Athaliah

Judah’s only female ruler was a nasty character, the daughter of the wicked Ahab and Jezebel of Israel. She married Judah’s king Jehoram, and after he and their son both died, Athaliah took the throne and proceeded to exterminate the whole royal family.

But one prince, Joash, was hidden away from the massacre, and six years later the priest Jehoiada plotted to put the boy on the throne.

Athaliah entered the temple to see what the ruckus was: Jehoiada had brought out Joash and crowned him, and the people shouted “Long live the king!” Furious, Athaliah tore her clothes, shouting “Treason! Treason!” The murderous woman was dragged from the temple and put to death (2 Kings 11:1–16).

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Praise Resounds Throughout Creation

Timothy Keller

The Praise Of Creation. Praise comes to God from all he has made. It begins in the highest heaven (verses 1–4). It comes from the sun and moon and stars (verse 3), from the clouds and rain (verse 4).

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

True Worship that Pleases the Lord

Timothy Keller

A little boy left his toys out and went in to practice the piano, using hymns for his lesson. When his mother called him to pick up his toys, he said, “I ca n’t eat; “I’m singing praise to Jesus.” His mother responded: “There's no use singing God's praises when you're being disobedient.”

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

From Heavenly Greatness to Inexhaustible Love

Timothy Keller

The number of stars is still uncountable by human science, yet God knows them by name (verse 4; cf. Isaiah 40:26). Job speaks of the creation, when “the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

The Gift of Himself

David Jeremiah

Long ago, there ruled a wise and good king in Persia who loved his people and often dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar so he could visit the poor and learn about their hardships.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Healing Time

J. Stephen Lang

1868: On this date a political leader who grew up poor, had no formal education and was illiterate until his wife taught him to read and write, issued Proclamation 179 “granting full pardon and amnesty for the offense of treason against the United States during the late Civil War.”