2 Kings 11:1-3 – Standing up and make a difference

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab. She was married to King Jehoram of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat. Athaliah was as cruel as Jezebel, her mother. And she was the only woman that had ever ascended the throne. In 2 Kings 11:1-3, we are briefly told how she took possession of the throne and became the first woman to rule Judah.

Verse 1 said that when King Ahaziah, her son died, she had all the royal offspring slaughtered. In other words, she had all her grandchildren killed. Why did she do that? The reason was obvious. She killed them so that she could seize the throne, that would have rightfully gone to the firstborn of Ahaziah.  She managed to kill all her grandsons but one, namely Joash, who was rescued by Jehosheba his aunt, the sister of Ahaziah.  

Jehosheba was also the wife of the high priest Jehoiada. Second Kings 11:2 tells us that she managed to prevent young Joash from being killed by Athaliah, his grandmother, who had all the rest of the royal offspring massacred. She managed to steal him from the rest and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So he escaped death at the hand of wicked Athaliah. Being the wife of the high priest, she hid Joash in the house of the Lord for six years where he was raised by Jehoiada.

Here's one person who was not afraid to do what was right. It is easier to run with the crowd than to stand up and be different. This is particularly so when one’s life would be at risk. But Jehosheba was not such a person. She was prepared to risk her life. She did what she could to preserve the king from the line of David. Are we like her? Dead fishes can never swim against the stream only live ones can. Let us not be afraid to stand up and make a difference for God. We can do our part to stand with God, and be His ambassadors to share the good news of salvation in our threatening world.