Joash was rescued by his Aunt Jehoshabeath, who was King Ahaziah’s sister, and was hidden away in a storage room in the Temple. Joash was hidden in the Temple for six years while Athaliah reigned as queen. 2 Chron 22:11-12
Do you ever ask yourself, “what difference does my faith make in such a wicked world?” Have you ever found yourself giving in, giving up, or whimping out because the culture around you seems to hard to go against?
The other morning in my bible reading time I came across a passage that I’ve read many times but that doesn’t get much notice in the Sunday morning pulpit. Once again I was struck with a sense of conviction and renewed courage.
During a time when God’s people were at an all time low in carnality, compromise and corruption, there stands the faith of one woman.
Jehoshabeath was a woman who lived during the time when a wicked queen was having all godly influences murdered. In her desperate bid for power, queen Athaliah wanted to insure that no seed of those who worshiped the only true God would live on to become king, so she ordered a mass slaughter.
Then in just a few short sentences, God’s word spotlights a woman who did something no one else had the insight or initiative to do. Jehoshabeath takes Joash (her nephew), the only survivor of the godly family members, and hides him in the house of God. During this time Jehoshabeath’s husband gathered his courage and appointed army officers and priests to make Joash king.
When Joash was seven years old the public proclamation was made and he became Jerusalem’s king. This would fulfill God’s promise to His people that a descendant of King David would sit on the throne. When the wicked queen heard about this she tried to hold on to her power but at last she was taken out by the godly leaders and put to death.
Do you see the significance of this story? One woman decided to do the unthinkable. One woman was willing to risk her life to preserve a remnant of God’s people. She knew that God had made a promise and made herself and instrument to fulfill His purpose.
In the midst of such indifference and apathy, Jehoshabeath lives her faith in God with such holy boldness and because of her one act, the outcome was do to courage under fire.
Just as a side note Jehoshabeath’s name means, “Jehovah is her oath”.
Read 2Chronicles 22 and 23. What does this teach you about God? Think about the time and culture of Jehoshabeath’s life in this story. Do you think her choice to live for God was an easy one? Have your circumstances or the culture of our day become an excuse for not living out your faith in God with courage? What will you do about what you’ve learned through her story?