upon the Israelites regarding loyalty to the kingdom covenant. But there were Israelites that put God’s worship and his kingdom covenant above nationalism. They are an example for us today. For instance, take the priests and Levites who served at Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem but whose homes were located in forty-eight cities scattered about in the twelve tribes of Israel. (Num. 35:6-8; Josh. 21:1-41) The record that they made for themselves reads:

²² “The priests and the Levites themselves that were in all Israel took their stand by [the son of King Solomon] out of all their territories. For the Levites left their pasture grounds and their property and then came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam [the king of the ten revolted tribes] and his sons had discharged them from acting as priests to Jehovah. . . . And following [the Levites] from all the tribes of Israel those that were giving their heart to seek Jehovah the God of Israel came themselves to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah the God of their forefathers. And they kept strengthening the kingship of Judah and confirming Rehoboam the son of Solomon.”—2 Chron. 11:13-17.

23. According to the record, what did Israelites already living temporarily in Judah do regarding the issue?

²³ Israelites who were living temporarily in Judah did not revolt and stir up civil war but submitted loyally to the king who represented Jehovah’s kingdom covenant with David. The record says: “As for the sons of Israel that were dwelling in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam continued to reign over them.”—2 Chron. 10:17.

24. During the reigns of kings of Judah, who deserted to the kingdom of Judah, and whom did Asa collect together to Jerusalem, with what covenant resulting?

²⁴ Throughout the reigns of a number of kings of Judah, faithful Israelites deserted to the kingdom of Judah, because its king was enjoying the loving-kindnesses or acts of loyal love of Jehovah. In the days of Rehoboam’s grandson, King Asa, “he began to collect together all Judah and Benjamin and the temporary residents with them from [the revolted tribes of] Ephraim and Manasseh and Simeon, for they had deserted to him from Israel in great number when they saw that Jehovah his God was with him. So they were collected together at Jerusalem . . . Furthermore, they entered into a covenant to search for Jehovah the God of their forefathers with all their heart and with all their soul.” They sought for him while he could be found, and “he let himself be found by them.”—2 Chron. 15:9-15.

25, 26. (a) What remarkable demonstration of loyalty to the kingdom covenant came at the death of King Ahaziah of Jerusalem? (b) How was the lone heir to the kingdom covenant finally anointed king?

²⁵ King Ahaziah was the eighth ruler of Jerusalem in the line of King David. At his death there came a remarkable demonstration of loyalty to the kingdom covenant as symbolized in the royal house of David. His mother Athaliah, the granddaughter of wicked King Omri of the revolted ten tribes, usurped the throne of Jerusalem. That throne belonged only to men in Jehovah’s kingdom covenant. To keep herself in it Athaliah “destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah,” all except a baby boy, Jehoash. His aunt, Jehosheba, had married the Levite high priest, Jehoiada. Determined to keep the royal line of King David alive in harmony with the covenant that David should not fail for a man to sit on his throne, aunt Jehosheba stole baby Jehoash away. She kept him and his nursing woman concealed in an inner bedroom in the temple of Jehovah.

²⁶ How appropriate that Jehovah’s temple safely concealed the lone heir of His kingdom covenant! In the seventh year of this underground existence of growing Jehoash, the loyal High Priest Jehoiada brought him forth and anointed him king at a temple pillar. The murderous usurper Athaliah heard the noise of jubilation. “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!” she cried out when she came in and saw what had happened. In loyalty to Jehovah’s rightful king, High Priest Jehoiada had her conducted outside and put to death at a gate of the palace. (2 Chron. 22:10 to 23:15; 2 Ki. 11:1-16) In his loving-kindness Jehovah, by means of his loyal worshipers, proved true to his covenant made with his servant King David.

27. In Jehoash’s case, how did loss of appreciation lead to disloyalty, but what kept the kingdom covenant operating?

²⁷ Loss of appreciation leads to disloyalty. Even Jehoash gave an example of that. As long as High Priest Jehoiada lived and was his spiritual adviser, King Jehoash went straight. After Jehoiada died, Jehoash listened to idolatrously inclined princes of Judah. Jehoiada’s son, the High Priest Zechariah, objected. “Because you have left Jehovah, he will, in turn, leave you,” he said. Finally, at King Jehoash’s own command, the people conspired against High Priest Zechariah and stoned him to death in the very courtyard of Jehovah’s temple. What base ungratefulness! Says 2 Chronicles 24:22: “Jehoash the king did not remember the loving-kindness that Jehoiada [Zechariah’s] father had exercised toward him, so that he killed his son, who, when he was at the point of dying, said: ‘Let Jehovah see to it and ask it back.’” Jehovah did. The record tells us how Jehoash died: “His own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and they got to kill him upon his own couch, so that he died.” (2 Chron. 24:25) His son Amaziah succeeded him on the “throne of Jehovah.” Thus, by Jehovah’s loving-kindness, the kingdom covenant kept operating.

Men of Loving-Kindness and the Kingdom

1. What questions become proper today regarding the kingdom covenant, and how is our own life involved?

HOW can we today be loyal to Jehovah’s everlasting covenant with David for the kingdom? With whom today has Jehovah concluded an “indefinitely lasting covenant respecting the loving-kindnesses to David that are faithful”? (Isa. 55:3) Look! the old city of Jerusalem is held by Mohammedan Arabs. The mountaintop once occupied by Jehovah’s temple is now crowned with the mosque known as the Dome of the Rock. The Republic of Israel has no king of the royal house of David in the covenant for the kingdom. What has happened to that everlasting covenant? Our gaining everlasting life in God’s approaching new world of righteousness hangs on our getting the right answer and acting in loyal harmony with it.

2. How did the active kingship of David’s successors at Jerusalem cease, and how was it that Zerubbabel did not revive the kingship?

² In 618 B.C. King Jehoiachin, the nineteenth