Someone once asked me, “Do you know how to spell faith? R – I – S – K”!
Risk. It means to be exposed to danger, harm, or loss. Right, wrong, or indifferent, it’s an
interesting word to associate with faith. Walking in faith and not by sight is a bit of a risk.
The writer of Hebrews speaks of people who exhibited great faith: Abraham, Sarah, the
Patriarchs, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. Their
stories testify that they risked much and endured much, because they believed much.
So too did the woman in our text today – Jehosheba. She risked everything to protect the only
grandson left in the royal line of King David when Athaliah, daughter of King Ahab and Jezebel,
committed treason and ordered to have all remaining heirs of the house of David killed, when
her own son, Ahaziah, king of Judah, and brother, Joram, king of Israel, died at the hands of
Jehu.
But 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 being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. – 2 Kings 11:2
Jehosheba was not only the half-sister of Ahaziah, Athaliah’s son, she was also married to the
high priest Jehoiada, which made it possible for her to rescue and hide the little boy named
Joash (Jehoash), not yet a year old.
First, it took courage. Then came risk. Lastly, came reward.
The boy was hidden in Jehosheba’s secret chamber. She and her husband brought him up
privately in the temple six years, during which time Athaliah usurped the throne and reigned
over Jerusalem and the two tribes of Israel. She reigned for seven years. Ultimately,
Jehosheba’s husband made a careful plan to overthrow the queen, and succeeded, and Joash
became king at the age of seven. He reigned for forty years. The Davidic line was preserved
through Jehosheba’s courage to do the right thing – even though it was hard.
Jehosheba had FAITH; the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen.
And her faith ignited courage which moved her to risk everything to preserve the Davidic line,
which carried the promise of an eternal kingdom – not yet seen. Like Jehosheba, our faith in the
eternal kingdom of God should carry with it great courage.
What are you risking today for that same kingdom?
Where is your faith activating courage?
Are you willing to be different? Biblically different?
Are you willing to endure in your faith, for things hoped for, yet not yet seen?
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? – Luke 18:8
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