II Chronicles 23: Levites To The Rescue

The Davidic monarchy is restored in II Chronicles 23 thanks to Jehoida the priest and the tribe of Levi.

Jehoida organizes an uprising against Queen Athaliah by assembling a force of Levites from throughout Judah to gather in Jerusalem to crown Joash as king and renew the covenant with the Lord.  Jehoida commanded them,  "The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house shall be killed.  Stay with the king in his comings and goings" (vs. 7).

This physical protection of Joash against his enemies was essential.  The Levites guarded him as the sole remaining heir of the kings tracing their line back to David.  They form a sort of "secret service" protection around the young Joash and establish a security corridor in the temple.

Of course, Queen Athaliah soon hears of what's going on.  When she finds out, she dies amid her accusing cries of "Treason!"  To her, it was treason.  To God's people, it was a restoration of the proper way of things.  Not only was a pagan ruler replaced with a godly one, but so, too, was the land cleansed of Baal worship.  "Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars" (vs. 17).

It is a moment like this when the nation of Judah returned to its roots.  The way of the Lord was re-established.  Jehoida organized things "as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, according to the order of David" (vs. 18).  At the end of II Chronicles 23, the law of Moses and the order of David once again rule the day!