What does Jehosheba's action teach about God's protection and providence? Setting the Scene in Judah - 2 Chronicles 22 sketches dark days for the Southern Kingdom: King Ahaziah is dead, and his mother Athaliah seizes power by slaughtering every royal heir. - Verse 11 breaks the grim pattern: “But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from the princes who were to be killed… So Jehoshabeath… hid Joash from Athaliah, and she did not kill him.” (2 Chronicles 22:11) - Humanly speaking, the Davidic line teetered on extinction; divinely speaking, the covenant promises could not fail (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jehosheba’s Brave Intervention - She acts swiftly, risking her own life to spirit the infant Joash—and his nurse—into a storeroom attached to the temple. - Her identity links palace and priesthood: daughter of King Jehoram, wife of High Priest Jehoiada. God placed her in just the right family relationships for this moment. - The secrecy lasts six years (2 Chronicles 22:12). Providence often moves in patience, not haste. Lessons on God’s Protection • God shields His promises with precise, personal care. – Psalm 121:4: “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” • He can protect through ordinary people in ordinary places. – Athaliah ruled the palace; God protected the future king in a bedroom closet. • No plot of wickedness can overthrow His safeguarding hand. – Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” – Proverbs 21:30: “No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can prevail against the LORD.” Lessons on God’s Providential Plan • Covenant continuity: the line of David must lead to Christ (Matthew 1:1). Jehosheba’s action preserves that line. • God weaves small, unseen acts into the grand tapestry of redemption. • He positions people before crises arise. Esther guarded Israel in Persia; Jehosheba guarded Judah in Jerusalem. • Providence often works through hidden years. Six silent years prepared the day when Joash would be revealed and Athaliah overthrown (2 Chronicles 23). Connecting Threads Across Scripture - Baby Moses drawn from the Nile (Exodus 2) and baby Joash hidden in the temple illustrate a pattern: God shelters deliverers before they deliver others. - The slaughter of infants in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-18) shows Satan’s recurring attempt to cut off the Messianic line, yet Christ survives and triumphs. - Romans 8:28: “We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” Jehosheba’s courage became part of that “all things.” Personal Takeaways - God still protects His people and His purposes, even when hostile powers seem unchecked. - Quiet obedience can alter the course of history. - Faith rests in the certainty that God’s providence cannot be thwarted; His promises stand firm, His protective hand never misses its mark. |
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