December 16, 2012 God Acts to Save You

God Acts to Save You 2 Kings 11:21 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. GREAT turmoil has infiltrated Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Ahaziah, Judah’s king, was killed by Jehu under God’s instruction because Ahaziah pursued evil. As a result Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, ordered all of the royal family in Judah destroyed to avenge her son’s death. To save Joash, an infant nephew of the dead king, a woman named Jehosheba, wife of the high priest, hid Joash and his nurse safely in the temple. That was a really smart thing to do, because the Baal-worshiping Athaliah would never go into the temple. Seven years later, God acted to complete the cleansing of Judah and to bring the boy Joash to the throne. Why is this worth considering? Can you think back to Moses? He, too, was under threat of a high official, Egypt’s Pharaoh, to be killed as a newborn Hebrew boy. He was saved by his quick-thinking mother and helpful sister. 80 years later, God anointed him to be Israel’s great Law Giver. God miraculously saved and used Moses to advance his plan of salvation for the world. Likewise, God miraculously saved and used Joash to advance his plan of salvation to the world. Why Joash? Joash is of the lineage of David in Judah. As God decreed his Savior would come from David in the nation of Judah, he preserved the one child left in Judah who carried David’s blood line. He preserved, too, his promise of a Savior to destroy sin forever. Joash was a boy king, but in the power of God, he would advance the purpose of God. Question: Do you feel limited to advance God’s purpose? Then pray to God to touch you with his power and trust him to use you as he will. It’s True! God has acted through specific time with specific people to save you.