King James Bible Study: In God's Hand
For: Thursday May 05, 2011
Chapters: II Kings 11-13
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://imfollowingjesus.com/bible-may-5
Details of Today's Reading: Athaliah has the royal seed of Judah destroyed, all but Joash are killed, Joash becomes king of Judah at the age of seven, the execution of Athaliah, a revival through Jehoida, the repair of the Temple, Reign of Jehoahaz over Israel, Elisha’s death, the miracle at his tomb, and the victories of Jehoash through God's help.

Hello My Friend/Guest,

“Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” - John 10:24-30.

God preserves His people, His people are those who not only believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, but ask Him to come into their lives. Now, there are a lot of people who say they know who Jesus is, but anyone can say that and not know Jesus. While we may not be able to tell by looking at a person who are His, Jesus sure can. His sheep are those whom believe not only in His death, burial, and resurrection, but also that He is the Son of God and God Himself in the flesh.

After Jehu destroyed all the house of Ahab and the Baal worshipers in the Northern Kingdom it seemed as though thing were looking up for Israel. However, they forgot one thing, to kill Athaliah, who was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. When she found out that her son was dead she called for vengeance upon the house of Judah.

“And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.” - II Kings 11:1-3.

It was important for a male of the house of Judah to keep the seed of David alive as God promised David that His seed would come through the lineage in which were David's. For six years Athaliah thought she had everything under control, what she was oblivious to was her grandson being prepared to be king.

“And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD. And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason. But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD...And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house. Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.” - II Kings 11:12-15,20,21.

Although he was just a child he had a good guardian, a godly man, willing to train him to be a godly man himself and what was better, he had a good God to go to when he needed help. We should never disregard a child, kids are wiser than you think and if brought up godly, it is amazing what they can do. I teach seven year olds and they surprise me with what they have paid attention to and learned just in a short amount of time. I have actually had several parents that live in the world stop allowing their kids to come to church because their kids were telling them that what they were doing was sin. While kids need to respect and honor their parents they can still be a good influence on them, Jesus loved children and often used them as an example that we should as adults follow.

“And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me...Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.”- Matthew 18:2-5,10.

Remembering that he owed his preservation and restoration to God and the Temple, Joash ordered all the priests to collect the money of the consecrated gifts, that was generally brought into the house of the Lord, and use it for all the repairs that were needed in the Temple.

“And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.” - II Kings 12:4-7.

The word breach is defined as the act of breaking, or a state of being broken, a gap, a space between the severed parts of a solid body parted by violence. When we are born we are born breach, we are born with a broken body, one that has been parted by violence (sin). A body contains three parts, flesh, soul, and spirit, when we are born, even though the body has life the spirit is dead, it does not have God's Spirit in it (This is a result of sin passed down to us through Adam and Eve), meaning the body is broken or breach. Now, when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior Jesus repairs that breach, He seals the gap allowing the body and soul to become one with the Spirit of God, making the body whole, now containing all three parts, flesh, soul, and Spirit. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” - John 3:36.

Once Christ is in us we instantly become one of God's people and no matter what we do we still are God's. No matter how many times Israel turned their backs on God He was still there to answer their cries when they truly repented. “And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them...And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.” - II Kings 13:4,23.

Even though we are God's people He will not watch His people live in sin, He will cast Himself from their presence, but His ears never stop listening for their cry. He never forgets the promise He made with you, “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” - I John 2:24,25. Praise God!

Jesus Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through Jehoiada, the priest who protected Joash. “Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” - II Corinthians 4:9,10.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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