The inhabitants of Jerusalem faced great turmoil when the Arabians invaded, killing the ruling monarch and his eldest sons. Among the aftermath of death and confusion, they appointed Ahaziah, the youngest son of Jehoram, as their new king. Forty-two years old at the time, he assumed the throne, his reign, however, barely lasted a year.

Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, daughter of Omri, played a significant role in shaping his rule. She encouraged him to follow in the path of the house of Ahab, planting seeds in him that bore wicked fruit. Ahaziah’s actions became a reflection of his mother’s influence; his deeds were deemed evil in the sight of Jehovah.

Ahaziah followed the lead of Jehoram, King Ahab’s son, and engaged in wars, the first being against Hazael, the king of Syria. During the battle at Ramoth-gilead, Ahaziah found himself critically injured and ensnared in a political web of Syrian affairs. This situation led him to retreat, seeking healing for his wounds in Jezreel while the kingdom was left in the hands of Azariah, Jehoram’s son.

Ahaziah’s downfall was instigated by divine intervention. God initiated it when Ahaziah visited Jehoram. Upon arrival, Ahaziah joined Jehoram to combat Jehu, God’s anointed instrument chosen to obliterate the house of Ahab.

As Jehu executed lethal judgment on Ahab’s house, he discovered Ahaziah’s court officials and brothers, loyally serving him. Fuelled by his divine mandate, Jehu murdered them. Ahaziah, who had been hiding in Samaria, was captured and brought to Jehu who executed him as well. His body was finally laid to rest with respect, acknowledging his lineage from Jehoshaphat, the king who had earnestly sought Jehovah. With Ahaziah’s death, his house lost its grip on the kingdom.

Upon hearing of her son’s death, Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, rose to power through an act of absolute treachery. She ordered the execution of her own grandchildren, thereby eradicating the royal seed of Judah and establishing herself as the reigning monarch.

In the midst of this heinous slaughter, Jehoshabeath, Ahaziah’s sister, cunningly rescued her nephew, Joash, the son of Ahaziah, from his fateful end. She secretly hid Joash and his nurse in her bedchamber, protecting him from Athaliah’s wrath.

In doing so, Jehoshabeath, wife of Jehoiada the priest, ensured the Davidic line’s continuity. Protected within the house of God for six years, the young Joash remained hidden, while Athaliah, oblivious to the surviving seed of David, ruled the land. Thus, this story serves as a testament to God’s preservation of His chosen lineage, even amidst turbulent times.