Never Alone

II Chronicles 22:7–12

“Through Ahaziah’s visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom. When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah’s sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.”

God appoints people to bring about His sovereign will and fulfill His promises. Today we read God bringing about judgment through Jehu to the detestable house of Ahab, collateral damage of which is Ahaziah, the wicked king of Judah (v. 7), and salvation to the future king Joash through his aunt Jehosheba (v. 11). God also charges His angels to protect His own, and in one instance, to ensure the safety of His promised Messiah, saviour of the world: “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My son (Matt 2:13–15).” God will always prevail despite the work of evildoers, and He will ensure their comeuppance for He is loving and therefore just and trustworthy, faithful to His word. We may not always understand why He allows the wicked to succeed at times but we can trust that He works for our good (Rom 8:28) and the salvation of many, in fact all, if possible given the sacred free will He grants (I Tim 2:4). Finally for us this side of the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, He made sure that we will never be alone through the ministry of His Holy Spirit. God Holy Spirit lead us, protect us always and cover us, grant us Your wisdom to live and help us always be aware of Your presence, the presence of God, that brings strength and joy (I Chron 16:27), and meaning into our lives because You have made Your dwelling in us (John 14:17), You are the friend that sticks closer than a brother, that we may not come to ruin (Prov 18:24). Set us apart in our daily lives and fulfill Your promises through us. In Jesus Christ’s glorious name, amen.