Line up with God’s purposes! -- 2 Kings 11:1-3, 12, 15-20

Line up with God’s purposes! -- 2 Kings 11:1-3, 12, 15-20
By Pastor Lee Hemen
October 14, 2018

Sam was the president of the bank in his town. He and his wife enjoyed the excitement and popularity of their community positions. In the eyes of many he was a successful husband, father, and community leader. However, almost every time Sam passed a church on his way to and from work, he felt a twinge of guilt. He knew he and his family were not living up to the standards his father and mother had taught him. Though he and his wife were nominal church members, they were not actively working in the church to accomplish the Lord’s will in their community. Each year, that fact weighed more heavily on his conscience. Believers are called to yield to and act in line with God’s purposes in the world and in their lives.

The verses we will look at this morning we will discover two women, one of whom pursued an agenda directly opposed to the purposes of God. The second woman determined to act in line with God’s purposes and planned her actions accordingly. How do you define success? What is the relationship between success and taking actions to fulfill God’s purposes? Why is pursuing one’s own agenda without regard to God’s purposes wrong? Let’s find out this morning…

READ: 2 Kings 11:1-3, 12, 15-20

I. We will face challenges to God’s purposes! (Vv. 1-3, 12)

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.

  1. This is a sordid tale of murder, scheming, and downright ungodly behavior! The background for this account is God’s promise to David that his descendants would rule over his people forever. When Jehoshaphat of Judah was king, he made an alliance with Ahab of Israel by having his son Jehoram marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. Jehoram then became the next king of Judah. A son born to Jehoram and Athaliah, Ahaziah, became Judah’s next king and Athaliah the queen mother. At Ahaziah’s death, she usurped Judah’s throne for herself and became queen. Following the death of Ahaziah, his idolatrous mother then began to murder any of his descendants she could find: “When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.” Her action would have ended the rule of David’s descendants over God’s people, which God had promised would be forever. Do you think Satan was active in this? More than likely, however, an unlikely person steps forward in bravery, courage, and strength. Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s little sister, took the dead king’s small child Joash and his nurse and hid them from Athaliah. Now least you misunderstand what is going on here let me remind you that Athaliah was a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and now as Judah’s only reigning queen and the strongest Baal advocate among Judah’s rulers, she would bring about a surge in paganism, ungodly worship, and behavior just like Jezebel. She was just as horrendous and murderous as her mother Jezebel. Israel now faced dark times unless someone stepped forward to do what God desired. And she did: “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.” In these verses we discover that as God’s people we will face challenges to God’s purposes!

  EXAMPLE: When Jehosheba realized Athaliah was killing the king’s children, she protected one child, Joash. Perhaps she did this out of compassion for the child. Or perhaps she was aware she needed to save at least one descendant of David. Both Jehosheba and Jehoiada exhibited great courage when they chose to embrace God’s purposes and save the life of Joash. They could not let Athaliah defeat God’s purpose to have a king from David’s house on the throne. At great risk they hid Joash, removed Athaliah, and installed Joash as Judah’s king. We too may face great risks in taking God’s purposes and agenda as our own. We will face challenges to God’s purposes!

What risks have you seen Christians take in pursuing God’s purposes and agenda? What encourages you to take such risks? What discourages you from taking such risks? Whatever happens in our lives…

II. We are to fulfill God’s purposes! (Vv. 12, 15-20)

Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”… Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD.” So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death. Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars…The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

  1. The priest Jehoiada then began making plans to rid Judah of Athaliah and make Joash Judah’s king. He conspired against Athaliah with the temple guards, the army, and the Carites who were mercenary soldiers. Under tight security, Jehoiada brought out Joash from his hiding place and presented him to the people. He put the crown on the young king’s head, gave him a copy of the testimony, and proclaimed him king. “They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’” The noise of the people’s shouts and the trumpets’ blasts reached the palace and the ears of Athaliah. Going to the temple, she found Joash standing in the king’s customary place wearing the crown of the throne of Judah. Joash was surrounded by guards and by people rejoicing and blowing trumpets. She tore her robes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!” But she was taken prisoner. Then “Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: ‘Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest had said, ‘She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD.’” Because the temple was a holy place and human blood was not to be spilled there. “So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.” Though gruesome to read, these events stress the awesome responsibility to embrace God’s purposes rather than to oppose them. People do not defeat God’s purposes; they defeat themselves trying to go against God’s purposes. Following Athaliah’s death, Jehoiada made a threefold covenant: “Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down.” To implement their covenant, the people tore down the temple to Baal that Athaliah had erected. They also “smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.” Joash began a 40-year reign at age seven because of the courage and desire in the heart of Jehosheba and her husband Jehoiada to do what they could to fulfill God’s purposes. Through their actions, a descendant of David was returned to Judah’s throne. We are to fulfill God’s purposes!

  EXAMPLE: To avoid recriminations by the devotees of Baal, Jehoiada posted guards at Solomon’s temple. At the end of the coronation ceremonies the people led by Jehoiada and his guards conducted the new king to his palace where he sat down on his throne. The people of Judah as a whole rejoiced greatly that once again a descendant of David ruled and that the worship of Yahweh was again made official. They could not let Athaliah defeat God’s purpose to have a king from David’s house on the throne. At great risk they hid Joash, removed Athaliah, and installed Joash as Judah’s king. We too may face great risks in taking God’s purposes and agenda as our own. We are to fulfill God’s purposes!

Conclusion:

We will face challenges to God’s purposes! We are to fulfill God’s purposes!
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This article is copyrighted © 2018 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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