2 Kings 11:1-8: a reflection

1Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. 2But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3He was with her hidden in the LORD’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land. 4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the LORD’s house; and he made a covenant with them, and made a covenant with them in the LORD’s house, and showed them the king’s son. 5He commanded them, saying, “This is what you must do: a third of you, who come in on the Sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; 6a third of you shall be at the gate Sur; and a third of you at the gate behind the guard. So you shall keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. 7The two companies of you, even all who go out on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the LORD’s house around the king. 8You shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he who comes within the ranks, let him be slain. Be with the king when he goes out, and when he comes in.”

When the wicked queen Athaliah sees that her son is dead, she seizes power and sets out to destroy all the royal heirs, threatening to end the line of David entirely. But one infant, Joash, is rescued: his aunt Jehosheba steals him away from among the doomed children and hides him, with his nurse, in the temple, where he remains concealed for six years while Athaliah reigns. Through this one hidden child, the line of David, and the promise attached to it, is preserved when it seemed on the verge of being wiped out.

Notice how God preserved his promise through one small, hidden child. Athaliah's slaughter seemed to end the royal line; humanly, the promise to David of an enduring house appeared destroyed. But one infant was hidden away, secretly kept safe through the dark years; and through that one preserved child, the line survived. God's promise did not depend on outward strength or safety; it hung, in God's providence, on a single hidden child, and God preserved it. When all seemed lost, a hidden remnant kept the promise alive.

That is worth taking to heart, for there are times when God's purposes seem on the verge of being wiped out, and we can despair. A cause, a hope, a work of God can seem all but destroyed, hanging by a thread; and we can conclude it is finished. But God preserved his whole promise through one hidden child when it seemed ended; he can preserve his purposes through a small, hidden remnant when they seem lost. Do not despair when God's purposes seem on the verge of being wiped out; God can preserve them through a hidden remnant, as he preserved the line of David through one concealed child. What seems all but destroyed may be preserved by God through something small and hidden; trust that God can keep his promise alive through a remnant, as he kept David's line alive through the one hidden child Joash, when Athaliah's slaughter seemed to have ended it.

Lord, when the wicked queen Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she seized power and set out to destroy all the royal heirs, threatening to end the line of David entirely. But one infant, Joash, was rescued: his aunt Jehosheba stole him away and hid him, with his nurse, in the temple, where he remained concealed for six years. Through this one hidden child, the line of David, and the promise attached to it, was preserved when it seemed on the verge of being wiped out. Show me how you preserved your promise through one small, hidden child. Athaliah's slaughter seemed to end the royal line; humanly, the promise to David appeared destroyed. But one infant was hidden away, secretly kept safe; and through that one preserved child, the line survived. Your promise did not depend on outward strength or safety; it hung, in your providence, on a single hidden child, and you preserved it. Take that to my heart, for there are times when your purposes seem on the verge of being wiped out, and I can despair. A cause, a hope, a work of yours can seem all but destroyed, hanging by a thread; and I can conclude it is finished. But you preserved your whole promise through one hidden child when it seemed ended. Keep me from despairing when your purposes seem on the verge of being wiped out; you can preserve them through a hidden remnant, Lord, as you preserved the line of David through one concealed child. Help me trust that you can keep your promise alive through a remnant.