Athaliah's Children Hated God
2 Chronicles 24:7, "For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim."
Athaliah's children hated God, because she hated God. Athaliah was the daughter of Omri, king of Israel, who is described in 1 Kings 16:25 as one who "...did worse than all that were before him." Athaliah was so intent on receiving power that when her son, king Ahaziah, died she, "...destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah." Also, she is described as her son Ahaziah's counsellor, and her counsel is described in 2 Chronicles 22:4, "...for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly." Therefore, it is no surprise that she is described in Scripture as a wicked woman.
Now, how can I say that Athaliah's children hated God. It is simply because of their actions. You see our actions do speak louder than our words. Words can be insincere, they can be deceitful, and misconstrued. As believers we need to be careful that our words are sincere, truthful, and spoken with loving clarity. Also, our actions need to be consistent with our words. Athaliah's son's actions to break up the temple and to take the dedicated instruments of the house of God and give them to the worship of Baalim is indicative of their hatred for God.
I hope our actions are a reflection of our desire to bring glory to the Lord in everything we do. Be careful what you say, and be careful what you do. And may we raise our children and grandchildren to fear the God who loves us and gave Himself for us.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
1. What do your actions speak about God?
2. What should you do when confronted by wicked people, with wicked advice?
3. Can you say with conviction the people you influence are more in love with God because of your influence? Explain.