Journey Of The Seed - Catch The Bible's Big Picture In 60 DaysSample

CLOSE CALLS

[Scheduled Reading: 2 Kings 4-11]

It’s a dismal decline for Judah. Fending off enemies, fighting with Israel, conspiracies, assassinations, take-over attempts. 

Business as usual for power-hungry, fear-driven monarchies.  

Amazingly, the transfer of The Seed is never disrupted. 

After Asa and Jehoshaphat (good kings), Joram (#39) succeeds the throne. He resumes the wicked ways of his great grandfather, Abijah. He kills his six brothers (yes, those are Jehoshaphat’s sons!)

Despite this atrocity, the Lord is not willing to destroy Judah because of His covenant with David (2 Chronicles 21:7).

God continues to have His way with the path of The Seed – seeking to fulfill His covenants and Genesis 3:15 promise.

After all, these men (even the most wicked ones) are ancestors to Jesus!

Unlike in the north (Israel) where kings bounce around from tribe to tribe, southern kingdom rule stays with the tribe of Judah. 

And while family succession for Israel occasionally hits a dead end - with no son to succeed the throne - Judah always seems to find a way to pass The Seed. We’re learning to expect that with God’s Seed Strategy, right? 

There are some close calls, though. 

For example, Ahaziah (#40, son of Joram) reigns for a single year, before being assassinated by the king of Israel. 

This assassination was ordained by God. (Just because Ahaziah was in the line of The Seed, did not guarantee God’s protection.)  

Then Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, kills the remainder of the royal family - including Ahaziah’s sons! (Yes, she murders her grandbabies!)

But what about The Seed?

As God’s sovereignty would have it, Ahaziah’s sister rescues Ahaziah’s one-year old son, baby Joash (#41), and steals him away. She hides the baby Joash in the temple for six years while Athaliah is ruling as queen! 

Queen Athaliah is eventually assassinated by a priest (another God-orchestrated death). And Joash assumes the throne as a seven-year-old kid! 

Unbelievable! That’s called protecting The Seed! 

Joash goes on to be a good king – “doing what was right in the sight of the Lord.” But his righteousness did fade toward the end of his 40-year reign.  

It’s hard to remain faithful to God when times are dark. 

Lets talk about it. 

The Seed is locked in a fierce battle with Satan. 

Can you imagine what a victory it would be for Satan to work out the death of a king in the line of The Seed? 

Discuss how miraculous it is that God continues to keep The Seed safe and alive during this period of kingdom decline.