Prayer: Father, thank You for a Christian faith heritage left to me by my parents. May many see through today’s scripture, the importance of leaving a legacy of faith. Amen.
Reading: 2 Chronicles 22 key: vs.2-4 “Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab for his mother counseled him to do evil. He did evil in the sight of Adonai, like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after his father’s death—to his destruction.” TLV
Attention: I have used this scripture reference more than once, but I hope that everyone reading today’s journal can understand the relevance for all scripture, both Old and New Testaments, for today! The apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Messiah, “For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea. They all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. And all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink—for they were drinking from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the Rock was Messiah. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. Now these things happened as examples for us, so we wouldn’t crave evil things, just as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” And let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day 23,000 fell. And let’s not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were destroyed by serpents. And let’s not grumble, as some of them did—and were destroyed by the destroying angel. Now these things happened to them as an example, and it was written down as a warning to us—on whom the ends of the ages have come (1 Corinthians 10:1-11).”
Most of us are ignorant of the lessons of scripture because we have never taken the time to read the scriptures. These examples are warnings of things to avoid if we do not want the same results. And yet, generation after generation, we make the same mistakes and suffer the same consequences.
King Ahaziah received evil counsel from his mother and the evil king Ahab, king of northern Israel. The depravity that came in one generation is unimaginable. Just two generation earlier, his grandfather’s Asa and Jehoshaphat has reinstated reforms which brought the nation back to Adonai.
The providence of God is shown at the end of the chapter. God had positioned a woman name Jehoshabeath to steal and protect the only remaining blood line of David. Who was Jeshoshebaeath? “Jehoshebaeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Azaiah and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. Because Jehoshebaeath, daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the kohen, was the sister of Azaiah, she could hide him from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them in the House of God for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land (22: 11-12).” She was the king’s daughter, the High Priests wife, and sister of Azaiah. For six years, she hid the little boy in the House of God.
God is faithful to keep His Covenant with David and with us.
Action: I choose to listen to the warnings of scripture and be obedient to Adonai.
Yield: I choose to submit to the sovereignty of Adonai.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in living an obedient life to Adonai.
Relationship: I choose to live in holy obedience unto Adonai.
Prayer: Father, life just works better when we heed Your warnings through scripture and not live rebelliously like they did. They lived a life in chaos with the demonic and suffered the consequences. May we live obedient lives. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22-23 “Samuel said: “Does Adonai delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Adonai? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry. Since you have rejected Adonai’s word, He has also rejected you as king.” TLV
Music Video: Chardon Lewis—Into The Deep https://youtu.be/V8vym4gtcEM?si=Gt1xhtk2EJAxjrPg
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”