idols. And di city come quiet.

Joash grow, and Second Kings talk say e do wetin dey right for di eyes of Di Lord all di days wey Jehoiada di priest teach am. Di temple wey cover am don spoil, crack and damage everywhere. Joash tell di priests make dem use di money wey people dey give to repair am. Years pass, and nothing happen. So Jehoiada take one box, bore hole for im cover, and put am near di altar. People drop dia silver inside. When di box full, di king secretary and di high priest count am and pay di carpenters, di builders, di masons and di people wey dey cut stone. And di Bible add one fine detail. Nobody ask di men wey dey in charge make dem account for di money, because dem dey honest.

Who be Athaliah? Second Kings join her to di royal house of Omri and im son Ahab, di kings of Israel, di northern kingdom, where di palace dey push Baal worship. Her marriage to Jehoram, one king of Judah, tie di two royal families together. Dat one help explain why temple of Baal dey for Jerusalem at all. And e make her different. For di Bible account, na only her be di woman wey ever rule Judah by herself.

Dem tell di story of Joash for Second Kings, chapter eleven and twelve. One brave aunty save am. One faithful priest teach am. And while Jehoiada dey guide am, e lead well. Di rest of chapter twelve dey sad pass. Joash give temple treasure to one king wey come attack, and for di end, im own officials turn against am. Good start still need faithful finish. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Who be di people wey dey help you do wetin dey right, and how you fit thank one of dem dis week?