2 Chronicles 23:12-21
The crowning of Joash and his public appearance have thwarted all the plans of the evil Athaliah. In the same way the resurrection of the Lord Jesus brought to nothing the plots of the Enemy.
The usurper has died by the edge of the sword. The punishment which she underwent is a picture of that of the Antichrist when the Lord appears. That "man of sin" will be cast alive into the lake of fire along with the head of the Roman Empire.
Nevertheless, like her mother Jezebel, Athaliah, that abominable woman who murdered her own little children, makes us equally think of the false Church, the great professing Christendom. She wanted to reign, sacrificing to that end the souls for whom she was responsible. What is the judgment of the Lord? "For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." (Revelation 18:7-8). The death of Athaliah is followed by that of Mattan, the priest of Baal, then by the ceremonial introduction of the reign of Joash.