Who was Jehoiada in the Bible?

Father of Benaiah one of David's officers. 2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kings 1:8-44, etc. In 1 Chr. 27:5 he is called 'a chief priest,' which makes it possible that he is the same person as No. 3; but in the margin he is called 'principal officer.'

High priest during the usurpation of Athaliah. He preserved the life of Joash, the infant son of Ahaziah, and succeeded, with wisdom and energy, in placing him on the throne, and then caused the death of Athaliah. It is recorded that Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada; but on the death of the priest, the king forgot his kindness and slew Zechariah his son. 2 Kings 11:4-17; 2 Kings 12:2, 7, 9; 2 Chr. 22:11; 2 Chr. 23:1-18; 2 Chr. 24:2-25.

Leader of the Aaronites (or 'prince of Aaron') who resorted to David at Hebron. 1 Chr. 12:27.

The Lord had one man, Jehoiada the priest, to stand in the gap at this time. The king was only seven years old, but Jehoiada was a faithful and able mentor for him. Jehoiada acted as a priest of God should act, beginning by making a covenant between the Lord, the king and the people. This was consistent with the dispensation of the law of God, under which Israel was at the time. Under grace today, vows and covenants are forbidden (Mt.5:33-37). But Jehoiada sought to bring Israel back to the obedience of law, which was right at the time.

The covenant being made, then all the people of the land tore down the temple of Baal. Jehu had done this before in Israel, but as long as Athaliah was living, she could preserve Baal worship in Judah. Mattan, the priest of Baal, was killed before the altars. In contrast to the house of Baal, Jehoiada appointed officers over the house of the Lord (v.18). With the house of the Lord being cared for first, then a great retinue escorted the king from the house of the Lord to his own house, where he sat on the throne of Judah (v.19). At this time the king, being so young, was dependent on others, and particularly on Jehoiada the priest. But all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was at peace and quiet because they were relieved of the tyranny of Athaliah (v.20).

Everything was in a very low state; and, to outward appearance, all was over with the house of David; but the faithfulness of God did not fail. And, although the power of the throne is absolutely destroyed, and the family of David set aside, God raises up a man of faith, in the person of the high priest, to restore the whole. The chastisement of God was complete. The entire order of the throne was subverted by His judgment. Nothing was left but the faithfulness of God. Man was judged. He had no longer any means of recovery. But all things are at God's disposal, the heart of Jehoshaphat and the faith of Jehoiada. The latter takes the needful steps, and the king is set upon his throne; and, after all, the same thing which we have seen before again takes place: the king appoints everything concerning the re-establishment of the order in the house of God.

Athaliah received her just recompense. The youthful Joash occupied the throne of David, and the faithful priest Jehoiada was the instrument who brought about the needed revival. The beginning was in a solemn covenant. It was a covenant which bound the young ruler and the people together to be true to Jehovah, as it is demanded of the LORD's people; there was also a covenant between the King and the people (2 Kings 11:17). And the revival under the priestly direction began by the destruction of the idols and false worship and a return to Jehovah and the true worship of His Name. Every true revival must needs begin the same way. Tested by this standard most of the present day revivals are found wanting. "And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD, that none which was unclean in anything should enter in." The house of the LORD was guarded against all that is unclean. How different from the corruption which is tolerated in Christendom, in that which is "the house," the professing Church.

Joash was seven years old when he began his reign and reigned forty years. As long as Jehoiada the priest lived, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. The account of the repairing of the temple needs no further comment here. (See annotations on 2 Kings 12.) Jehoiada, the faithful priest, who had so much to do with these important events during this crisis, died 130 years old. Being connected by marriage with the royal house and in appreciation of the great work he had accomplished "because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward His house," they buried him among the kings. After his death it became manifest that the revival which had taken place had its mainstay in the good priest; Joash's convictions and faithfulness to Jehovah were but skin-deep. A reaction set in, as it has been so often in the history of the Church. He listened to the evil counsel of the princes of Judah, and then they left the house of the LORD God and became idolators. The result was wrath from God upon Judah and Jerusalem for this trespass. Such is man in his corrupt nature! But the gracious Lord did not give them up. His righteousness demanded judgment, yet in infinite mercy he sent prophets to bring them back. These unnamed prophets testified against them, but they would not give ear. They hardened their hearts against the Lord and His prophets.

A worse deed followed. Jehoiada had a son by name of Zechariah; he was the cousin of the king. Upon him came the Spirit of God and he announced the fact that because they had forsaken the LORD, He had also forsaken them (2 Chron. 15:2). Like Stephen, the first martyr of the church, Zechariah had touched the sore spot; when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart. Then they stoned Zechariah as their offspring later stoned Stephen. It was worse than base ingratitude from the side of Joash that he gave the commandment to murder the son of Jehoiada. The king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father "had done him, but slew his son."

But there is a difference between the last words of this martyr-prophet and the last words of the first martyr of the Church. Stephen prayed: "Lord lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60). Zechariah said: "The LORD look upon it and require it." Typically he represents the tribulation martyrs of the Jewish remnant, who will give the testimony concerning righteousness and the coming King at the end of the present age, and whose blood will cry for vengeance to heaven (Rev. 6:9-11). There can be no doubt our Lord meant this Zechariah when He uttered the words in Matthew 23:35. It is true He speaks of him as the son of Barachias (blessed of Jehovah); but this is not a difficulty. Barachias was another name Jehoiada bore and well suited to his character. Our Lord informs us of the place where he was slain, "between the temple and the altar." Joash, completely forsaken by the LORD, was defeated by the Syrians. Great diseases came upon him and he was murdered by his own servants. Like Jehoram he was not buried in the sepulchres of the kings.

