Grabbing the baby and frantically
running through the corridors towards the Temple,
Jehosheba’s anxiety was at an extreme high.
Hearing the screams and rage coming from behind her, she focused on the
task at hand. Holding the baby close to
muffle any cries, Jehosheba motioned for the baby’s nurse to hurry and follow
her.
“When Athaliah the mother of
Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal
family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of
King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him
away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to
hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.
He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six
years while Athaliah ruled the land.”
Athaliah, a murderer and wicked
woman who encouraged her son in “wrong doing” (2 Chronicles 22:3), thought she had annihilated the royal linage of
King David, but she was mistaken. God
always has a plan and will always triumph.
This prideful, arrogant woman was no match for another who loved the
Lord and followed after his ways. Good
verses Evil, hate versus love, wicked versus righteousness and pride versus
humility. Jehosheba ran to the very
place, the place Hannah ran for comfort, the place were our High Priest sits at
the right hand of the Father interceding for us (Hebrews 8:1-2), the Temple of the Lord. Where else would you place a baby far away
from wicked hands, but in the “secret place of the Most High” (Psalm 91:1).
Jehosheba reminds me of Mordecai’s
words to Queen Esther, “Do not think because you are in the king’s house you
along of all the Jews will escape. For
if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will
arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And
who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?”
God will not let his people perish.
For six years, the young prince
Joash remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord while a wicked
woman ruled. Christian, the bible never
promises life without persecution or hatred, but on the contrary our Lord and
Savior said we are to expect it and receive it with great joy, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and
falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your
reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.” (Matthew
5:11-12).
I can only
imagine what those six years were like.
Having to keep this child hidden, think of Jehochbed, from people who
would intent him harm, to hide an infant, a child locked away from prying eyes
and gossiping mouths, must have had Jehosheba on and her husband on high
alert. I am sure there were “sheep in
wolves clothing” ready to messenger the latest uprising, gossip and revolt up
to Athaliah. Six years of praying,
fasting and believing the Lord for protection and safety. Six years of waiting for the right time to
announce who the rightful king was. Six
years of private conversations, praying these men who stood beside Jehoiada the
priest, Jehosheba’s husband, would not betray them or King David’s
heritage. How long are you willing to
wait for the Lord? Are you willing to
stand up against evil, in such a time and season as this for our Jesus Christ
our Lord? Are you Jehosheba?
Joash was
seven years old when he began to reign (2
Kings 11:21). He reigned in Jerusalem forty years and
did what was right in the Lord’s eyes instructed by Jehoiada the priest (2 Kings 12:1-2). “Train a child in the way he should go, and
when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs
22:6). Joash was trained in the way
of the Lord and God’s eyes approved.
Because of one woman’s bravery, because of one woman’s quick thinking,
because of one woman willing to risk her life for the Lord, for truth and
righteousness, good conquered evil. One
woman.
I pray that
I can be as Jehosheba. I do not want to
be afraid of those who can harm the body, but not kill the soul, for as Christ
said, “Do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will to be
disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the
daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body,
but cannot kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul
and body in hell.” (Matthew
10:26-28).
Christian,
we are living in a time where many desire to silence the church. We are living in a time where there is no
prayer in school for our children and where many refuse to say the Pledge of
Allegiance for not to offend someone with the verse, “Under God”. We are living in a time were Christians are
being persecuted, killed, imprisoned and silenced because of the Gospel. America is in a state of
“luke-warmness”. Where is the outrage of
these atrocities? Where are the Christians who children attend public school
campaigning for prayer? Where are the Christians who desire worship and praise
instead of “ungodly, twerking, scantily clothed” concerts? Where are these
Christians? I pray your reputation
precedes you as a Christian who spreads the Gospel, is unashamed to stand with
Christ, who picks up her Cross daily and lives for a High Priest.
Do not
think you are the only one. As I write,
I am reminded of what the Lord spoke to the prophet Elijah, “Yet I have
reserved seven thousand in Israel
– all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouth have not
kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18). Pray to the Lord for those who will stand
with you, pray with you, encourage you and desire this same precious seed to
spread. I plead with you Christian, do
not compromise and succumb to the world.
It may look like there is no hope, but our God is a very big God. We serve Maker of Heaven and Earth, Jehovah
Jirah, El-Shaddai, Adonai, and the Great I AM!
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Fight the good fight and be as Jehosheba in faith, spread the Gospel and
Truth of Jesus of Nazareth.
Let us Pray and
CONFESS the Word of the Living God;
Adonai,
I call on
the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Maker of Heaven and Earth and the Father
of a Savior Jesus Christ. The Christ
said whatever I ask for in faith will be given unto me if I continue to ask,
seek and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). I desire to ask as Solomon, Father I seek
wisdom. I desire the wisdom to fight
this battle against righteousness and Truth.
I desire the wisdom to remember Scripture when I am confronted “worldly”
attitudes, the love as Christ to share with all people and the belief you will
give me the words to say when I need to say them.
I do not
want to be afraid of what others will say or do for we do not have a spirit of
fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). So do not
fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). I know 1 John 4:18 writes,
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has
to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” Continue
to strengthen me so I am unashamed, unafraid and bold in love for the Gospel.
Praise you
Lord for your protection. I praise you Lord I can dwell in the secret place of
the Most High, finding rest in the shadow of the Almighty. You are my refuge, my fortress, my God, in
whom I trust. I know you will save me
from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. I know you will cover me with your feathers,
and under your wings I will find refuge; your faithfulness will be my shield
and rampart. I will not fear the terror
of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in
the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. Lord, a thousand may fall at your side, ten
thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near me.
I will make
the Most High my dwelling, the Lord who is my refuge, and no harm will befall
me, no disaster will come near my tent.
For you will command your angels concerning me to guard me in all my
ways and they will lift me up in their hands so that I will not strike my foot
against stone. Lord you will tread upon
the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent! I know the bible says, “Because he loves me,”
says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my
name. He will call upon me and I will
answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.” (Psalm 91). Praise God! In the name of
Jesus of Nazareth I pray, Amen!
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