Jehosheba: The woman on rescue mission

There are many great men and women who are celebrated today because they risked their own lives to save the lives of other people who were facing persecution. For example, Nazi Germany’s state sponsored Holocaust killed about six million European Jews. During this mass murder operation, there were people who risked their lives to save the Jewish people and this included a Polish woman named Irena Sendler. Irena Sendler successfully rescued 2,500 Jewish children out of the Ghetto in Warsaw, Poland. Her brave action saw the lives of 2,500 people saved. Irena Sandler might not be a household name because until recently,  not many people heard of her heroic act. Similarly,  there were men and women who risked their lives to rescue others in the Bible. These people knew that their action was tantamount to death if they were caught, but they did it anyway. One such woman in history is Jehosheba. Her name might not sound familiar to you and it is possible that you might not have heard any sermon that ever mentioned her name. Jehosheba risked her life to save her brother’s son. The son she saved, rose up to become the king of Judah. 

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. (2 Kings 11:2 NIV)

In a previous post, we considered how Athaliah, the mother of king Ahaziah deliberately wiped out the royal family when she realized her son Ahaziah had been killed. Athaliah was brute and she wasn’t ready to spare a soul. She was so wicked and heartless that she was ready to kill her own grandson and any other person who identified as a royal. The opposite of Athaliah is Jehosheba. While Athaliah’s vengeance cared less of her own family members, Jehosheba’s compassion led her on a dangerous mission. She could have been killed by Athaliah if her action was found. Jehosheba went on a rescue mission. The story of Jehosheba’s rescue of Joash is recorded in 2 Kings 11:2 and 2 Chronicles 22:11. The 2 Kings 11: 2 account states that, “But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.” In 2 Chronicles 22:11b we get to know that, “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.” Thus, Jehosheba was not just an aunt to Joash, she was also the wife of the priest, Jehoiada. 

In other words, both Athaliah and Jehosheba were public figures. Athaliah was the mother of the late king and Jehosheba was the sister of the late king and the wife of the priest. These two women all had some sort of power. Athaliah used her own power to take away lives. Jehosheba, on the other hand, used her power to save a life. Jehosheba’s compassion is a typology of the compassion God has for us. Jehosheba saw in Joash a helpless baby who was likely to be killed by a heartless woman. Jehosheba risked everything to hide Joash and his nurse. The wicked Athaliah could have killed Jehosheba for that rescue mission, but Jehosheba still went ahead and saved a soul. Six years after this rescue mission, Joash, then seven years old, was crowned as a king (2 Kings 11:21). The evil Athaliah received the wages of her sins, she was killed (2 Kings 11:15‭-‬16). King Joash had his own flaws but he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him (2 Kings 12:2). Joash did some major repairs on the temple of God in Jerusalem (2 Kings 12:1-16). 

The story of Jehosheba teaches us to have compassion for the poor, weak and vulnerable. We also learn that whatever position we find ourselves can be used to save lives or to waste lives. We identify that sometimes, taking the stand for the good could be risky but it pays off in the long term. Jehosheba teaches us that women can play significant roles even if they work in the background. You don’t necessarily need to be the queen to fight, you can be the wife and still be a warrior. Women who look forward to a bigger stage to do exploits might end up doing nothing but those who create their own opportunities even in the unlikely situations would be celebrated. Don’t be comfortable in your small space, be a Jehosheba who identifies the wrong and fix it with the right. 

Athaliah: The Destroyer of Royal Family

Ahab and his wife Jezebel we considered in a previous post did lots of evil before the Lord. Although Ahab was forgiven because he humbled himself, his son still faced the consequences of Ahab’s sins. 1 Kings 21: 28-29, the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.” Ahab’s first successor was Ahaziah, his son. Ahaziah died because he fell from his lattice and injured himself. Instead of consulting God, he consulted  Baal-Zebub. 2 Kings 1:17 states that, “So he died, according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram succeeded him as king. Joram was another son of Ahab. During the kingship of Joram, Jehu, the army commander rebelled. Joram (king of Israel) was with Ahaziah, the king of Judah (remember Joram’s own late brother was also known as Ahaziah!) when Jehu attacked them. When Joram discovered Jehu’s evil intentions, “Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” When Ahaziah king of Judah saw what had happened, he fled up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, shouting, “Kill him too!” They wounded him in his chariot on the way up to Gur near Ibleam, but he escaped to Megiddo and died there. His servants took him by chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ancestors in his tomb in the City of David” (2 Kings 9:23‭, ‬27‭-‬28). Thus both Israel and Judah lost their kings in the hands of Jehu, the commander of Israel’s army.

When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. (2 Kings 11:1)

This incident didn’t go down well with Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah (king of Judah). 2 Kings 11:1 states that, “When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.” How can a single woman hold so much power? Who did she collaborate with to exterminate the royal family? However, one son was spared by the sister of Ahaziah known as Jehosheba. She took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed (see 2 Kings 11:2). Joash remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land (2 Kings 11:3). Thus, Athaliah did not just destroy the royal family, she assumed a leadership role and reigned over the land. She destroyed the royal family so she could become the ruler of the land. Her quest for violence was not justified. Her son Ahaziah was attacked by Jehu in Israel (the Northern Kingdom) so she had no excuse to murder the people in Judah (the Southern Kingdom). Her vengeance was unjustified and barbaric. 

After six years, Jehoiada, the priest, brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!” (2 Kings 11:12). Athaliah was unaware of the activities in the temple. She didn’t even know that a remnant remained after her mass murder of the royal house. The shouts from the temple got to the palace. “When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!” (2 Kings 11:13‭-‬14). Athaliah felt betrayed that the legitimate son of the late king was being crowned as the king. She wanted to rule, she wanted power and she was not ready to share the throne. However, it was too late for her. Athaliah’s evil cup was full. When she got to the temple, Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord.” So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death (2 Kings 11:15‭-‬16).

The land was rid of an evil and wicked woman and the true son of the late king was given his rightful position. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign (2 Kings 11:21). Joash’s father (Ahaziah) had a wrong association with the wrong king (Joram). The death destined for Joram also took Ahaziah. Not happy with the death of his son, Athaliah took matters in her own hands and destroyed the royal family. The confusion in the whole palace began because of Ahaziah’s meeting with Joram. 

You should be intentional about who you mingle with. Not every good person is a God-fearing person. If you follow the crowd, you might end up a victim.