What role does Jehosheba play in fulfilling God's promises in 2 Kings 11:3? The Dark Threat to God’s Promise • 2 Kings 11 opens with Athaliah murdering every male heir she can find: “But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring” (2 Kings 11:1). • This assault targets the house of David. Yet God had pledged: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:13). If every prince dies, the covenant appears broken. Jehosheba Steps into the Story • “But Jehosheba … took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away … and hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. And he remained hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years” (2 Kings 11:2-3). • Jehosheba is both a princess (daughter of King Jehoram, sister to the slain King Ahaziah) and the wife of Jehoiada the high priest (2 Chronicles 22:11). This unique position gives her: – Access to the palace to rescue the infant Joash. – Access to the temple to conceal him among the consecrated rooms. • Her decisive courage places her between God’s promise and Athaliah’s sword. Safeguarding the Davidic Line • Joash is the sole surviving male descendant of David. By hiding him, Jehosheba preserves: – The legal right to David’s throne (2 Kings 8:19; Psalm 89:34-36). – The ancestry through which Christ would later come (Matthew 1:6-16; Luke 3:31-32). • God often works through overlooked individuals. Here, a woman with no recorded prophecy fulfills divine prophecy simply by protecting a baby. Six Years of Waiting—God’s Timing • Joash’s concealment lasts “six years” (2 Kings 11:3). During that period: – Athaliah believes she has wiped out David’s line. – The nation endures apostasy and Baal worship (2 Chronicles 23:17). • At the perfect moment, Jehoiada stages the coronation (2 Kings 11:4-12). The delay highlights that God’s promises may seem delayed but are never defeated (Habakkuk 2:3). Echoes of God’s Covenant Faithfulness • Promise: “For the sake of My servant David I will keep a lamp burning in Jerusalem” (1 Kings 11:36). • Preservation: Jehosheba becomes the human means by which that “lamp” stays lit. • Fulfillment: Hundreds of years later, the angel declares to Mary: “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32)—a throne that still exists because Jehosheba once hid a single infant. Lessons for Today • God’s covenant purposes often hinge on everyday acts of faithfulness. • Courage is not limited by gender, status, or public recognition; it is fueled by trust in God’s Word. • What appears small—safeguarding one life—can have eternal significance when aligned with God’s promises. |
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