Jehoiada lived to an age of 130years, a faithful, devoted man. At his death he was buried among the kings because he had really acted as a good king (v. 16), not assuming the place of king, but giving that place to the rightful heir to the throne, yet influencing him rightly all the days of his life. We should rightly expect that Joash would keenly feel the loss of one through whom had had been so greatly blessed, and in mourning his death, would be purposed to continue to follow his example.

"And they offered burnt-offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada. But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; a hundred and thirty years old was he when he died. And they buried him in the city of David among the kings (as well they might), because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward His house — "He had remembered the claims of the Holy One of Israel, and attended to them with vigor and fidelity. Nor could it be other than the energy of faith in a man nearly a hundred years old setting himself to overthrow such an enemy of God as Athaliah.

His extreme old age may account for his evident laxity in performing the king's command in regard to the repairing of the temple. He was born before the death of Solomon, and had seen much during his long life that peculiarly qualified him to become the protector and early guide of Jehoash. By him the kingdom was re-established, and the cause of Jehovah revived during his last days on earth. He was a true king, in heart and mind, and it was meet that the aged patriarch's mitered head should be laid to rest among those who had worn the crown.

Son of Ahaziah king of Judah. When his grandmother Athaliah attempted to cut off all the seed royal, Joash, then an infant, was hidden and preserved by his aunt, Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the high priest. When he was about seven years old, Jehoiada succeeded in placing him, as the preserved seed of David, on the throne, and putting Athaliah to death. Thus, at that time, did the Lord secure the sure mercies centred in the house of David. He reigned forty years, from B.C. 878 to 839.

During the life of Jehoiada, Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and with zeal caused the temple to be repaired. But on the death of the high priest, the princes of Judah and the king turned to idolatry. God sent them prophets, but they would not hear. Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, attempted to call them back to the worship of God, but by command of the king he was stoned to death in the court of the temple. God sent the Syrians to punish them: a small company of whom overcame a very great host of Judah, the princes were destroyed, and Joash gave all the treasures of the temple and of the king's house to the Syrians. Joash was now greatly diseased; and his servants conspired against him and slew him. He is very frequently called JEHOASH. 2 Kings 11:2, 21; 2 Kings 12:1-20; 2 Kings 13:1, 10; 2 Chr. 22:11; 2 Chr. 24:1-26; 2 Chr. 25:23, 25.

The future of David's seed hung by a slender thread. A wicked woman named Athaliah had attempted to exterminate the royal seed of Judah. She almost succeeded. One little baby boy was saved. Jehoshabeath, the daughter of Jehoram, a previous king of Judah, who was married to Jehoiada the priest, saved the boy from the cruel death that his brothers had experienced. The baby boy and his nurse were hid in the house of God for six years (2 Chr. 22:10-12). But Joash was not yet seated firmly on David's throne. The wicked Athaliah was still alive. Jehoiada the priest took positive steps to deal with the problem. Gathering the important people of Judah into the house of God where the young boy, now seven years old, was, Jehoiada reminded them of Jehovah's pledge to David that his sons would sit on his throne. When the covenant was made to defend the boy king's right to the throne Jehoiada armed the men. They were no ordinary arms that were in the house of God. They were king David's spears, shields and targets, (large and small shields). It is remarkable that the weapons of warfare that had enabled David to mount the throne of Judah and Israel were now used to protect the helpless scion of his house, and enable him to reign. Athaliah was slain and better conditions were secured for the worship of God. Idolatry was overthrown and David's influence was further seen in his directions being followed in relation to the Levites and the service of song (2 Chr. 23:16-21).

Jehosheba ("the LORD's oath" is the meaning of her name), through whom the covenant-oath was sustained, was the wife of Jehoiada (meaning "the LORD knows"), the high-priest (2 Chron. 22:11); he was brother-in-law to Ahaziah (2 Chron. 22:11) and Jehosheba was probably a half sister of Ahaziah. She took the young child from among the King's sons and hid him first in the bed-chamber and then in the house of the LORD till the seventh year. Well may we see here a most beautiful type of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like Joash He was doomed to death, yea, He died. But He was raised from the dead and is now hidden in the house of God above, the heavens having received Him. Joash, the heir of the throne of David, was hidden till the seventh year even as the true heir to the throne of David is now hidden in the presence of God till the six years (six the number of man's day, the present age) are passed. And when the seventh year comes--the beginning of the coming age, He will be brought forth as Joash was brought from his hiding place and be crowned king.

A remnant selected by Jehoiada saw the king first. It is a great scene this chapter describes. The company brought together, armed with King David's shields and spears, the king's son brought into the midst, Jehoiada putting the crown upon his head, anointing him with oil, they clapped with their hands and shouted "God save the King." Greater will be the scene when He will be crowned King of Kings, whose right it is to reign. Athaliah, the usurper, appears on the scene, attracted by the noise. She is face to face with the crowned king and receives now her well-deserved punishment outside of the house of the LORD. A great revival followed. A covenant was made by Jehoiada between the LORD and the king and people "that they should be the LORD's people." Baal's altars and images are broken. The king sits upon his throne. All the people of the land rejoiced and there was peace. All these blessed results are faint foreshadowings of what is yet to be when the usurper is cast out, when the true King is crowned. Then Israel will be in truth the LORD's people, idolatry will cease, the land and the people will rejoice and the city be quiet.