The Hiding Place

Tuesday 6-23-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:  2 Kings 10   2 Chron 22-23    1 Tim 5

S.  2 Chron 22:10-12  When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she set out to destroy the rest of Judah's royal family. But Ahaziah's sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah's infant son, Joash, and stole him away from among the rest of the king's children, who were about to be killed. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jehosheba, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him.  Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.  NLT

O.  Athaliah was a wicked woman.  First she taught her son, King Ahaziah to do evil and then when she discovered that he had been killed, she set out to murder all the royal family, all descendents of King David.  But Jehosheba, wife of priest Jehoiada, grabbed baby Joash and hid him with his nurse.  For the next six years Joash was hidden in the temple.  The wicked self-appointed Queen Athaliah did not know that a future king, a descendant of King David was being raised and trained inside the walls of the temple. 

A.  Could this child’s faith, developed while living his first six years in the temple under a Jewish priest, have had anything to do with him becoming a good king?  There weren’t many kings that were well spoken of in the holy record.  Most of them were evil.  But this little guy took over when he was seven years old and apparently did a good job.  He tried to clean up the ugly mess left him by his predecessors.  But many years later when the priest, who had blessed his life, died, Joash accepted the advice of evil men and died in disgrace.  Joash was wishy-washy.  He flowed with the current.  The political world of government leadership is a hard place to live out a full life of integrity.  Personal power, even in religious sectors tends to breed evil. 

P.  My Lord, let me learn from King Joash.  He was protected and raised by godly people.  He started out well, but in his final days, when his mentor-priest was gone, he succumbed to evil influences and died in disgrace.  Oh Lord, keep me true to You.  Both good and evil influences surround me.  Worldly voices offer me their options.  Strengthen my faith in my final days on this earth.  May I seek You more fervently than ever and find in You my hiding place!  Amen.

Ralph